Just outside the small village of Comber on the shores of Strangford Lough, in County Down you may just stumble across one of the best hidden gems of the Northern Irish country side. After a left turn of a main road you will find yourself weaving along roads that are just wide enough for one car, the further you drive the more remote you start to feel.
After a few miles you will reach your 1st causeway, once on the other side you have left the mainland and now find yourself on Reagh Island. Reagh Island is about 1.5 miles long but only 600 meters wide, a small portion of the island is owned by the National Trust and is a beautiful setting to take in the surrounding views of Strangford Lough.
As you continue your journey you reach your 2nd Causeway, from here as you cross you are greeted by Mahee Castle, this is a small ruined tower that was built around 1570 by Captain Thomas Browne. The tower though in ruins still stands gaurd over the causeway in front of it to this day.
As you continue to the east side of mahee Island you are met with a lay-by with a small green gate. If you didn't know what you were looking for it would be easy to dismiss this gate and continue on past. But if you stop and step through the gate, after a short climb up the hill you are met with one of the oldest monastic sites in Northern Ireland. Once at the top of the hill you are greeted with fantastic views towards Killinchy and Sketrick Island. At this time of the year the sunsets can be spectacular and with the setting sun reflecting on the water in the lough a photo could never do justice to the feeling you get when standing there.
If you ever find yourself in or around County Down and fancy getting off the beaten track and lost for an hour or 2 this would be your ideal spot.
CC is welcomed :-)
