Best beaches in County Down
Below are a list of the top 10 beaches in County Down as selected by the users of the Beach Guide website.
The current most popular beach in County Down is Helens Bay. If you would like to have your say on which are the best beaches in County Down just follow the link to the beach and vote by clicking the star ratings at the top right of the page.
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1. Helens Bay
Helen's Bay is a popular sandy beach, next to the village bearing the same name. The village was built in the mid-19th century after the construction of the Belfast and County Down Railway, with aspirations of becoming a luxury holiday…
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2. Ballywalter Beach
Ballywalter is a sandy beach to the south of Ballywalter village, stretching along the coast for about 3 kilometres. The beach is in a rural setting, backed mostly by fields, making it ideal for walkers looking for some peace and quiet.…
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3. Murlough Beach
Murlough is a vast, five-mile long, golden sand beach, nestling under the beautiful Mourne Mountains. The winds along this stretch of the coast can be strong, making it a popular place for surfing, kite surfing, and windsurfing. However,…
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4. Cranfield Bay
Cranfield Bay is a sand and shingle beach in front of Cranfield Bay Holiday Park. It offers excellent views of the mouth of Carlingford Lough, the surrounding Mourne Mountains and out to Haulbowline Lighthouse. Towards the western end,…
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5. Groomsport Beach
Groomsport is a small, attractive, sandy beach, backed by the residential part of the picturesque village of the same name. A promenade runs along the western end of the beach. A number of rocky outcrops ensure that rockpooling is a popular…
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6. Newcastle Beach
This sand and pebble beach lies next to the small seaside resort town of Newcastle, where the beautiful Mourne Mountains sweep down to the sea. The beach is about a mile and a half long, and the scenic views of the nearby mountains make…
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7. Ballyhalbert Beach
Ballyhalbert is a kilometer-long beach with a rock and pebble top section. At low tide, a wide expanse of flat sand is exposed. The beach is a good spot for both fishing and walking, whilst boating trips from the harbour are also popular.…
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8. Ballyholme Beach
Ballyholme is a sandy beach in a crescent-shaped bay in an eastern suburb of the town of Bangor. The strand stretches for slightly over one kilometer, and is interspersed by a number of wooden groynes. For most of its length, Ballyholme…
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9. Tyrella Beach (Clough)
Tyrella beach is a two kilometer sandy beach backed by twenty five hectares of mature sand dunes that form a conservation area within Dundrum Bay, in County Down. The beach is a car-free zone popular with surfers and swimmers, while the…
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10. Nicholsons Strand Beach (Cranfield)
A vast sandy beach situated in a bay, backed by several large caravan parks. No facilities.