8 Lake/ River/ Ponds to Explore in County Down

Checkout places to visit in County Down

County Down

County Down is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. It covers an area of 961 sq mi and has a population of 531,665. Stretching from the shores of Belfast Lough, out around Strangford Lough, and down into the magnificent Mourne Mountains. You’ll find yourself at home beside castles, beaches, forest parks, stately homes, a Royal Palace and the world's top links golf course.

Activities Around

Lake/ River/ Ponds to Explore in County Down

Ben Crom Reservoir

Ben Crom Reservoir is a reservoir located in the Mourne Mountains near Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was constructed between 1953 and 1957, as the final part of the Mourne scheme to provide water to Belfast which started with the passing of the Belfast Water Act in 1893. From the top of the wall there are wonderful views to Silent Valley, Slievenaglogh Mountain and Ben Crom Mountain. You can then follow a path east to climb to a fine viewpoint over the water.

Binnian Lough

The Blue Lough is situated on the south side of the Mournes and is easily accessed from the Greencastle Port. It is one of the iconic attraction in this area and also there are so many things to see and do here.

Glen River

Glen River is a short river in County Down, Northern Ireland. The two-mile course flows north-east from the foot of Slieve Commedagh and Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains into Dundrum Bay at Newcastle, descending 1,500 feet. It is quite a fast-flowing river with many small waterfalls and deep pools. There is an unusually prominent ice house beside the river, just before it enters the forest. It was built by the third earl of Annseley in the 1830s to serve his Donard lodge residence.

Lough Island Reavy

A small man-made lough in Kilcoo, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a fishing spot, which is controlled by the Belfast Anglers club. The lake contains pike and perch, as well as small numbers of wild brown trout and eels. An iconic location for a short picnic and also there are so many options for leisure here.

Silent Valley Reservoir

Silent Valley Reservoir in the heart of the Mourne Mountains is one of the most beautiful places in Northern Ireland. It located in the Mourne Mountains near Kilkeel, County Down in Northern Ireland. It supplies most of the water for County Down, surrounding counties and most of Belfast.

Spelga Reservoir

Spelga Reservoir is a reservoir in the townland of Spelga in the Mourne Mountains of County Down, Northern Ireland. It was formed by the Spelga Dam and sits at over 1,200 ft above sea level. It has a volume of 2,700,000 cubic metres and a catchment area of 5.423 km². It occupies an area known as Deers Meadow, and impounds the River Bann, which rises on the nearby Slieve Muck.

Strangford Lough

A large sea loch or inlet in County Down, in the east of Northern Ireland. It is the largest inlet in Ireland and the British Isles, covering 150 km2. The lough is almost fully enclosed by the Ards Peninsula and is linked to the Irish Sea by a long narrow channel at its southeastern edge. It is a popular tourist destination noted for its fishing and scenery.

Map of Lake/ River/ Ponds to explore in County Down