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Welcome to Downhill! There's plenty to do and see in and around our little town. There's also a few fantastic places to get curled up with a book, a blanket, and a view. We'll try and give you some examples on this page of some of the attractions and activities available to the travellers in the area. Enjoy!
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Things to do in Downhill: Walk the Downhill Beach! The longest beach in Ireland at 10 km, is great for walking, surfing and windsurfing, sea angling, and sand-castle building. Wetsuit and Bodyboard hire! We have new full-body wetsuits and "boogie-boards" to rent for those who want to enjoy the water and waves on the Downhill Beach. Explore the Downhill Estate! The forner estate of the last Bishop of Derry tops the cliffs behind the Downhill Hostel. The property now belongs to the National Trust and all access is free to walkers. You can explore the ruins of the Bishop'shouse, visit the Mussenden Temple - a former library perched on the very edgy of the cliff - and wander through the old gardens and paths of the Downhill Forest. Horseback riding! The Farm Riding Centre is just up the road from the hostel and can arrange beach rides and treks through the hills depending on riding ability. Pottery painting! The Downhill Hostel is also home to a working pottery. You can paint and decorate pots which are then glaze-fired and are normally ready for next-day collection. Arts and crafts day workshops! The Downhill Hostel hosts a variety of one-day retreats taught by various working artists. Contact McCall at the Downhill Hostel for more information. |
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Things to do around Downhill: See the Giant's Causeway! Ireland's number one attraction is an easy car or bus ride away! Come learn the folklore surrounding one of nature's finest displays, and walk part of Finn MacCoul's staircase to Scotland. Visit Bushmill's Distillery! The world's oldest licenced whiskey distillery is here in Northern Ireland! Come take the tour and taste-test some of this finest "spirit of life". Walk through Dunluce Castle! Once you've been through the castle grounds of the Downhill Estate you'll have whetted your appetite for a visit to the Dunluce Castle. Precariously perched on the very edge of the North Shore's cliffs, the castle is open to all for exploration inside and out, and even below! Hike Benevenagh! The beautiful north-facing cliffs of Benevenagh are just to our west, and offer the active hiker a wide selection of available hiking trails and spectacular views of the surrounding land and Lough Foyle. Ride the Ferry to Greencastle! Opened early in the summer of 2002, a car and pedestrian ferry now runs from Magilligan Point at the end of Downhill's beach! Take this short water crossing to Greencastle on the Inishowen Penninsula and visit the town there, or drive the short distance to some of Malin Head's incredible pebble or shell beaches. |
