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Seaside resort town in Northern Ireland
Photo: Albert Bridge, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Newcastle is a seaside resort in County Down in Northern Ireland. The "new castle" was probably already tumbledown when first documented in 1433 and even its successors are long gone. Newcastle is best known nowadays as the home of Royal County Down Golf Club, and for its beach and wildlife reserve. It had a population of 8,300 in 2021 and has lots of visitor amenities, so it's a good base for exploring the Mourne Mountains rising to the south.
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Good food, drink and music in this 200-year-old inn.
Good restaurant and pub handy for the west Mournes. They also have rooms.
Lively place with good drink, food and music.
Friendly, central hostel with 72 beds. Open Feb-Nov.
Clean well-run camping and caravan site open all year.
Clean, comfy hostel and campsite on the edge of the mountains, with Hare's Gap bistro. Open all year. No caravans or hook-ups.
Grand Victorian hotel and spa next to the golf club, good reviews for comfort and dining.
Family run 16-bedroom licensed hotel, mostly good reviews.
Mid-range small hotel with decent bar and restaurant.
Relaxing place west edge of town.
Cosy, welcoming B&B in Georgian country house.
Good edge-of-town hotel with 68 bedrooms and spa and conference facilities.
By bus
Goldliner 237 and Ulsterbus 520 run from Belfast Grand Central every hour or two, taking 80 min via Carryduff, Ballynahinch, Dundrum and Castlewellan.
The town straggles but is walkable. You need wheels to reach the surrounding attractions.
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Belfast · International · BFS
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