Experience Ards and North Down. Through a series of guided bus, boat and walking tours. For more information contact: Ards Visitor Information Centre Bangor Visitor Information Centre 31 Regent Street Tower House, 34 Quay Street Newtownards Bangor BT23 4AD BT20 5ED T: 028 91826 846 T 028 9127 0069 W: visitardsandnorthdown.com
Experience Ards and North Down Tours April August 2016 Nature Trails Historical Walking Tours Horticultural Tours Coach Tours Boat Tours APRIL TOUR START TIME PRICE (AD/CH) SAT 23 Dawn Chorus, Castle Park, 5am Bangor SAT 23 Woodland & Whiskey, 10am 25 (includes lunch) Mount Stewart & Echlinville Distillery SAT 30 Dawn Chorus, Kiltonga Nature Reserve, Newtownards 5am MAY TOUR START TIME PRICE (AD/CH) MON 2 Kid s Mini-beasts, nature 2pm trail, Nugent s wood, Portaferry SAT 28 Tea with the Lord 1pm 18/ 9 JUNE TOUR START TIME PRICE (AD/CH) WED 8 Bangor Castle Walled 6.30pm Garden Tour SAT 11 Strangford Lough Boat Tour 2pm 8/ 4 SUN 12 Helen s Bay in Two World 2.30pm 3 Wars SUN 26 Comber Historical Walking 2pm 3 Tour SUN 26 Strangford Lough Boat Tour 2pm 8/ 4 MON 27 Step Back In Time, Bangor 2.30pm 5 JULY TOUR START TIME PRICE (AD/CH) SAT 2 Remembering the Somme 10am & 2pm 3 SAT 2 Kid s Sea-Creatures, 2pm Millisle Beach SUN 3 Remembering the Somme 10am & 2pm 3 TUE 5 Nautical Past, Short Sea 7pm 10 Cruise Belfast Lough WED 6 Bangor Castle Walled 6.30pm Garden Tour SAT 9 Strangford Lough Boat Tour 2pm 8/ 4 SUN 10 Kid s Mini-Beasts, nature 10am 5 trail and bird box making THUR 14 Bangor Abbey Graveyard 7pm 3 Tour SAT 23 Kid s Nature Trail, Castle 10.30am Park, Bangor SAT 23 From an Abbey to a stately 1pm 18/ 9 home SAT 23 Nautical Past, Short Sea 2pm 10 Cruise Belfast Lough SUN 24 Strangford Lough Boat Tour 2pm 8/ 4 THUR 28 Newtownards Historical 7pm 3 Walking Tour SAT 30 Crawfordsburn to Helens 10.30am 3
Bay Walk AUGUST TOUR START TIME PRICE (AD/CH) MON 1 Step Back In Time 2.30pm 5 SAT 6 Kid s Mini-Beasts, 10.30am Killynether Wood, Newtownards SUN 7 Historic Bangor 2.30pm 3 WED 10 Kid s sea-creatures, 10.30am & Crawfordsburn 2.30pm THUR 11 Bangor Abbey Graveyard 7pm 3 Tour SUN 14 Strangford Lough Boat Tour 2pm 8/ 4 WED 17 Bangor Castle Walled 6.30pm Garden Tour WED 17 Kid s Nature Trail, Castle 10.30am Park, Bangor SAT 20 Nautical Past, Short Sea 2.00pm 10 Cruise TUE 23 Bangor Christian Heritage 2.30pm 3 Walk SAT 27 Strangford Lough Twilight Boat tour 6.30pm 8/ 4 Dawn Chorus NATURE TRAILS Saturday 23 April Castle Park - Tour departs - North Down Museum, BT20 4BT Saturday 30 Kiltonga Nature Reserve Tour departs Car Park, BT23 4SG 5am 8am Join bird expert Dot Blakely as the sun comes up, for an early morning master class in how to recognise the songs of the dawn chorus. Tickets: (advanced bookings required) Kid s Mini-beasts Nature Trail, Nugent s Wood, Portaferry Monday 2 May 2.00pm 4pm Join local naturalist Woody for a creative exploration of Nugent s Wood. Look out for the mini-beasts that make the park their home, find out about the flora and fauna. Tickets: (advanced bookings required) Tour departs - Portaferry Visitor Information Centre, BT22 1NZ
Kids Sea-Creatures Nature Trail, Millisle Beach Saturday 2 July, 2pm 4pm Join local naturalist Woody on a beachcombing adventure to uncover the numerous types of sea creatures who live on the shores, see how and where they live and what salty treats they like to eat. Tickets: (advanced bookings required) Tour departs from area just in front of public toilets at the Ballywalter Road car park. Kid s Mini-beasts Nature Trail and Bird Box Making, Crawfordsburn Country Park Sunday 10 July 10.30am 12.30pm Join local naturalist Woody for a creative exploration of Crawfordsburn Country Park. Look out for the minibeasts that make the park their home, find out about the flora and fauna of the park and make your very own bird box to take home. Tickets: 5 Tour departs from the Education Centre in Crawfordsburn Country Park, BT19 1JT Kids Nature Trail Castle Park, Bangor Saturday 23 July, 10.30am 12.30pm Wednesday 17 August 10.30am 12.30pm Join this fascinating interactive nature trail led by Patrick Cregg from the Woodland Trust and bird expert Dot Blakely, who will teach you all about the natural habitat of the birds and animals who live in the picturesque grounds of Castle Park. Tickets: (advanced bookings required) Tour departs from North Down Museum, Bangor, BT20 4BT Kid s Mini-beasts Nature Trail Killynether Wood, Newtownards Saturday 6 August 10.30am 12.30pm Join local naturalist Woody for a creative exploration of Killynether Wood. Look out for the mini-beasts that make the park their home, find out about the flora and fauna. Tickets: (advanced bookings required) Tour departs from Killynether Carpark
Kids Sea-Creatures Crawfordsburn Country Park Wednesday 10 August 10.30am 12noon & 2.30pm - 4pm Join local naturalist Woody on a beachcombing adventure to uncover the numerous types of sea creatures who live on the shores of the park, see how and where they live and what salty treats they like to eat. Tickets: (advanced bookings required) Tour departs from the Education Centre in Crawfordsburn Country Park, BT19 1JT HISTORICAL WALKING TOURS Helen s Bay in Two World Wars St John s Church and Grey Point Fort Sunday 12 June 2.30pm 4.30pm This fascinating tour starts with a visit to St John s Parish Church, exploring its strong historical connections to both World Wars, then proceeds to Grey Point Fort, via the Bayburn Trail display for a guided tour of the Fort, one of the best preserved defence batteries in the British Isles. Tour departs from St John s Church Car park, Fort Road, Helens Bay, BT19 1LD Comber Historical Walking Tour Sunday 26 June 2pm - 4pm Join this tour to discover points of interest as you stroll through the home town of Thomas Andrews designer of the Titanic. This tour includes St Mary s Parish Church, the Comber Stones, the Old Andrews Mill and Andrews Memorial Hall Tour departs from The Square, Comber, BT23 5DT It is recommended that suitable footwear is worn as part of this tour involves walking on uneven surfaces and going up-hill, which may prove difficult to those with additional access needs.
Step Back In Time, Bangor Monday 27 June 2.30pm 4.30pm Monday 1 August 2.30pm 4.30pm Gain an insight into the history of the Ward Family who built Bangor Castle in 1852 and discover what life was like as a Victorian servant. Take this rare opportunity to tour Bangor Castle and the Walled Garden followed by afternoon tea in Coffee Cure @ The Museum. Tickets: 5 Tour departs from North Down Museum, Bangor, BT20 4BT NEW Remembering the Somme Saturday 2 July 10am-12.30pm & 2pm-4.30pm Sunday 3 July 10am 12.30pm & 2pm 4.30pm Step back 100 years to 1916 and the Battle of the Somme. Learn of the gallant contribution of the soldiers from the 36th Ulster Division and follow in their footsteps as you walk through their training camp to Helens Tower. Tickets 3 Tour departs from The Somme Centre, 233 Bangor Rd, Newtownards, BT23 7PH Bangor Abbey Graveyard Tour Thursday 14 July 7pm 8pm Thursday 11 August 7pm 8pm Uncover the history behind Bangor Abbey s most famous graves and memorials, including a memorial to John Simpson, surgeon on the Titanic and the graves of Archibald Wilson, hanged after the 1798 rebellion and W.G. Lyttle, whose novel Betsy Gray captured the spirit of the time. Tour departs from Bangor Abbey, BT20 4JF Newtownards Historical Walking Tour Thursday 28 July 7.00pm 8.30pm Situated at the northern end of Strangford Lough, Newtownards has a wealth of historical treasures waiting to be discovered Medieval happenings, Oliver Cromwell s reign and the 1798 Rebellion, you will find evidence of how some of history s most notable civilisations including the Normans, Celts and Vikings shaped the town.
Tour departs from the Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards, BT23 4NP Crawfordsburn to Helens Bay Walk Saturday 30 July, 10.30pm 12.30pm This walk takes you on a journey through the beautiful village of Crawfordsburn to Helen s Bay. Hear all about the historic sites, stories and characters that have shaped these villages to the places we know and love today. Tour departs from Glen Park, car park on Cootehall Road. This tour involves visiting the two villages of Crawfordsburn and Helen s Bay. Due to the combined walking distance the walk will take place in two parts. Part 1: A walk of Crawfordsburn village before returning to your vehicle and making your way the short distance to Helen s Bay where part 2 of the tour will continue. Part 2: A walk of Helen s Bay Tickets 3 Historic Bangor Sunday 7 August 2.30pm 4.30pm Join us on a walk through the past discovering Bangor s varied history, from Bronze Age settlements to Viking invasions and two World Wars, visiting North Down Museum and Bangor Abbey. You may even meet some of the town s most famous residents from past times. Tour departs from Bangor VIC, Tower House, BT20 5ED Bangor Christian Heritage Walk Tuesday 23 August 2.30pm 4.30pm Trace the steps of canons, priests and pilgrims in a tour that encompasses visits to Bangor Abbey, St Comgall s Roman Catholic Church, First Bangor Presbyterian Church and the North Down Museum, where you can explore a life-size reconstruction of a monk s cell. Tour departs from Bangor Abbey, BT20 4JF
HORTICULTURAL TOURS Bangor Castle Walled Garden Tour Wednesday 8 June 6.30pm 8pm Wednesday 6 July 6.30pm 8pm Wednesday 17 August 6.30pm 8pm This popular guided tour provides an insight into the garden s history, its restoration and the vast array of plants, fruits and vegetables which are grown there. Tickets: (advanced bookings required) Tour departs from the bandstand in the Walled Garden, Bangor, BT20 4UT NEW Woodland & Whiskey COACH TOURS Saturday 23 April Mount Stewart & Echlinville Distillery 10.00am - 3.30pm Explore the unexplored, combining a guided walk along emerging new trails in the estate farmland at Mt Stewart with a fascinating visit to the recently opened Echlinville Distillery to see the fine art of whiskey making and perhaps taste a golden drop! Tickets 25 (includes lunch) Tour Departs Ards Visitor Information Centre. Suitable outdoor clothing and footwear is recommended. Tea with the Lord Saturday 28 May 1pm 5.30pm Become a member of the gentry for the afternoon as the affable Lord Dunleath guides you around his remarkable home and joins you for a chat over tea and scones, in the historic conservatory of Ballywalter House. Tickets: Adult 18 (Children under 14 accompanied by adult 9) Tour departs Ards Tourist Information Centre, BT23 4AD
From an Abbey to a Stately Home Saturday 23 July 1pm 4.30pm View one of the finest Georgian country houses in Ireland, the present Grey Abbey House is the third house to be built on the site. A resident will guide you around and join you for tea and scones. You will visit the Cistercian Abbey founded by Lady Affreca, the wife of John DeCourcy. Tickets: 18 (Children under 14 accompanied by adult 9) Tour departs from Ards Tourist Information Centre, 31 Regent Street, BT23 4AD Strangford Lough Boat Tour Saturday 11 June 2pm 4pm Sunday 26 June 2pm 4pm Saturday 9 July 2pm-4pm Sunday 24 July 2pm-4pm Sunday 14 August 2pm-4pm BOAT TOURS Take time away from the fast pace of everyday life and enjoy the magnificent scenery and fascinating wildlife of Strangford Lough. See where Saint Patrick first came ashore, view landscapes used in Game of Thrones filming and hear of Viking raiders. Tickets: 8 (Children under 14 accompanied by adult 4) Tour departs from The Slipway, Portaferry, BT22 1PE Nautical Past Short Sea Cruise Belfast Lough Tuesday 5 July 7pm 9pm Saturday 23 july 2pm-4.30pm Saturday 20 August 2pm-4.30pm Discover the rich nautical history of Belfast Lough, as you head towards Orlock and the Copeland Islands you will learn about the history of the area and its nautical past. Learn more about significant landmarks on the coastline and be sure to look out for the fascinating variety of wildlife. Tour departs from The Jetty, Pickie Funpark, Bangor, BT20 5AG
Tickets: 10 Strangford Lough Twilight Boat Tour Saturday 27 August 6.30pm 8.30pm Enjoy the colours of the summer evening and take time away from the fast pace of everyday life and soaking up the magnificent scenery and fascinating wildlife of Strangford Lough on this evening cruise. Tour departs from The Slipway, Portaferry, BT22 1PE Tickets: 8 (Children under 14 accompanied by adult 4) HOW TO BOOK YOUR TOUR All tours are on a ticket only basis. Tickets for all the tours should be booked in advance over the counter or by telephone from Ards, Bangor or Portaferry Visitor Information Centres. Tickets may also be purchased online at visitardsandnorthdown.com or visitstrangfordlough.co.uk using the Ticketsource icon All major debit and credit cards (except American Express) are accepted. Cash and cheques, however, can only be used for over the counter bookings. Tickets can be posted ( 1 administrative fee applies) or collected from the Visitor Information Centres. A maximum of four tickets per person can be purchased. Tickets, once purchased cannot be refunded or exchanged unless a tour is cancelled by the organiser (e.g.in the case of extreme weather). Where possible, all participants will be informed by telephone and refunds will be made by cheque (for cash and cheque payments) and by card (for debit or credit card payments). Refund cheques will normally be posted within ten working days of the original tour date.
USEFUL INFORMATION Accessibility The walks and tours mainly cover flat, accessible ground and are suitable for anyone with a basic level of fitness. Some tours cover uneven surfaces or steep inclines which may prove difficult for those with additional access needs. Should you have any specific access or mobility requirements, please speak to the Visitor Information staff, who will endeavour to meet your needs. Clothing and Footwear It is recommended that warm clothing and sturdy footwear is worn, particularly for the boat trips and all walking tours. Children All tours are suitable for children, unless otherwise stated, and concession prices apply. Organisation Except where specified to the contrary, all tours are organised by Ards and North Down Borough Council. Every effort is made to deliver the tour as described but occasionally, usually due to circumstances outside our control, changes have to be made to the planned itinerary. We reserve the right to make these changes. Brochure Accuracy The information in this guide was correct at the time of going to print. Every care has been taken to ensure accuracy however; we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions or changes which may occur. Alternative formats This publication is available in alternative formats and languages upon request.