Downpatrick

Celtic crosses mark the landscape where Ireland's patron saint first set foot. Downpatrick holds this distinction with quiet pride - no tourist buses clogging the narrow streets here, just a proper county town that happens to sit on monumentally important ground. St Patrick's Catholic Church anchors the town centre, while the real draw lies scattered across the rolling countryside that sweeps down towards Strangford Lough.

Castle Ward dominates the eastern approach, its Gothic Revival mansion and extensive parkland offering cracking views across the water. The house itself splits personalities - one half classical, the other Gothic - thanks to a spectacularly disagreeable 18th-century couple who couldn't agree on architectural styles. Wander through the Walled Garden before heading down to the shore where Audley's Castle stands guard, a 15th-century tower house that's held its ground against wind and weather.

The countryside here unfolds in gentle hills dotted with ancient sites. Audleystown Cairn predates the pyramids, while Audleystown Wood provides proper walks through native oak and ash. Temple Water and Lough Cowey offer quiet fishing spots, though the real action happens at Portaferry Marina where the sailing crowd gathers.

Getting here means taking the A7 south from Belfast - about 40 minutes through farmland that gets more beautiful as you approach the coast. Newcastle sits 20 miles west if you need bigger shops, but Downpatrick covers the basics without fuss. The surrounding holiday parks make perfect sense for exploring this corner of County Down - you're within striking distance of the Mournes to the south and Strangford Lough's scattered islands to the east.