How many days do I need in County Down?
Four days if you can, three if you must. The county divides into three trips that do not combine well: the Mournes and Newcastle, Strangford Lough with the Ards Peninsula, and Downpatrick with the Saint Patrick sites. Two days means choosing, and most first-timers should keep the Mournes and the lough and let Downpatrick be a half day on the way through. A single day from Belfast covers one Mourne walk or the Ards drive, not both, and rushing the peninsula road wastes the best of it. Down sits closer to Belfast than it feels, which tempts people to under-plan it.
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