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Downhill Demesne and Mussenden Temple

42 Mussenden Road, Castlerock, Derry/Londonderry, BT51 4RP
Mussenden Temple
  • Mussenden Temple
  • Aerial view of Downhill Demesne
  • Mausoleum at Downhill Demesne
  • Gated entrance and private lodge at Downhill Gardens
  • Waymarked path at Downhill Gardens

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About

There cannot be a wilder and more dramatic headland in Northern Ireland than Downhill Estate. With fabulous views that stretch over the Causeway Coast and open windswept cliff top walks, it is not surprising that the estate, laid out in the late 18th century by the eccentric Earl and Bishop, Frederick Hervey, is part of the Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Starting at the Bishop’s Gate entrance to the Demesne, proceed past a quaint gothic style gate lodge (private residence) and enter into the Bishop’s Gate Gardens – look out for the unusual bog garden. At a fork in the main path, take the right track, a well surfaced woodland path and pass through a relict arboretum with many rare tree species.

At the following pronounced fork, follow signs for Mussenden Temple up a steepish grass track. Proceed through a small wooden gate to gain a majestic view of the gaunt ruins of Downhill House. At this stage you can explore the ruins, or head to Mussenden Temple which now beckons, perched on the cliff edge. The views of Ireland’s North Coast and some of the Scottish Western Isles (Islay & Jura) on a clear day are very impressive.

At this point, walkers can choose to retrace their steps or the more adventurous can head west (left of the Temple), making sure to correctly locate the mown grass track through the hay meadows and head for another unusual built feature – the dovecote (another circular-type building).  From the dovecote, with ice house below, a fantasy landscape of a walled garden appears.  On exiting the walled garden, all paths lead back to the ruins of Downhill House.  In order to return to your starting point veer off to the right, just before the front of the house, following a grass track and avoiding the sunken ha-ha.  This grass track leads to the Mausoleum and back to the gardens at Bishop’s Gate.
 

Facilities

Accessibility

  • Designated parking provided for guests with disabilities
  • Toilets for disabled visitors

Catering

  • Picnic Area

Parking & Transport

  • Car parking
  • Parking (charge)
  • Parking (free)
  • Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors

Map & Directions

What's Nearby

  1. Hezlett’s picturesque thatched cottage exterior hides a fascinating early timber frame…

    0.32 miles away
  2. Mussenden Temple is located in the beautiful surroundings of Downhill Demesne near…

    0.32 miles away
  3. A picture-perfect seaside village in Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

    0.63 miles away
  1. Downhill is a golden sandy beach stretching from Downhill Cliffs in the east towards…

    0.8 miles away
  2. Castlerock is a 1km (0.7 mile) long stretch of beach between the sea cliffs of Downhill…

    0.99 miles away
  3. Binevenagh is renowned for its impressive cliffs that provide a perfect alpine cliff…

    2.1 miles away
  4. Benone Strand, multiple recipient of the European Blue Flag and Seaside Award, is a…

    2.78 miles away
  5. Gortmore's superb Viewpoint situated on the Bishop's Road on the Binevenagh Loop, as part…

    2.89 miles away
  6. Between Portstewart and the mouth of the River Bann lies the golden sands and domineering…

    3.17 miles away
  7. Flowerfield Arts Centre is Coleraine’s dedicated arts facility, offering superb…

    3.97 miles away
  8. Binevenagh is a tranquil area where the sights of Lough Foyle and Donegal can be seen on…

    5.36 miles away
  9. Situated on either side of River Bann. Mixed woodland planted 19th Century and the 1930s…

    5.58 miles away
  10. Coleraine Town Hall presides over the central shopping piazza in Coleraine. Designed by…

    5.7 miles away
  11. An inscribed stone cross at Duncrun marks the site of St Patrick's Monastery and the…

    5.71 miles away
  12. Mountsandel Wood is the earliest known settlement of man in Ireland dating to between…

    6.4 miles away
  13. Picturesque riverbank area overlooking the River Roe beneath Binevenagh Mountain – a…

    6.55 miles away
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Related

Benone BeachBenone (leading to Downhill Beach), Northern IrelandEnjoy a spectacular beach walk along the beautiful Benone Strand, with options to extend your walk eastwards towards Downhill beach in the shadows of Mussenden Temple. or westwards towards Magilligan Point overlooking Donegal's Inishowen peninsula.

Magilligan PointMagilligan Point, LimavadyMagilligan Point guards the mouth of Lough Foyle and is home to Lough Foyle Ferry and Martello Tower. This short beach walk through a National Nature Reserve provides opportunities for visitors to explore the beach or spot birdlife and sealife.

Downhill ForestDownhill Wood, Northern IrelandDownhill Forest is a small mixed woodland of 83 hectares just inland from the North Coast of Northern Ireland, near Castlerock.

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