Days Out NI
Animals & Farms · Donkey Trekking Ballynahinch, Co. Down

Kinedale Donkeys

A family farm in the Co. Down drumlins where you lead a gentle, therapy-trained donkey along the country lanes — plus goat meditation and calm cuddle sessions.

4 photos
Pre-booked experiencesBook a slot before you travel
Trek from around £24pp£9 per walking companion
BallynahinchBallykine, Co. Down
Get directionsOfficial website
1½–3 hrsHow long
All agesBest for
OutdoorsLanes & farm
On siteParking
From ~£24Price

A family farm in the Co. Down drumlins where you take the lead rope and walk a calm, therapy-trained donkey along the country lanes — one of the gentlest, most unusual days out in Northern Ireland.

  • What you'll do — meet your donkey at the farm near Ballynahinch, then lead it on foot along the quiet lanes and through the rolling drumlin countryside. You do the walking; the donkey walks beside you, so it's a slow, easy stroll rather than a ride.
  • The animals — the farm keeps a herd of donkeys trained for therapy work, calm and used to people, alongside a friendly bunch of goats for the meditation sessions. Kinedale describes itself as a wellness and heritage farm, so the whole day is built around slowing down.
  • The experiences — the classic Donkey Trek runs about 1½ hours; there's a 45-minute Goat Meditation, a Cuddle Session with the animals, and combined half-days like Trek & Meditate (around 2¼ hours) and the 3-hour Kinedale Combined. Pick the one that suits your group.
  • How long — anywhere from a 45-minute session to a half-day, depending on which experience you book. Allow a little extra to meet the animals before you set off.
  • Cost — the Donkey Trek is around £24 per trekker and about £9 for each accompanying walker; a combined Trek & Meditate is roughly £39 per person. Prices change, so check the current rate when you book.
  • Pre-booked only. This isn't a walk-in farm — every experience runs by booking, so reserve your slot online first at kinedaledonkeys.co.uk or give them a ring.
  • A calm, gentle day out. It's led at a slow pace and suits people who want something quiet and hands-on rather than a big busy attraction — lovely for a relaxed morning, a treat, or time out with the family.
Plan your visit

Book your experience before you travel

Kinedale Donkeys runs as a set of pre-booked experiences rather than a drop-in farm, so the first step is to pick a slot on their website and reserve it. The headline activity is the Donkey Trek — around 1½ hours leading a donkey on foot along the lanes — but there's a good spread to choose from: a 45-minute Goat Meditation, a Cuddle Session, a 2¼-hour Trek & Meditate, and a 3-hour Kinedale Combined half-day, plus seasonal and evening events. As a guide, the trek is about £24 per trekker and £9 per accompanying walker, and Trek & Meditate is around £39 per person — always confirm the current price and what's included at the time of booking. If you're travelling any distance, it's worth a quick call ahead to check the day's weather plan, as the trek is outdoors.

Parking at the farm Outdoor trek along country lanes Pre-book online or by phone Calm, small-group pace
Worth knowing:

Sessions, dates and prices change with the season and there are one-off events (evening picnics, seasonal schemes), so check what's running and confirm the cost, meeting time and what to bring on kinedaledonkeys.co.uk before you set off. If you have specific needs — mobility, a nervous walker, very young children — a quick message ahead lets them match you to the right experience.

Before you set off

What to wear & bring

  • 👟Sturdy shoes or welliesYou're on your feet on farm ground and country lanes, so comfy, closed shoes you don't mind getting mucky are the way to go.
  • 🧥A coat, whatever the sky's doingThe trek is outdoors and the drumlin country catches a breeze — a light rain jacket means a soft, misty day is just as lovely as a bright one.
  • 🧢A hat and water on bright daysThe lanes are open, so a hat, a drink and a shady breather make a sunny walk a real pleasure.
  • 📷A camera or phoneThe donkeys and the rolling countryside make for gorgeous photos — and the goats are natural show-offs.
Good to know

Everything before you go

What you'll do
Lead a therapy-trained donkey on foot along the country lanes and through the drumlin countryside around the farm. You walk; the donkey walks beside you on a lead rope — a slow, gentle stroll, not a ride. Goat meditation, cuddle sessions and combined half-days are also on offer.
The animals
A herd of donkeys used to people and trained for therapy and wellness work, plus a group of friendly goats for the meditation sessions. Kinedale describes itself as a wellness and heritage farm.
Experiences & length
Donkey Trek (about 1½ hours); Goat Meditation (about 45 minutes); Cuddle Session (about 45 minutes); Trek & Meditate (about 2¼ hours); Kinedale Combined half-day (about 3 hours), with seasonal and evening events too. Session lengths are taken from the farm's own booking page — confirm on the day.
Cost
As a guide, the Donkey Trek is around £24 per trekker and about £9 per accompanying walker; Trek & Meditate is roughly £39 per person. The farm sets and updates its own prices, so check the current rate and what's included when you book.
Booking
Pre-booked only — reserve online at kinedaledonkeys.co.uk or by phone. It isn't set up for walk-ins.
Ages
A gentle, all-ages activity. If you're bringing very young children or a nervous walker, mention it when booking so they can suggest the best experience and pace.
Parking
Parking is at the farm on Chestnut Road, Ballykine. Confirm arrangements when you book.
Facilities
This is a small working farm rather than a large visitor centre, so facilities are simple. Check toilets and anything else you need when you book.
Accessibility
The trek is on foot along lanes and farm ground, which can be uneven. If anyone in your group has mobility needs, contact the farm ahead so they can advise on what will suit.
How long
Allow from about 45 minutes for a single session up to a half-day for a combined experience, plus time to meet the animals first.
Questions

Before you go

Do I need to book?
Yes — every experience at Kinedale runs by advance booking, so reserve your slot online at kinedaledonkeys.co.uk or by phone before you travel. It isn't a walk-in farm.
Do you ride the donkey?
No — you lead the donkey on foot with a lead rope. It's a walk together along the lanes rather than a ride, which is part of what makes it such a calm, gentle day out.
What does it cost?
As a guide, the Donkey Trek is around £24 per trekker with about £9 for each accompanying walker, and a combined Trek & Meditate is roughly £39 per person. Prices change, so confirm the current rate when you book.
Is it suitable for children?
It's a gentle, all-ages activity. If you're bringing young children or anyone a little nervous of animals, mention it when booking and they'll point you to the right experience and pace.
What if it rains?
The trek is outdoors, so a coat and sturdy shoes turn a soft, drizzly day into a lovely one — the countryside looks gorgeous in any weather. If you're travelling far, a quick call ahead lets you check the day's plan.
What other experiences are there?
Beyond the trek there's a 45-minute goat meditation, cuddle sessions with the animals, and combined half-days like Trek & Meditate and the Kinedale Combined, plus seasonal and evening events. Have a look at the current list when you book.
Getting there

38 Chestnut Road, Ballykine, Ballynahinch, Co. Down, BT24 8JQ — in the drumlin countryside a short run outside Ballynahinch. Parking is at the farm. As it's a pre-booked experience, book your slot first, then use the address for directions on the day.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website

Book or check ahead: 07393 548583

See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

Montalto EstateBallynahinch · woodland walks Rowallane GardenSaintfield · National Trust Ballyburren Alpaca TrekkingCo. Down · another animal walk Castlewellan Forest ParkCastlewellan · lake & maze
The story

A slower kind of day out, one step at a time

Kinedale Donkeys sits in the small drumlin hills outside Ballynahinch, the humpy green country that County Down does so well — a patchwork of little fields, hedges and quiet lanes. It's a family farm that has taken an idea a lot of us feel but rarely act on: that time spent walking slowly beside a calm animal, out in the fresh air, does something good for you.

The donkeys are the heart of it. Trained and settled around people, they're happy to plod alongside you as you lead them out of the yard and onto the lanes, no rushing, no fuss. There's something disarming about it — you set out to walk a donkey and somewhere along the way the pace of the animal becomes your pace, and the morning stops feeling like a to-do list. The farm leans into that, describing itself as a wellness and heritage place and building the rest of the day around the same feeling: goat meditation in the barn, cuddle sessions with the animals, and longer combined half-days for anyone who wants to make more of it.

It's not a big, loud attraction, and that's rather the point. Come for a trek on a bright morning or a soft grey one, take the rope, and let a donkey show you the unhurried way round the Co. Down countryside — the kind of gentle, slightly unusual day out you'll be glad you made the time for. Book your slot first, then just turn up ready to slow down.