Give the perfect Christmas gift to your loved ones and let them discover what Ards and North Down has to offer through a selection of fantastic walking tours and experiences!
Taking place between January and the end of March, the tours allow you and your loved ones to explore fascinating places while being immersed in the beauty of the Borough, on both dry land and water…
Walking Tours
The New Year’s Day Historic Ards Walk (1 Jan) will take you on a journey through time and let you explore the rich and varied history of Newtownards. You will discover many interesting and exciting stories, including John de Courcy and Oliver Cromwell, in one of the oldest settlements in Northern Ireland.
If that’s too early in the year for you, then a number of walking tours will take place throughout February and March across different towns and villages. These include Love Comber (14 Feb) and the Historic Donaghadee Town Walk (27 Feb).
As the longer days begin to raise our spirits, the Hello Spring (20 Mar) guided walk will take you along the North Down Coastal Path on the first day of spring, providing a beautiful journey through coastline and parkland. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Peninsula, the Historic Portaferry Town Walk (27 Mar) offers another interesting and informative tour that reveals the fascinating maritime heritage of Portaferry.
Experiences
If you would rather rest those weary feet and enjoy the tranquil surroundings on water, March also features a feast of experiences that caters for all tastes.
Canoe and Cake (13 Mar) lets you enjoy the beauty of Strangford Lough from your own canoe before relaxing at a traditional Irish thatched cottage with some delicious cake.
SUPNIC (20 Mar) offers three guided paddleboard experiences in the one day. You can choose between the breakfast (8-10am), lunch (12-2pm) or supper (4-6pm) sessions that will see you enjoy paddleboarding in Belfast Lough while hearing local tales before tucking into a gourmet picnic from a local deli in beautiful surroundings.
Perhaps an evening paddle in Donaghadee is more your thing, with SUP and Sip (21 Mar) letting you enjoy the view of the Copelands and see some of the resident wildlife while you glide along Belfast Lough, before returning to Pier 36 for a drink and a chat. The perfect way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon!
Finally, the SUP and Soda (28 Mar) paddleboarding tour closes off the month in the tranquillity of Strangford Lough. You will paddleboard from Whiterock to Ballymorran before enjoying a freshly griddled soda, egg and sausage (vegetarian option also available) in a traditional Irish thatched cottage.
All providers will operate the experiences with COVID-19 measures in line with current government guidance.
For more information, including ticket prices and booking, go to visitardsandnorthdown.com/Christmasgifts and get your loved one an experience to remember this Christmas!