Seaside village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Photo: D LN, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Castlerock is a seaside village in County Londonderry, with a population of 1200 in 2021. Its big attraction is Mussenden Temple perched on the cliffs.
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Built around 1691, this thatched cottage is one of the oldest buildings in Ulster. It's now managed by National Trust, and closed for repairs.
Wacky ruined estate on a headland, built in the late 18th century for the Lord Bishop of Derry. It's within walking distance of the village but most visitors park on A2 either at Bishop's Gate (small but free) and walk up through the woods, or at Lion's Gate (charges) and enter via the Walled Garden, which is more like a walled lawn with toilets. On the headland you first reach the mausoleum to the bishop's brother, then the vast shell of the mansion: this was fire-damaged in 1851, restored, then abandoned and largely dismantled in the 1950s. (A visitor of 1812 reckoned he'd "never seen so bad a house occupy as much ground.") The temple teeters on the edge of a cliff, which has been stabilised to prevent it tumbling to the shore way below. It's modelled on Bramante's Tempietto in Rome, which is in turn based on the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli. Also nearby is a Belvedere.
Dog-friendly cafe, grill and bar.
Friendly comfy hostel open all year, in the Victorian station house.
This is mostly for static caravans on long lets, but it's open Feb-Sep for camping and caravans.
Luxury pods on the hill west of town.
By road from Belfast follow M2 / A26 to Coleraine then the coast road, 62 miles.
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Derry, Derry and Strabane · Regional · LDY
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