From cool things to see, fun historical info, and somewhere to grab a bite to eat, read on for all the info about our hidden gem of the week: Delamont Country Park.
Anyone lucky enough to visit our hidden gem of the week will understand why we’re doing an article about it. Delamont Country Park is absolutely stunning to visit at any time of the year.
It’s a location filled with fun things to do, cool and interesting locations to explore, and it has a magnificent café serving utterly delicious food (and ice cream, perfect for those warm summer days!). It’s a no-brainer as to why it’s our hidden gem of the week.
For everything you need to know about this wonderful country park, including where to find it, read on below and happy travels!
The walks – making your way around the park
Walking around Delamont gives you some seriously superb panoramic views of the stunning Mourne Mountains and the Strangford Lough. The longest walk in Delamont (aptly named the “Long Walk”) is 4.3 miles in total, and the shortest is 0.7 miles.
The country park has five different walks available for you to choose from, all starting and finishing in the main car parking area. They all interlink, so if you fancy only doing parts of one walk and parts of another, you can move than easily just hop onto a different trail.
A fun little tidbit of information—our favourite place to visit in Delamont Country Park is at the very bottom. It’s an overgrown marshy swamp just down from a large sheep field and it’s beautiful. There’s even a rickety old wooden walkway you can step onto to get a better view of the pond, if you dare.
If you’re lucky you’ll see herons and ducks lazily floating along the pond’s surface. If you visit and you can find it, tag us in your pics!
Steamer’s coffee shop – a hidden gem within a hidden gem
This place is one of the reasons why we love coming to Delamont. Steamer’s is a family-run coffee shop that serves incredibly tasty food—a large fry from here will be all the encouragement you need to take on Delamont’s “Long Walk”!
The staff are exceptionally friendly and warm, more than happy to engage in some conversation with their customers. The coffee from here deserves a shout out too, it’s fantastic.
During the summer Steamer’s also serve heavenly ice cream and slush puppies. Stopping in here is a must if you come to this hidden gem. Now that we think about it, Steamer’s is a hidden gem within a hidden gem!
Playground adventure park – for the family day out
A stone’s throw from the car park and you’ll find Delamont’s outdoor adventure park. This park is a great addition to an already wonderful location.
With swings, slides, rope-climbing activities, jungle gyms, an area for ball games, and much more, this place is amazing for a great family day out. Just up from the outdoor adventure park is an area where families can lay a blanket and enjoy a delightful picnic. Tables are also available if you’d prefer to sit on them.
During the summer, Delamont runs its own family adventure train track—you can hop on a miniature train and take in the wonderful sites of the whole park! The train leaves from the Steamer’s café.
Camping and caravanning sites – setting up camp in Delamont Country Park
If camping is your thing, excellent, because Delamont Country Park has you sorted there too. The park offers club site Wi-Fi, showers, accessible features for those with disabilities, friendly hosts, clean toilets, and best of all—pets are welcome!
More info: HERE
History – home to Ireland’s largest megalith
A cool thing about Delamont is that it holds Ireland’s largest megalith: the Strangford Stone. In November 1996, the Millennium Commission awarded a quarter of a million pounds to this project.
The single block of granite stone weighs over 200 tonnes, and it was erected on 26 June 1999, with the help of over 1,000 volunteers. It’s still there now and has become a popular tourist destination. People often take pictures of their standing beside it. It certainly beats your usual selfie!
The park is located on the outskirts of the small sea-side town Killyleagh, in County Down.
Address: 90 Downpatrick Rd, Killyleagh, Downpatrick BT30 9TZ
Let us know if you decide to visit Delamont Country Park by tagging us in your pics on social media. We’d be thrilled to know what you thought of your trip!
