Ballymote House

“A Hidden treasure....a real find" Irish Times
Ballymote House is a friendly, family listed Georgian house, built around 1730 and set in its own parkland.

The house is beautifully and sensitively restored, with antiques throughout, roaring turf fires and delicious home-cooked and locally sourced food. “No where nicer than Ballymote...... Resplendent, elegantly faded charm, blissful beds and great cooking from Nicola are the Ballymote signatures". 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland Bridgestone.

We pride ourselves on our breakfasts; apart from the de rigeur Ulster fry (ours has sausages made by a local butcher to our family recipe and 8 or so other things on the platter) we offer homemade jams, (3 or 4 different types), local honey, fruit from the garden and masses of other delicious things. It will set you up for a day of exploring!

We are in the heart of St. Patrick's country; it is an ideal base for exploring one of the most historically and culturally rich parts of Ireland, with wonderful gardens, challenging golf courses, spectacular mountains, deserted coastline and unspoilt countryside for walking and horse riding.

Ballymote is the perfect jumping-off point for the astonishing number of local historical sites. Drive a few miles in almost any direction and you will find one of any amount of 10th and 11th century churches, stone circles, Viking strongholds, castles, dolmens, healing wells and round towers. The St. Patrick’s Centre in Downpatrick is also a mere stone’s throw away

A twenty minute car journey will bring you to the beautiful Mourne Mountains where you can enjoy some of Ireland’s most stunning views and walks ranging from the gentlest strolls to some pretty demanding hikes, including the legendary 22 mile mountain Mourne Wall Walk.

Also just ten miles down the road is possibly the world’s greatest links golf course, the Royal County Down Golf Club, home to the British Seniors Open Championship and The Walker Cup. “This great course ……..is a tremendous test of golf ……..pure links in the truest sense of the word” - Tom Watson. Ten minutes in the other direction is the fabulous links course in Ardglass, a rather hidden gem. “Ardglass is one of the must-play courses in Northern Ireland” Darren Clarke Open champion 2011.

For the gardening enthusiast this area is home to some of the finest gardens and collections in Europe (e.g. Mount Stewart, Rowallane) due to the unusually mild micro-climate, created by a combination of the Gulf Stream and the Mourne Mountains.

We have much for the sailing enthusiast, too. Perhaps you are looking for a week-long beginner’s course at Killyleagh, just 5 miles away by car, or a yacht charter to explore the unique, island-dotted waters of Strangford Lough. Everything you could wish for is right on our doorstep. Other water sports, including windsurfing, jet skiing, water skiing and scuba diving are also widely available.

The educated palate is more than adequately catered for locally. Whether it’s enjoying a pint of Guinness and a quick bite in a coaching inn, sampling local delicacies like potted herring in Ardglass or the world-famous Strangford Lough lobsters, mussels and oysters in Portaferry, the only thing you’ll need to worry about is your waistline!

Whatever your interests, we think we’ve have it covered here in historic St. Patrick’s country and Ballymote is the ideal home away from home to explore it from.

“A true star of the North” Irish Examiner

We hope to welcome you soon.