Discover Banbridge: Riverside Walks, Culture and Golf

Banbridge is a destination for you if you’d like to include riverside walks, culture and a sporting activity in your travel plans. Its attractions range from the River Bann and a clearly defined Riverside Walk to golf, film production, ceramics, sculpture and linen craft. This selection leaves room for different interests.

Riverside walks and a sporting alternative

Solitude Park offers riverside walking paths along the River Bann, which flows through Banbridge. Here, the focus is on paths through the riverside landscape. The Banbridge Riverside Walk, by contrast, is a clearly defined route with named endpoints: it is 0.84 km long and runs from Banbridge Leisure Centre to Huntly Road. You can choose between paths by the river in the park and a route with a stated length.

The Riverside Walk is intended for walking, travel using mobility aids and cycling after dark. Lighting was reported as completed on 1 April 2021. If you plan to cycle after dark, check the current condition of the lighting before your visit.

As a sporting alternative, Banbridge Golf Club offers a challenging 18-hole course measuring 5,665 yards, with a par of 69. The number of holes, length and par give this sporting option a clear framework. You can weigh up whether golf or riverside activities should be the focus of your stay.

A TV series world, sculpture and ceramics

The Game of Thrones Studio Tour is located in Banbridge, County Down. It showcases costumes, props, weapons and visual effects that helped bring Game of Thrones to life on screen. Visitors can also explore the sets of King’s Landing, Winterfell, Dragonstone and The Wall. The tour thus combines production details with locations from the series. If you’re interested in how the series was made, both the exhibits and the named sets can be highlights of your visit. As attraction details can change, check the latest visitor information before your planned visit.

The F.E. McWilliam Gallery celebrates sculptor Frederick Edward McWilliam, who was born on Newry Street in Banbridge. Its sculpture garden displays sculptures on granite plinths. The gallery thus combines a tribute to the sculptor with a specific presentation of his artworks in the garden.

Mount IDA Pottery has an on-site gallery where nature-inspired ceramics are displayed and sold. The focus here is on ceramics and their nature-inspired design. This offers a different cultural emphasis from television production or sculpture, and can complement your selection if you’re particularly interested in ceramics.

Linen craft and planning your visit

Ferguson’s Irish Linen was founded in 1854. The company built its reputation on high-quality raw materials, skilled weavers, modern loom technology and careful finishing. These four factors offer insight into different aspects of linen production: material quality, weaving expertise, technology and finishing. Tours of Ferguson’s Irish Linen should be booked in advance.

First decide which of these topics matter to you, then look for a hotel that suits your personal travel requirements.

Discover more destinations: Holywood, Rathfriland, Dundrum, Crawfordsburn, Downpatrick, Dromore, Killough, Conlig

For the broader travel overview: Down.