Experience Ards and North Down in 2024!

Fantastic experiences, fascinating places, delicious food and more.

Discover what Ards and North Down has to offer with more than 40 fabulous experiences running between April and January, providing the opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Borough.

The experience season kicks off at Kiri Cottage in Kircubbin where you can learn to Knit like a Viking (6 April) using Nalbinding, a fascinating way to create textiles. Meanwhile, Castle Espie will host a Wee Birds Art Workshop (14 April) for children who will be able use nature as inspiration to create birds using collage.

If you fancy getting your feet wet, the SUP, Sauna and Swim (21 April) will take you paddleboarding across Strangford Lough before relaxing at Sudor Sauna's wood-fired haven, and Helen's Bay Walled Garden provides the perfect location for Felting with the Bees (27 April). You can enjoy some locally produced honey mead and find out how to make your own garden a haven for bees, before creating some felted 2D bee themed artwork with crafter Karen Stevenson.

Looking beyond April, other experiences include an Electric Picnic (19 May) with a guided electric bike tour around the shoreline of Strangford Lough followed by an artisan picnic. There will be taster sessions in printmaking in May, September and October, as well as plenty of opportunities to jump on a boat during the summer months with tours in Bangor, Killinchy, Portavogie and Portaferry.

There are lots of food and drink related experiences too, including a new Tea with the Bees and Cake with the Cows (8 June) at 'The Orlock' farm, as well as historic guided tours across many of our towns and villages, while the entire family can enjoy a special Alpaca and tree-planting experience at Eastwell Farm in December.

All experiences must be pre-booked so book early to avoid disappointment. For more information, including ticket prices, terms and conditions, and a full list of available Experiences, go to visitardsandnorthdown.com/experienceAND, or avoid online booking fees and visit the Bangor or Newtownards Visitor Information Centres to book!

Photo caption: From Knit like a Viking to historic guided tours, taster printmaking sessions, and Felting with the Bees in Helen's Bay Walled Garden, Mayor Jennifer Gilmour is encouraging everyone to discover what Ards and North Down has to offer with more than 40 fabulous experiences running between April and January. Image: Graham Baalham-Curry.