Travel: Taking in the charms of Royal Hillsborough

Her late daughter Caron Keating spent much of her childhood in the Georgian village.

And a random piece of knowledge, of which more later - the man who invented the portable defibrillator, Frank Pantridge was born here.

My third Hillsborough nugget is a rather better known one – it hosts an International Oyster Festival each year, usually in September.

But I'd wager that most people associate Royal Hillsborough simply with Hillsborough Castle, the Royal family's official residence in Northern Ireland and its truly wonderful gardens which are visited by thousands of people every year.

In June 2021 the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis announced Royal status for village of Hillsborough, the first village or town in Northern Ireland to receive the exceptional title.

Hillsborough has also been listed as one of eight UK towns 'that look straight out of a storybook' on the Purewow website.

Naturally the castle is the heartbeat of Hillsborough and is the perfect place to start when visiting the area.

In these cash-strapped times a visit to the castle is good value too - an adult ticket costs just a tenner and a family of five gets access for £27.50.

King Charles said that his mother 'always took such pleasure” in the castle's 'beautiful rose garden', which was home to one of the earliest existing pineraries in the 1770s.

Other places to visit

Montalto Estate, Ballynahinch

The magnificent 400-acre estate was where the Battle of Ballynahinch was fought during the rebellions of 1998 and has been owned by the Wilson family since 1995.

Opened to the public since 2018, the private estate is a short distance from Ballynahinch and is well worth a visit.

The estate has jaw-dropping gardens – managed superbly by head gardener Lesley Heron and her terrific team - featuring an exotic plant collection initially created by Sir Arthur Rawdon in the late 1700s.

The sprawling grounds boast a number of trails, perfect for a leisurely New Year family walk and little treasures like a giant treehouse and a witch’s cottage.

And don't miss the excellent culinary fare in the spacious and chilled estate cafe and take time to browse the very impressive gift shop.

www.montaltoestate.com

Hinch Distillery and brasserie

One for whiskey and gin lovers.

Launched by Dr Terry Cross OBE, during the pandemic, this stunning £15m distillery located outside Ballynahinch, also produces the Ninth Wave Gin brand.

Take the fascinating guided tour and discover how the award-winning distillery produces an incredible 8,000 casks of whiskey - 3.5 million bottles - as well as 1.7 million bottles of gin a year.

Its 10-strong portfolio of whiskeys extends to more than 30 global markets with its collection winning many international awards.

The knowledgeable and fun guides will take you through the history of Irish whiskey, explain how Hinch distils and matures its spirits and there are options to taste the products too.

The award-winning brasserie – you can relax in the sumptuous surroundings inside the restaurant or outside in the courtyard overlooking three beautiful Whiskey Stills – serves inspired dishes such as confit pork belly celeriac remoulade and peat smoked whiskey glaze and Atlantic seabass with mussels, shrimp, broccoli and croutons with baby potatoes.

www.hinchdistillery.com

Hillsborough Royal Brew

Who wouldn't want a lift-me-up from self-monikered 'eternal optimist' and walking experience designer, Nikki Elliott?

Join Nikki for a 5K walk around lesser-known Royal Hillsborough, taking in the lake, forest and charm of the village itself.

The ‘Hillsborough Royal Brew’ tour is completed with fantastic beer tasting paired with locally-sourced tapas tasting in the historic, private bar of the Plough, across the road, no less, from Hillsborough Castle.

Family owned for decades by the Patterson’s, The Plough Inn has historically provided vital service to royals, visitors and local alike since the 1700s.

During our tour we learn the story of one of its colourful and powerful owners Hercules Bradshaw and even visit his tomb in the local church graveyard, where incidentally, portable defibrillator inventor Frank Pantridge is also buried.

www.walkitoffni.com

Finnebrogue Woods Bushcraft Experience

No it's not a Bush Tucker trial!

The immersive Finnebrogue Woods Bushcraft experiences are held in privately owned woods just outside Downpatrick and designed and led by their expert 'bushman' Rob Hill.

Rob takes guests on an engrossing day of foraging and wild cooking, guiding you through the woods to identify and collect seasonal wild edibles of greens, herbs, vegetables, fungi and berries.

Then, in the Tipi Kitchen, chef Dan will show you how to prepare, marinade, pickle, hot and cold smoke in the old whiskey barrel smokery your freshly foraged and locally sourced produce.

You also get the chance to choose the best cuts from Finnebrogue's own herd of Dexter beef, game or fish and learn to master cooking open open fire coals and embers, using various grills and spits over our enormous tipi fire pit. Expect to get your hands dirty and hair smoky, while learning valuable skills in the great outdoors surrounded by crackling fires. www.finnebroguewoods.com