Scrabo Tower and Country Park

My beloved Scrabo has been part of my life since I was dragged up to it on a school trip, I remember being able to actually run up the hill to the tower in my youth, but years of kebabs mean I take a slower pace these days, the view from the hill and the Tower itself is pretty spectacular, if you can avoid looking down at West Winds, mind you, you can always pretend you’re looking down from the Enola Gay. The forest park is pretty spectacular, a nature lovers dream, certainly a nature minded friend was in his element describing all that he saw with great gusto.
The only downside, is that the car park at the top of the hill can be full on busy days, and crossing the road can be dangerous as you get ignorant twats from the golf club trying to run you over.

I have a lot of family from this part of the country, so Scrabo Tower is a familiar sight for me, but believe it or not, it was only recently that I saw it up close.
It is visible for miles around, and I always thought it looked a bit creepy, but when we were in the area in July, we thought we would take a run up since it was a nice day.
The tower is situated in Scrabo Country Park, and unlike a lot of beauty spots, admission is free of charge.
It really is a bit of a trek, so if you are not the fittest person in the world (like me) you might not make it all the way up (like I didn’t) but it certainly is a fantastic site, and there are lots of great walks to be had around the woods there also.
Have fun!

I’ve been up to the grounds around the tower on many occasions when I’m out walking the dog but I had never actually ventured up inside the tower until recently. The hill up to it is a bit of a hike but the view is well worth it. The day I climbed the tower turned out to be an unplanned adventure. I was walking my dog when I bumped into a group of four Chinese people who were lost at the edge of my housing estate. They wanted to go to Strangford Lough but they had no transport and it was kind of a miserable day — I told them to keep walking and in about an hour they would reach the edge of the Lough. I felt sorry for them as the adventure they were on would take forever and really the reward wouldn’t have much impact. I decided I would nip home quickly and get my van. I then went back and after convincing them I wasn’t an axe murderer got them in the van and told them I would show them the best view they would ever get of the area. We headed up to Scrabo tower — they were thrilled and the cameras were out on full click. Up we went the winding circular staircase, all for free of course, up the first floor where the exhibit gives you a run down of the wildlife in the area and a history of the tower and of Newtownards itself. The next floor tells you about the dinosaurs that used to roam the area and describes the views that can be seen from the top. At the top the views are phenomenal, all of Strangford Lough, the west coast of Scotland and Belfast city. Needless to say my guests were blown away almost literally as the winds are high up there and it’s not for the faint hearted. I think Scrabo tower is one of those treasures a town has that the residents can easily forget about even though its looming presence is always there. Go! see!

One of Northern Ireland’s best known landmarks, Scrabo Tower and Country Park is, in my opinion, incredibly underrated by the locals. Comprising of a forest park, with several walks encompassing the beautiful nature, scenery and various wildlife of Killynether Wood, as well as the Tower itself, Scrabo makes for an absolutely stunning day out.
A word of warning though… it isn’t for the faint-​hearted. The climb on the road alone to the main carpark is enough to give anyone vertigo, but the actual walk itself up to Scrabo Tower is pretty strenuous. You can, of course opt for the lower carpark, which is situated in the midst of the forest, and while there is still a bit of a hike, it’s nothing like the steep climb up to the tower.
Having said that, the walk is incredibly worthwhile. There are plenty of seats and resting places along the way for the weary, but when you get to the top… breath-​taking really isn’t the word. The views are ‘cracker’ as we say in this part of the world. Panoramic and spectacular, you can see for miles around. From the shores of Strangford Lough (and even Scotland on a good day), to the Mournes, those views are truly captivating. Wow.
If you’re feeling super sprightly, a dander up the 122 steps on the tower may just be the thing for you, though it makes me tired even thinking about it! Two of the rooms in the tower are open, with exhibitions and galleries explaining the history behind it. You can actually walk the whole way up to the very top of Scrabo tower and look out at those sensational views from an even greater height.
Definitely a must-​see if you’re up for all that walking, but it’s so worth it. Just don’t expect to feel your legs for a few days…
Opening hours:
The opening hours above apply only to the tower in July and August.
In Easter, April, May, June and September, the tower is open 1pm to 5 pm daily. From October to Easter, it is open 12pm to 4pm on Sundays only. The country park is open the whole year around.