Days Out NI
Coastal walk Cranfield

Cranfield Point Walk

A free, easy headland walk to the southern tip of County Down, looking out at a lighthouse.

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Open accessWalk it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
CranfieldCoastal walk
Get directions
An hourHow long
2 miles returnDistance
FreeCost
All agesBest for
On leadsDogs

Cranfield Point Walk — A free, easy headland walk to the southern tip of County Down, looking out at a lighthouse.

  • Distance: Roughly 2 miles return along the beach to the point; check how far you go.
  • How long: About an hour, longer with beach time.
  • Terrain: Firm sand, shingle and a short stretch of uneven rocky shore.
  • Dogs: Welcome on the wider beach; a seasonal restriction keeps dogs off the main bathing beach in summer, so check before you go and keep on a lead near birds.
  • With kids: No clifftop drops, but the tide covers the lower sand and the rocks near the point are slippy and uneven, so keep children close and check tide times.
  • Parking: Free car park on the northern side of Ameracam Lane, with a ramp to the beach; closes at 9pm.
Plan your visit

An easy walk to the bottom of the county

Start at the Cranfield car park off Ameracam Lane and drop down the ramp to the beach. From there you follow the gently sloping sand and shingle east toward Cranfield Point, the southernmost tip of County Down and Northern Ireland. Allow about an hour there and back for an easy, mostly flat walk. The reward is the view: the active Haulbowline Lighthouse, built in the 1820s, standing in the mouth of Carlingford Lough, with the Cooley Mountains beyond and the Mournes at your back. It is firm and easy on the beach, but the ground near the point is rocky and uneven.

Free Free car park Haulbowline Lighthouse views Southern tip of County Down Mournes behind you Mostly flat and easy
Good to know before you go:

The Mournes coast and the shores of Carlingford Lough host seasonal guided walks, ranger and wildlife events and village festivals through the year. Check ahead for what is on around Cranfield, Kilkeel and the wider Mourne coast before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 👟Good shoes or bootsShore paths can be rocky, uneven and a little muddy after rain.
  • 🧥A coat or windproofThe coast is breezy — a fresh sea wind is half the fun of it.
  • 💧Water and a snackThere is rarely a shop right on the path, so pack a little something.
  • 🔭Binoculars or a cameraFor the seabirds, the seals and the big views across the water.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Parking
Free car park on the northern side of Ameracam Lane, with a ramp to the beach; closes at 9pm
Distance
Roughly 2 miles return along the beach to the point; check how far you go
How long to allow
About an hour, longer with beach time
Difficulty
Easy and mostly flat, with uneven rocky ground near the point
Terrain
Firm sand, shingle and a short stretch of uneven rocky shore
Safety with kids
No clifftop drops, but the tide covers the lower sand and the rocks near the point are slippy and uneven, so keep children close and check tide times
Dogs
Welcome on the wider beach; a seasonal restriction keeps dogs off the main bathing beach in summer, so check before you go and keep on a lead near birds
Buggy-friendly
Not really; soft sand, shingle and rocky shore are hard going, though all-terrain beach wheelchairs can be loaned through the Mae Murray scheme
Toilets / food nearby
Toilets and showers at the car park; the Beachcomber Cafe nearby for teas, coffees and fish and chips
Address
Cranfield Beach car park, Ameracam Lane, Cranfield, near Kilkeel, Co. Down
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free
How far is the walk?
Roughly 2 miles return along the beach to the point; check how far you go
How long should I allow?
About an hour, longer with beach time
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome on the wider beach; a seasonal restriction keeps dogs off the main bathing beach in summer, so check before you go and keep on a lead near birds
Is it buggy-friendly?
Not really; soft sand, shingle and rocky shore are hard going, though all-terrain beach wheelchairs can be loaned through the Mae Murray scheme
Getting there

Cranfield Point Walk is at Cranfield Beach car park, Ameracam Lane, Cranfield, near Kilkeel, Co. Down. Free car park on the northern side of Ameracam Lane, with a ramp to the beach; closes at 9pm. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around CranfieldSee what else is close by More coastal walks across NIBeaches, cliffs, harbours and headlands
The story

About this stretch of coast

Cranfield Point is the southernmost point of County Down and of Northern Ireland, sitting at the mouth of Carlingford Lough where the tide runs strong between the Mourne and Cooley mountains. The beach is a designated Area of Special Scientific Interest, valued for its dune systems and the birdlife along the lough.

Out in the lough stands Haulbowline Lighthouse, an elegant tapering stone tower built in the early 1820s and still active today. It replaced an earlier light put up on Cranfield Point itself in 1803, which was undermined by coastal erosion and finally tumbled onto the foreshore in the 1860s.

Today Cranfield is a Blue Flag bathing beach run as an inclusive beach in partnership with the Mae Murray Foundation, with lifeguard cover through the summer and a long sweep of sand backed by the Mournes.