Discover the hidden treasures right on your doorstep at the Hidden Gems at Home Tourism Showcase Event, taking place at the Newry Variety Market on Sunday 23 March 2025, from 1pm to 6pm. This exciting event is designed to inspire local residents in Newry, Mourne and Down to explore the best of what Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark has to offer, with something for everyone — from thrilling outdoor adventures to relaxing retreats and delicious local flavours.
Whether you’re planning your next staycation at home, looking for a new adventure, or simply curious about the local gems in your area, this event promises a fun-filled day for all ages.
Visitors can explore over 55 local tourism experiences, ranging from golf and outdoor adventures to unique cultural experiences and artisan foods. This is a chance to discover the hidden gems waiting to be explored in your own district. The event also offers pay-as-you-go taster experiences, allowing you to try out exciting activities offered by local Tourism businesses. With a wide selection of food and drink stalls, you can indulge in the finest local delicacies and refreshing drinks while enjoying a day of fun activities designed for all ages.
The Hidden Gems at Home Tourism Showcase Event will feature a variety of local tourism businesses showcasing their unique offerings. Outdoor adventure enthusiasts can learn more about experiences from Mourne Geotours, Red Kite Tours NI, Bike Mourne, Walk the Mournes, Geology Rocks Adventure, Sustainable Journeys Ireland, Mourne Mountain Adventures, Mourne Shack Limited, Finnebrogue Woods, Tumbling Paddy - ‘The Story of Newry Walking Tour’, Bloody Bridge Backpackers, Oceanauts Diving, Warrenpoint and Kilkeel Golf Clubs and East Coast Adventure Ltd.(1).JPG)
For those seeking unique experiences and wellness, Xhale, Mourne Hot Barrel Sauna, Kinedale Donkeys, Legends of Lecale and Whodunit Hunts will be offering a glimpse into their specialised activities. Food lovers can savour local delights from Mrs C’s Home Kitchen, NearyNógs Chocolate, Killowen Distillery, and Mourne Food Adventures.
If you’re looking for luxury stays and glamping options, Pine Tree Hollow Glamping, Bramble Cottage, Willowtree Glamping, Escape Glamping, Harbour House Inn Newcastle, Montalto Estate, Killeavy Castle Estate, The Whistledown Hotel, Canal Court Hotel & Spa, Avoca Hotel, The Rostrevor Inn, Burrendale Hotel Country Club and Spa, Millbrook Lodge , An Radhairc and Sally Gardens Cottage will be present to showcase their unique accommodations.
Arts, heritage, and culture enthusiasts can look forward to meeting exhibitors such as Oriel Music, Dancing at the Crossroads (Celtic Storm Irish Dancer), Maginn's Cornmill, Cardinal O'Fiaich Heritage Centre, NewryUns, Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark, Mourne Geofood, and The Saint Patrick Centre.
These are not just names — they are the experiences that make Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark truly unique. From thrilling outdoor adventures and cultural tours to mouth-watering local delicacies and relaxing wellness retreats, each of these exhibitors brings something special. Whether you want to hike the scenic Mournes, taste locally crafted chocolates, explore historic landmarks, or simply unwind in a cosy glamping spot, you’ll find plenty to inspire your next local adventure.
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Join us for the Hidden Gems at Home Tourism Showcase Event and explore the best of what Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark has to offer! Whether you're looking for your next local adventure, a relaxing retreat, or a taste of authentic local flavours, this event has something for everyone.
Lying within one mile of Tranquil Rostrevor, An Radhairc provides a panoramic view of the splendid Mournes and Cloughmore Stone viewing point. Within walking distance of Carlingford Lough, it overlooks the scenic landscapes of the area.
Experience the Mournes by bike on road, track and trail with the guided and self-guided bike and electric bike tours or do it yourself with bike and electric bike hire. Explore the majestic mountains, dramatic coasts, stunning landscapes, enchanting forests, award winning mountain bike trails and endless year-round cycle adventures.
Bramble Cottage with views of the Mourne Mountains and Murlough Nature Reserve is situated half way between Newcastle and Castlewellan.
The Canal Court Hotel & Spa is a fine four star property, with a total of 110 bedrooms & suites, extensive Health & Leisure Complex and stunning Spa, perfectly located in the heart of the City close to both Bus & Rail Stations.
Group Tours of The Cardinal O'Fiaich Heritage Centre For a perfect day out book your guided group tour with Úna Walsh of the O'Fiaich Heritage Centre, along with history and stories of South Armagh. The tour will last 2 hours and includes light lunch, dessert, tea and coffee. Admission is £9 To arrange a group booking please contact Úna Walsh
Meet and Greet Kilkeel Harbour Co Down. Forage Nicholsons Strand for a profile of seaweeds from Silk Island along to Home Port. Listen to the endearing call of the Sea Birds Dare to Wild Sea Swim or dip those feet in the brinny waters at Crawfords Rock Gather a Seaweed Spa Bath to take home as a reminder of your day. Enjoy a Coastal Flavours Extravaganza Feast Oysters, Crab, Mussels, all with our Tide To Table Seaweeds, Locally Baked Artisan Breads and Cheeses in the warmth of the Boat House as we return to the Harbour Kilkeel Relax and Sit and Chat a while we ask that you leave nothing behind but footprints in the sand.
Get involved in this high-octane experience celebrating the centuries-old traditions of Irish dancing. Join Josephine Brennan King, a former principal Irish dancer for Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance, for a fun-filled interactive experience filled with Irish traditions and dancing.
A charming Coaching Inn dating from 1642 providing bed and breakfast with restaurant service daily and entertainment four nights per week. Meals can be served in the restaurant, the bar, and in either of two function rooms, suitable for larger parties.
East Coast Adventure Centre - Newry & Mourne Mountain area. Water sports, Cycling, Hiking, School Activities - Family Fun - Glamping - a perfect location outside Rostrevor Village and 5 mins from Warrenpoint
Escape Glamping is Unique Accommodation with a rustic feel set in nature next to Castlewellan Forest Park. An ideal location for relaxing in nature or exploring the Mourne Area.
Step into the wild with an expert bushman. Do you have the skills to survive in the wild? Do you know what’s good to eat in the woods and how to find it? It’s time to find out. Join one of Finnebrogue’s bushcraft or foraging experiences and put yourself back in touch with nature.
At Geology Rocks Adventure we offer adventurous activities based mainly in the Mourne Mountains, but we also operate in Northern Ireland wide.
A family run business, built on the sea wall at the foot of the mountains. Nineteenth century building overlooking Newcastle Harbour and Dundrum Bay with beer garden at waters edge. A panoramic view of Mourne Mountains.
Encapsulated by a wealth of unspoilt natural beauty, this superb course presents a myriad of challenging holes, while a newly built clubhouse offers a warm and inviting atmosphere for food and relaxation.
Welcome to Killeavy Castle Estate, the perfect antidote to the modern fast paced world. Named winner of the Luxury Castle Hotel (Europe) Award at the prestigious World Luxury Awards 2021, it’s the ideal place to escape and unwind, and is located just 10 minutes outside Newry City.
Discover the beautiful location of Killowen Distillery, its history and why it is ideally suited for making spirits.
Join Robert and his 25 therapy-trained donkeys for wellness and heritage experiences. You are welcomed to his family's farm in Ballynahinch, in the heart of County Down. Take a breather with Goat Meditation or explore the rolling "drumlins" with a Donkey Trek.
Storyteller Duane Fitzsimons’ tours of the Home of Saint Patrick are filled with amazing legends, artefacts, and folklore.
Country manor set in the heart of County Down. All rooms are en suite with televisions and tea and coffee making facilities. In close proximity to many centres offering both indoor and outdoor sports, including golf, fishing, pony trekking.
Montalto Estate in Ballynahinch is a mystical and enchanting estate, set in magnificent natural surroundings. Visitor experience includes access to the estate's beautiful gardens; historic walks and trails and an exciting play area where children can engage, explore and learn.
Brian from Mountain Ways Ireland is a wild food enthusiast and folklorist and have been for all of his life. Tapping into a lifetime love for the outdoors, centuries old tacit knowledge handed down through his family and years of my his research and experimentation, Brian will guide you on a foraging journey that reveals the hidden potential in even the most familiar of wild plants, those plants that surround you, the ones you walk past every day whether you live in the countryside, town or city.
Experience the rich culinary heritage of the Mournes with Mourne Food Adventures, where traditional home baking meets local flavours. Led by experienced chef Eithne Kinsella, who brings over 30 years of culinary expertise and demonstrating, these hands-on workshops celebrate the time-honoured recipes and ingredients that define this beautiful region.
One piece of scientific research in 2009 came to the conclusion that, "It is a great satisfaction to be able to suggest, with solid evidence, that the Irish early Bronze Age ornaments were not only made of Irish gold but probably of gold from Co Down's Mourne Mountains,". During this immersive experience, we are going to look for that gold!
Come along for the day, bring family or friends, or even treat yourself to short break and enjoy the wider experience that the destination has to offer, either way, let’s get you out there and embrace everything the Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark has to offer. Check out what's on (see booking link), connect with the organisers and explore the possibilities this Spring with the Mourne Gullion Strangford Outdoor Spring Festival.
Join us at Hidden Gems at Home on Sunday 23 March 2025 at Newry Variety Market to experience our authentic Finnish wood fired sauna.
Hike to the secret spots and immerse in the rivers of the Mourne Mountains. An activity that explores the trending cold water and wild swimming craze. Including hiking, wild dipping, forest bathing and cold water therapy. Our trained and highly experienced Mountain Leaders and cold water specialists guide you into the hidden landscapes of the Mourne Mountains to the spots we love the most. Visitors will experience how to safely and enjoyable enter the world of cold water therapy and wild swimming, whilst we take you through the fundamentals.
Mrs C’s Home Kitchen is the place to enjoy a wide range of foodie experiences. Under Mrs C’s careful guidance, you might want to learn to make traditional breads, recipes that have endured for hundreds of years. Or perhaps you would like to learn the secrets of our traditional tray bakes. Or you might prefer to enjoy a demonstration experience. Bespoke experiences are tailor made to suit your group/timing/interests. All take place in our home kitchen at the foot of the Mourne Mountains.
Northern Ireland's first bean to bar craft chocolate makers and the oldest in Ireland. NearyNógs chocolate is small batch crafted on the Mourne Coast. Our family friendly chocolate factory has breath taking views of the Irish Sea, Carlingford Lough & the Mourne Mountains. We take great pride in our chocolate making. Every process is meticulously controlled so that every cacao beans' origin, of fine flavour, shines through.
Come and share an enjoyable afternoon learning some local songs to South Armagh, with singer and researcher, Colleen Savage.
PineTree Hollow Glamping is an award-winning small, rural glamping site set within the Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark in County Down. Guests can enjoy an authentic glamping experience in a choice of 3 cabins, The Yurt, The Beehive or The Wagon, all with differing but unique styles and their own spacious outdoor areas with bbq, fire pit and cooking and dining facilities. The site has shared bathrooms, a shared covered communal space for cooking, children’s play area and is dog friendly
Guided bird watching and wildlife tours around the scenic countryside and coastline of South Down.
Quaint rural cottage situated in St. Patrick's Country. Luxury stone cottage dating back to 1880's. Ideal base to explore the Mourne region or Strangford Lough. Onsite facilities include disabled access.
The Saint Patrick Centre is the only permanent exhibition in the World about Ireland’s Patron Saint. The History of Ireland starts here in Patrick’s words, which guide you through our amazing multimedia exhibition. Located 2 Hours north of Dublin and 35 minutes south of Belfast beside Saint Patrick’s Grave with a fantastic Craft Store and incredible Garden Cafe. This needs to be your first stop in Ireland.
Immersive, hands-on ancient Irish cultural heritage experience in the Saint Patrick Centre Downpatrick.
The Avoca has 20 exquisite, thoughtfully designed guest rooms with comfort in mind, including Superking Family suites, Kingsize and Superking Double rooms that can accommodate from 4-5 guests. Built in the 1800’s from Mourne granite and local stone, the Avoca, Newcastle, County Down, is situated at the base of the Mourne Mountains with undisturbed views of the Irish Sea.
The Burrendale Hotel, Country Club & Spa is a leading four-star Hotel in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland, nestled beneath the Mountains of Mourne. Located just 45 minutes from Belfast or Newry, The Burrendale Hotel, Country Club & Spa is the ideal location to relax and unwind. Perfect for a Spa Break, Family Retreat, Romantic Getaway or Business Trip.
In a beautifully refurbished 18th century building, where the Crawford family first started serving drinks in the mid-1800s, the Rostrevor Inn hosts a charming traditional bar and stables area, an atmospheric main bar serving delicious food.
The Whistledown Hotel in Warrenpoint, nestles, quietly magnificent, on the shores of Carlingford Lough surrounded by the Mourne Mountains and Cooley Peninsula.
If these mountains could speak, they’d tell tales of hermits, smugglers and fugitives... Join Peter for an unforgettable walking experience amongst the most fabulous scenery.
This very attractive parkland course overlooking the dramatic scenery of Carlingford Lough has hosted several high profile events including the Irish Professional Championship and a Ladies’ European Tour.
Self guided driving murder mystery trail from Whodunit Hunts, exploring the canal and Gilford, starting from Newry. Visit several villages dating back hundreds of years, see the remains of a magnificent mill and find out about its history and the linen industry in the area... and more! 30 clues to solve!
Unplug and unwind in The Goldfinches Retreat or Skylarks Retreat, 2 beautiful hand crafted luxurious Cabins. At the foot of the Mournes you will feel like you are floating above the fields. With a large picture window providing panoramic views for the famous Mourne Mountains and bifold doors out into your own private patio complete with a Hot Tub feel all your stress just disappear.
Deepen your Mindfulness Practice through forest bathing in the magic of the Ring of Gullion.
This parkland course measures 6,120 yards, and with tight tree lined fairways, fast and true greens and well placed bunkers provides a serious test of shot making.
Oceanauts Diving offers expert-led, immersive diving experiences tailored to all levels, from beginners to seasoned divers. With Dain McParland, an expert instructor at the helm, we ensure every dive is safe, informative, and unforgettable.
Experience the beauty and adventure that hides over every peak and rolling hill in the Mournes with one of Mourne Mountain Adventures’ guided hikes. We provide you with the perfect way to gain an in-depth insight into the region’s incredible flora and fauna, history and geography and breathtaking views.
