Days Out NI
Coastal walk Strangford

Strangford to Castle Ward Shoreline

A waymarked lough-shore walk from Strangford village to Audley's Castle, the Game of Thrones Winterfell.

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Open accessWalk it any time — best in daylight
FreeNo ticket needed
StrangfordCoastal walk
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2 hoursHow long
3 miles each wayDistance
FreeCost
Buggy okBest for
On leadsDogs

Strangford to Castle Ward Shoreline — A waymarked lough-shore walk from Strangford village to Audley's Castle, the Game of Thrones Winterfell.

  • Distance: Roughly 3 miles each way from Strangford village to Audley's Castle (about 6 miles return).
  • How long: About 1.5 to 2 hours each way; half a day if you add the estate or lunch.
  • Terrain: Mixed: gravel track, grassy shore path and short stretches of quiet lane. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Dogs: Welcome on a lead. Keep them under close control near livestock, ground-nesting birds and the shore.
  • With kids: No clifftop drops, but it runs along the tideline, quays and a slipway, so keep children close to the water. Watch tides and the busy ferry slip in the village.
  • Parking: Free parking in Strangford village. Castle Ward estate parking is free but the estate itself charges admission.
Plan your visit

Follow the water to a Game of Thrones castle

Start at Strangford village harbour, where the Portaferry ferry comes and goes across the lough mouth. The waymarked path heads north along the shoreline for roughly 3 miles, staying close to the water with views across to the Ards Peninsula and Portaferry. Your target is Audley's Castle, a 15th-century tower house that sits on rising ground at the edge of the Castle Ward estate and doubled as Winterfell in the first season of Game of Thrones. It's low-level walking with no clifftop drops, though the tideline and quays mean you'll want to keep younger children in hand. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours each way and turn back the way you came, or build it into a fuller day on the estate.

Free shore path Free village parking Lough views Seals Audley's Castle (Winterfell) Mostly flat, roughly 3 miles
Good to know before you go:

Strangford Lough and the Castle Ward estate run seasonal ranger walks, wildlife and outdoor events, and the wider National Trust calendar brings guided walks and family activities through the year. Check ahead for what's on when you visit.

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 to walk the public shore path. Entering the Castle Ward estate is paid National Trust admission (around £15 per adult in 2026; members free).
Parking
Free parking in Strangford village. Castle Ward estate parking is free but the estate itself charges admission.
Distance
Roughly 3 miles each way from Strangford village to Audley's Castle (about 6 miles return).
How long to allow
About 1.5 to 2 hours each way; half a day if you add the estate or lunch.
Difficulty
Easy to moderate. Low-level and mostly flat with a few short rises and minor-road sections.
Terrain
Mixed: gravel track, grassy shore path and short stretches of quiet lane. Can be muddy after rain.
Safety with kids
No clifftop drops, but it runs along the tideline, quays and a slipway, so keep children close to the water. Watch tides and the busy ferry slip in the village.
Dogs
Welcome on a lead. Keep them under close control near livestock, ground-nesting birds and the shore.
Buggy-friendly
Not a smooth buggy route; gravel, grass and uneven ground in places. Check before you go.
Toilets / food nearby
Pubs and eateries in Strangford village. Stableyard tea-room and toilets inside the Castle Ward estate (paid admission).
Address
Strangford village harbour, Strangford, Co. Down. Castle Ward estate: Strangford, Downpatrick, BT30 7BA (1 mile from Strangford on the A25).
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free to walk the public shore path. Entering the Castle Ward estate is paid National Trust admission (around £15 per adult in 2026; members free).
How far is the walk?
Roughly 3 miles each way from Strangford village to Audley's Castle (about 6 miles return).
How long should I allow?
About 1.5 to 2 hours each way; half a day if you add the estate or lunch.
Can I bring the dog?
Welcome on a lead. Keep them under close control near livestock, ground-nesting birds and the shore.
Is it buggy-friendly?
Not a smooth buggy route; gravel, grass and uneven ground in places. Check before you go.
Getting there

Strangford to Castle Ward Shoreline is at Strangford village harbour, Strangford, Co. Down. Castle Ward estate: Strangford, Downpatrick, BT30 7BA (1 mile from Strangford on the A25).. Free parking in Strangford village. Castle Ward estate parking is free but the estate itself charges admission. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

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The story

About this stretch of coast

Strangford Lough is a large sea inlet almost cut off from the Irish Sea by the Ards Peninsula, with the fast tidal channel known as the Narrows running past Strangford and Portaferry villages. It's a place of huge tidal flows, sandbanks and one of Northern Ireland's richest marine habitats, which is why seals, terns and wintering birds gather here in numbers.

Audley's Castle is a 15th-century tower house that was home to the Audley family from the 1550s. It stands on a rocky knoll above the lough at the edge of the Castle Ward estate, and its silhouette was used to represent Winterfell in the first season of Game of Thrones, filmed at the nearby Old Castle Ward farmyard.

The shore path forms part of the waymarked Lecale Way, a long-distance coastal route that threads past historic sites and prehistoric remains along this corner of County Down before continuing south toward Downpatrick and the Lecale coast.