A castle straight out of a storybook on the edge of Cookstown — said to be designed by the celebrated architect John Nash around 1803 — with a parkland golf course laid out through its estate on the banks of the Ballinderry River.
What you'll find — the striking Gothic castle to admire (turrets, battlements and pointed windows, thought to date to around 1803), Killymoon Golf Club playing through the estate, mature parkland and the Ballinderry River curling past the walls. The castle occasionally hosts events.
How to visit — the estate you experience is the golf course and parkland: play a round, walk the club's grounds, and take in the castle from the fairways. There are no general house tours.
How long — as long as your round takes — most golfers reckon on a few hours for 18 holes, plus time at the clubhouse after.
Price — green fees vary and visiting golfers are welcome; societies and members get their own rates. Confirm the current fee and tee times with the golf club before you travel.
What to bring — your clubs (or hire what the club offers), spikes or soft golf shoes, and layers for open, breezy parkland.
The castle is a PRIVATE home. You're here for the golf and the parkland, not a house tour — admire the castle from the course, but don't expect to go inside.
Check access before you go. Tee times and any castle events run through the golf club — ring or book ahead so your visit lands on an open day.
Food & parking — the golf club has a clubhouse for a bite and a drink after your round, with parking on site.
Plan your visit
Play the estate, or walk the parkland
Killymoon is a golf-and-parkland day, not a stately-home tour. The castle itself is a private residence, so the way to experience the estate is through Killymoon Golf Club, whose course runs across the old parkland with the castle standing over the fairways and the Ballinderry River winding through. Visiting golfers are welcome — book a tee time through the club, and confirm the green fee, which varies. If you're not playing, the club's grounds and clubhouse are the parkland you'll get to enjoy, with the castle as its backdrop. Because the castle is a private home, there are no general house tours; it does occasionally host events, so check with the club for what's on. Always confirm opening and access on the day before you set off.
ClubhouseVisitors welcomeParkland courseParking on siteBallinderry riverside
The castle is a private home:
Killymoon Castle is lived in, not open to the public — there are no house tours. You can admire it from the golf course and parkland, and it occasionally hosts private events. Please respect the residence and stay to the club's grounds and course.
Before you set off
What to bring
⛳Your clubsIt's a parkland course — bring your own set, or check what the club has for hire before you arrive.
👟Golf shoesSpikes or soft golf shoes for the fairways and greens, plus comfy footwear for the walk.
🧥Layers for the parklandOpen ground by the river can catch the breeze — a light layer and a rain jacket keep the round going.
📞A tee timeRing or book through the golf club first — confirm the green fee and that the course is open.
Good to know
Everything before you go
What it is
A striking Gothic castle near Cookstown, said to be designed by the architect John Nash around 1803, on the banks of the Ballinderry River. The castle is a private residence; its parkland is home to Killymoon Golf Club.
How to visit
Through Killymoon Golf Club — play a round or enjoy the parkland and clubhouse. There are no general house tours of the castle, which occasionally hosts private events.
Cost
Green fees for the golf apply and vary; visiting golfers are welcome, with member and society rates too. Confirm the current fee with the club when you book.
Booking
Book a tee time through Killymoon Golf Club, and confirm the course is open before you travel.
Food
The golf club has a clubhouse for food and drink after your round.
Parking
Parking is available on site at the golf club.
Best for
Golfers, and anyone who enjoys a walk through mature parkland with a fairytale castle and a river for company.
How long
As long as your round runs — allow a few hours for 18 holes, plus time at the clubhouse.
Questions
Before you go
Can I tour the castle inside?
No — Killymoon Castle is a private home and isn't open for general house tours. You can admire it from the golf course and parkland, and it occasionally hosts private events.
So how do I actually visit?
Through Killymoon Golf Club. The course is laid out across the castle's parkland, so you play or walk the estate with the castle over the fairways. Book a tee time with the club.
Who designed the castle?
It's said to have been designed by the celebrated architect John Nash — known for Regency London and Brighton Pavilion — thought to date to around 1803, replacing an earlier house on the estate.
How much does golf cost?
Green fees vary and visiting golfers are welcome, with separate member and society rates. Confirm the current fee and tee times with Killymoon Golf Club before you travel.
Is there somewhere to eat?
Yes — the golf club has a clubhouse for food and a drink after your round, and Cookstown town centre is close by with plenty more.
Can I just walk the grounds?
The parkland you can enjoy is the golf club's grounds and course; please stay to the club's areas and respect that the castle itself is a private residence.
Getting there
Killymoon Castle sits on the south-eastern edge of Cookstown, County Tyrone, with the Ballinderry River running through its parkland. Follow the signs for Killymoon Golf Club, where you'll find parking on site.
Killymoon Castle stands on an old estate just outside Cookstown, on the banks of the Ballinderry River, and it's a proper romantic pile — turrets, battlements and pointed Gothic windows in pale stone, the kind of castle that looks built for a fairytale. The present castle is said to be the work of John Nash, the celebrated architect behind so much of Regency London and the Brighton Pavilion, and is thought to date to around 1803, raised for the Stewart family after an earlier house on the site was lost to fire.
The estate has changed hands over the centuries and today the castle is a private home rather than a visitor attraction. What survives for the public is the parkland — the mature trees, the sweep of ground down to the river — now laid out as the course of Killymoon Golf Club. So the way to spend a day here is to play a round or walk the club's grounds, with Nash's castle rising over the fairways and the Ballinderry threading through it all. Admire it, don't knock on the door.