Newtownards

The old market town sits at the northern tip of Strangford Lough, where Georgian terraces line broad streets that still feel properly lived-in rather than tourist-polished. Newtownards serves as the gateway to the Ards Peninsula - that finger of land pointing into the Irish Sea that's got some of the most underrated coastline in Northern Ireland.

Grey Abbey House offers lovely gardens that most visitors miss, while the more adventurous can tackle Windmill Hill for cracking views across the lough. The surrounding countryside holds secrets too: Grey Abbey Wood provides decent woodland walks, and Inishargy Bog is a proper nature reserve where you might spot something rare if you're patient.

Down the peninsula, reminders of wartime history dot the landscape. Ballyhalbert WW2 Airfield Memorial marks where American forces once trained, and the old Ballyhalbert Moat shows this coast has seen action for centuries. The Standing Stone near Kircubbin is worth the detour - one of those ancient markers that makes you wonder what stories it could tell.

Fishing villages like Kircubbin cluster along the eastern shore, each with their own character. Holy Trinity church there is particularly fine, and the coastal road between settlements offers some brilliant sea views on a clear day.

Getting here is straightforward enough - Belfast's just 12 miles away via the A20. The town makes a sensible base for exploring both the peninsula and the lough's western shores. Holiday parks scattered around the area put you within easy reach of everything from archaeological sites to decent walking country, plus you're close enough to Belfast for day trips but far enough out to feel like you've properly escaped the city.