A great private demesne wrapped around a Georgian house near Bangor — an 18th-century stone courtyard, lakes and parkland, what is said to be Northern Ireland's largest stretch of broadleaved woodland, and Helen's Tower standing on its land. Home, too, of the well-known Clandeboye yogurt.
What you'll find — the seat of the Marquess of Dufferin and Ava: a handsome courtyard of old estate buildings, a lake and rolling parkland, deep oak-and-beech woodland, and the famous Clandeboye Estate yogurt made from the estate's own dairy herd.
Helen's Tower — the Victorian Scottish-baronial tower stands on the estate, built by the 1st Marquess in memory of his mother. It has its own full guide on Days Out NI.
How to visit — via the Courtyard's events and food festivals, a couple of garden open days a year (through the National Garden Scheme), pre-booked guided tours, and the woodland and parkland walks. Check what's on before you set off.
How long — anything from an hour at a courtyard event to half a day around a food festival, walk or tour.
Cost — varies by event or tour; some days out are free, others ticketed. Enquire or check the estate's listings.
Food, parking & dogs — food and coffee turn up at courtyard events (thought to be no set daily café, so check ahead); free parking at the entrance is generally stated; dogs are welcome on leads. The yogurt itself you'll find in the shops.
It's a PRIVATE estate — not a turn-up-anytime park. The house and walled gardens aren't generally open; access is through open days, courtyard events and activities, and pre-booked tours. Always check what's on before you travel.
Helen's Tower has its own guide. If the tower is what you're after, read our separate Helen's Tower guide for how to visit and stay.
Plan your visit
Can I visit? Yes — but on the estate's terms, not casually
Clandeboye is a working private estate, so it isn't a walk-in country park you can rock up to any day. The house and formal walled gardens are not generally open — the gardens open only a couple of days a year, for the National Garden Scheme. The Courtyard is the public heart of it: weddings, conferences and, most usefully for a family, seasonal food festivals and events. You can also book a guided tour ahead for a group, led by the head gardener around the courtyard, bee garden and house grounds. Prices vary by event or tour — some are free, some ticketed — so check the estate's own listings, or the National Garden Scheme for the garden open days, before you set off.
Open days & eventsPre-booked guided toursFree parking at entranceDogs on leadsWoodland & parkland
Before you travel:
This is a private estate — the house and walled gardens aren't generally open, and there isn't a fixed daily café or shop to rely on. Access is via open days, courtyard events, activities and pre-booked tours, so always check the estate's listings for what's on that day. Prices and opening vary by event — we don't quote set hours or ticket prices here because they change with each event.
Before you set off
What to wear and bring
👟Comfy shoes or welliesThe estate is parkland, gravel and woodland tracks — grand in trainers, soft underfoot after rain.
🧥A coat or a layerYou're out in open County Down countryside near the coast, so a breeze or a shower is never far off.
🎟️Your booking or event detailsMost days here run on an event, tour or open day — have your ticket or slot to hand, and the address for the sat-nav.
🥄An appetite (and a cool bag)Food festivals are a highlight, and the estate's own yogurt is worth grabbing from the shops on the way home.
Good to know
Everything before you go
What it is
A large private country estate near Bangor, Co. Down — the seat of the Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, with a Georgian house, an 18th-century courtyard, a lake, parkland and what's said to be Northern Ireland's largest area of broadleaved woodland.
How to visit
The house and walled gardens aren't generally open. Access is via the Courtyard's events and food festivals, a couple of garden open days a year through the National Garden Scheme, pre-booked guided tours, and the woodland and parkland. Check the estate's listings for what's on.
Opening & prices
Both vary by event, tour or open day — some free, some ticketed. We don't quote fixed hours or prices because they change with each event; confirm on the estate's own listings before you travel.
Guided tours
Bookable in advance for groups, led by the head gardener around the courtyard, bee garden and the grounds of Clandeboye House. Arrange ahead — it isn't a turn-up walk-in.
The yogurt
Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt is made on the estate from its own pedigree Holstein and Jersey herd, started by the late Lady Dufferin in 2008 and much awarded. You'll find it in supermarkets and farm shops rather than by touring the dairy.
Helen's Tower
Stands on the estate at Conlig — a Victorian Scottish-baronial tower, now a holiday let run by the Irish Landmark Trust. It has its own full guide on Days Out NI.
Food
Food and coffee appear at courtyard events and food festivals; there's thought to be no set daily café, so don't count on it — check what's on, and eat before or after if unsure.
Dogs
Welcome on the estate on a lead; keep them close and under control near the gardens and any livestock.
Parking
Free parking at the main entrance is generally stated; confirm with the event you're attending.
Questions
Before you go
Can I just turn up and walk around?
Not like a public country park — Clandeboye is a private estate. The house and walled gardens aren't generally open. You get in via courtyard events and food festivals, a couple of garden open days a year, pre-booked guided tours, and the woodland and parkland. Always check what's on before you travel.
How much does it cost?
It varies — some days out here are free and others are ticketed, depending on the event, open day or tour. We don't quote a fixed price because it changes with each event; check the estate's own listings when you plan your visit.
Is this where they make Clandeboye yogurt?
Yes — Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt is made on the estate from its own pedigree Holstein and Jersey dairy herd. There aren't public dairy tours, though; you'll find the yogurt in supermarkets and farm shops, and at the estate's food festivals.
Is Helen's Tower here?
It is — Helen's Tower stands on the Clandeboye Estate. It's a Victorian tower, now a holiday let run by the Irish Landmark Trust, and it has its own full guide on Days Out NI. Read our Helen's Tower guide for how to visit and stay.
Wasn't Game of Thrones filmed here?
Yes — the estate's woodland doubled as Craster's Keep, and it's where Jaime and Brienne were captured. But the set was burned on camera for the show and nothing of it remains, and the filming areas are on the private estate, so there's no set to walk round.
Is there anywhere to eat and park?
Food and coffee turn up at courtyard events and food festivals rather than a set daily café, so check what's on. Free parking at the entrance is generally provided; confirm with the event you're attending.
Getting there
Clandeboye Estate, Bangor, Co. Down, BT19 1RN — the main entrance is off the A2 Belfast–Bangor road, roughly two miles before Bangor, about twelve miles from Belfast.
The Blackwoods, a viceroy, and a tower for a mother
The land was first settled in 1674 as "Ballyleidy," later renamed Clandeboye after the old Gaelic territory of the same name. The present Clandeboye House was built around 1801–1804 for Sir James Blackwood, to a design by Robert Woodgate, a pupil of Sir John Soane — the handsome Georgian front you see across the lawn today.
The estate's great figure was Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (1826–1902): one of the most travelled statesmen of the Victorian age, Governor General of Canada and later Viceroy of India, with ambassadorships across Europe in between. It was he who laid out the estate's sweeping parkland and broadleaved woodland — and who, in memory of his mother Helen, raised Helen's Tower on the high ground of the estate, its rooms inscribed with poems, including verses said to be written for it by Tennyson.
In more recent times the late Lady Dufferin, Lindy, brought the estate into the present — welcoming conservation volunteers from the 1970s, and in 2008 starting the now much-loved Clandeboye Estate yogurt from the estate's own herd. So the demesne you glimpse from the courtyard or the woodland today still carries three centuries of the Blackwood family — and a working dairy on top.