Burr Point — Easternmost Point of Ireland Stargazing — The most easterly point of Ireland — a free, wild little headland on the Ards coast where you can drive out on a clear night and look straight up.
What you'll see: A wide dark sky and open sea horizon on clear nights; the Milky Way can show on genuinely dark, moonless nights, plus planets and seasonal meteor showers. Nothing is guaranteed — it depends on cloud and moon.
Getting there: About a mile southeast of Ballyhalbert village on the Ards Peninsula coast, County Down. Follow local roads to the shore near the point.
When to go: Clear, moonless nights; darker and longer in winter. Check the forecast and moon phase before you set off.
Facilities: None. No toilets, no lighting, no café — it is open coast, so come prepared.
Cost: Free.
Good to know: Unlit and right on the coast. Bring a torch (a red light saves your night vision), warm layers and sturdy shoes, mind the rocky edges in the dark, and tell someone where you are.
Plan your visit
What the spot is like
Burr Point is a working piece of coast rather than a built attraction. A modern sculpture by Ned Jackson Smyth marks the point, a disused coastguard tower stands on the hill above, and just offshore lies the small Burial Island, a nesting site for terns. By day it is a quiet walking spot. By night, with the village lights behind you and open sea ahead, it turns into a low, dark viewing place where the eastern horizon stays free of streetlight.
The most easterly point of IrelandWide open sea horizon to the eastDark skies on clear moonless nights, away from town lightSeasonal meteor showers overheadOccasional organised stargazing nights with local astronomers
Good to know before you go:
Local astronomy groups occasionally run stargazing nights at Burr Point with telescopes set up on the headland. Time a visit for the August Perseids or December Geminids for the best chance of meteors.
Before you set off
What to bring
🔦A torch — ideally red-lightRed light lets you see the path without wrecking your night vision.
🧥More layers than you thinkYou’re standing still in the dark on a hill — it gets cold fast.
📱A star-map app & the forecastCheck the moon phase and cloud cover before you set off — a full moon washes the sky out.
🧣A flask & a blanketHalf the fun is sitting back with a hot drink while your eyes adjust.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Type
Free dark-sky coastal viewpoint (the easternmost point of Ireland)
What you'll see
A wide dark sky and open sea horizon on clear nights; the Milky Way can show on genuinely dark, moonless nights, plus planets and seasonal meteor showers. Nothing is guaranteed — it depends on cloud and moon.
Getting there
About a mile southeast of Ballyhalbert village on the Ards Peninsula coast, County Down. Follow local roads to the shore near the point.
Facilities
None. No toilets, no lighting, no café — it is open coast, so come prepared.
When to go
Clear, moonless nights; darker and longer in winter. Check the forecast and moon phase before you set off.
Cost
Free
Booking
No booking for casual visits. Organised astronomy evenings, when they run, may need a ticket.
Good to know
Unlit and right on the coast. Bring a torch (a red light saves your night vision), warm layers and sturdy shoes, mind the rocky edges in the dark, and tell someone where you are.
Parking
No dedicated car park. Park considerately on hard ground near the shore and walk out to the point.
Address
Burr Point, Ballyhalbert, Ards Peninsula, County Down
Questions
Before you go
Is it free?
Free
When is the best time to go?
Clear, moonless nights; darker and longer in winter. Check the forecast and moon phase before you set off.
What will we actually see?
A wide dark sky and open sea horizon on clear nights; the Milky Way can show on genuinely dark, moonless nights, plus planets and seasonal meteor showers. Nothing is guaranteed — it depends on cloud and moon.
Are there any facilities?
None. No toilets, no lighting, no café — it is open coast, so come prepared.
What should we bring?
Unlit and right on the coast. Bring a torch (a red light saves your night vision), warm layers and sturdy shoes, mind the rocky edges in the dark, and tell someone where you are.
Getting there
Burr Point — Easternmost Point of Ireland Stargazing is at Burr Point, Ballyhalbert, Ards Peninsula, County Down. About a mile southeast of Ballyhalbert village on the Ards Peninsula coast, County Down. Follow local roads to the shore near the point. Tap below for directions.
There is something quietly special about standing on the very last scrap of land before the sea. Burr Point is the most easterly point of the whole island of Ireland, and the sculpture on the headland marks it. When the sun is down and the village lights fall away behind you, the open water to the east gives you one of the darkest horizons you can reach this easily on the County Down coast.
It costs nothing and asks nothing except that you come ready for the dark. Bring a flask, a torch and a warm coat, wait for your eyes to adjust, and let a clear night do the rest.