A seasonal family farm park just outside Newcastle, near the foot of the Mournes — meet lemurs and meerkats, hold a snake, bounce the big pillow and pedal the go-karts, all on one ticket.
What you'll do — say hello in the petting barn (lemurs, meerkats, a marmoset, plus guinea pigs, rabbits and ferrets to cuddle), meet corn snakes, tortoises, geckos and tegus in the reptile room, and wander the outdoor farm animals with a £1 bag of feed.
The play — a huge outdoor jumping pillow, two big bouncy castles and a soft-play inflatable for the littlest ones, pedal go-karts, ride-on tractors, a sandpit, a playhouse and indoor play too — so the fun keeps going whatever the weather.
How long — most families make a half-day of it; allow two to three hours, more on a sunny one.
Cost — around £8.90 adult, £8.50 child, £2 toddler (1–2) and infants free, with all the indoor and outdoor play included — confirm the current rate when you book.
Bring — wellies or old shoes for the grassy fields and gravel track, socks for the soft play, and a coat whatever the sky's doing. There's food on site, or bring a picnic.
Seasonal — check the day before you travel. The park opens spring to late October, daily in July and August and mainly weekends and holidays either side, so confirm the day and hours on mountpanther.com before you set off.
The Deer Safari is a small extra. The trip out to meet and feed the red deer is an optional £3 per person with limited slots booked on arrival, and it usually runs in the summer months — ask at the gate.
Plan your visit
A seasonal park — check the day first
Mountpanther is a seasonal farm park, open from spring through to late October. It runs daily in July and August, and mainly on weekends and school holidays in the shoulder months, with visiting hours usually late morning to around 5pm. General admission is roughly £8.90 adults, £8.50 children, £2 toddlers (1–2) and infants free, which covers all the indoor and outdoor play, the petting barn, the reptile room and the outdoor animals. The Deer Safari is an optional £3 per person, and bags of animal feed are £1 each. Because dates and prices shift with the season, check mountpanther.com the day before you travel.
Food & refreshments on siteToilets & baby-changingGrass & gravel underfootFree parking on siteNo dogs (assistance dogs welcome)
Worth knowing:
This is a seasonal park — it closes over winter and opening days vary through spring and autumn. Always check the day and prices on mountpanther.com or their Facebook page before you set off, especially outside the July–August daily window.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
👢Wellies or old shoesIt's a real farm park — grassy fields and a gravel go-kart track, so save the good trainers for another day.
🧥A coat, whatever the sky's doingLots is outdoors, and if the rain comes the reptile room, petting barn and indoor play are the cosy backup — a wet day here is no bad day.
🧴Hand gel or wipesPlenty of animal-holding and feeding, so handy for little hands before the snacks come out.
🧢A hat and water on bright daysMuch of the park is open ground, so on a sunny one bring water and something for shade and enjoy it in comfort.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
General admission is around adults £8.90, children £8.50, toddlers (1–2) £2 and infants free, covering all the indoor and outdoor play, the petting barn, the reptile room and the outdoor animals. The Deer Safari is an optional £3 per person; animal feed is £1 a bag; arcade games in the bouncy-castle shed are extra. Confirm the current rates when you book.
Season & hours
A seasonal park, open spring to late October — daily through July and August, and mainly weekends and school holidays in the shoulder months, with hours generally late morning to around 5pm. Closed over winter. Check the day before travelling.
Booking
General admission is usually pay-on-arrival, but the Deer Safari has limited slots booked at the gate on the day. Check the website or Facebook for event days and any changes.
Ages
Best for toddlers up to around eleven. The petting barn, reptile room, jumping pillow, go-karts and play areas all land squarely with younger children.
What you'll see & do
Petting barn with lemurs, meerkats, a marmoset, plus guinea pigs, rabbits and ferrets to cuddle; a reptile room with corn snakes, tortoises, tegus and geckos; outdoor farm animals; a big outdoor jumping pillow; two large bouncy castles and a soft-play inflatable; pedal go-karts; ride-on tractors, a sandpit and a playhouse; indoor play; and the optional Deer Safari out to the red deer.
Food
Food and refreshments are available on site, and you're welcome to bring a picnic.
Toilets
Toilets on site, with baby-changing.
Dogs
No dogs — it's a working farm park with livestock and exotic animals. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Getting around
Mostly outdoors over grass and gravel, so it's flat but rougher underfoot than a paved park — an all-terrain buggy copes better than an umbrella stroller.
How long
Allow two to three hours; most families make a half-day of it, longer on a fine day with the Deer Safari added.
Questions
Before you go
Is it open all year?
No — it's a seasonal park, open spring to late October and closed over winter. It runs daily in July and August, and mainly weekends and holidays either side, so check the day on mountpanther.com before you set off.
What's the Deer Safari and how much is it?
It's an optional trip out to the deer field to get close to the red deer, take photos and even feed them, at around £3 per person. Slots are limited and booked on arrival, and it usually runs in the summer months.
What ages is it best for?
Toddlers up to about eleven get the most from it — the petting barn, reptile room, jumping pillow, go-karts and play areas are all pitched at younger children.
Is it any good in the rain?
It is — alongside the outdoor pillow, go-karts and animals there's the indoor play, the petting barn and the reptile room, so a wet day still works out well.
Can I bring the dog?
Afraid not — it's a farm park with livestock and exotic animals, so pet dogs aren't allowed. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Is there food?
Yes — there's food and refreshments on site, and you're welcome to bring a picnic if you'd rather.
Getting there
39 Dundrum Road, Clough, Downpatrick, BT30 8SJ — on the main road between Clough and Dundrum, just a few minutes from Newcastle and the Mournes, with free parking on site. Coming down the hill out of Clough you'll spot the deer field and the big Mountpanther sign on the right, with the entrance a little further on.
Mountpanther opened its gates to families in 2017, on rolling ground between Clough and Dundrum with the Mourne Mountains rising just beyond. What began as a petting-farm day out has grown, season by season, into a proper family park — the reptile room came along, the exotic animals arrived in the barn, and the play kept getting bigger.
The setting is part of the charm. The old estate walls still frame the go-kart track and the jumping pillow, the deer graze in a big green field by the road, and on a clear day the mountains form the backdrop to the whole thing. It's a warm, family-run kind of place — the sort of seasonal day out where children meet a snake, feed a deer and bounce until they're worn out, all within sight of the Mournes.