The park consists of 194 acres of rolling open grassland, mixed woodland and gardens, overlooking the Irish Sea with views of Mourne Mountains to the north and Lambay to the south-east. Ardgillan is a sanctuary for many species of animals, mammals and birds for which the wooded areas provide a safe retreat from surrounding agricultural land. Today the demesne is a stunning visitor attraction with
a range of facilities the public can avail of, including;
Castle Tours
Tea Rooms (wheelchair accessible) and Playground Shop
State-of-the-art Children's Playground
Magnificent Gardens
Craft Shop
Garden Tours (Pre-booked)
Spectacular Cycle and Walking Paths
Artist Studios
Civil Wedding Ceremonies
Room Hire, Conference and Workshop Space
Picnic Areas *NO BARBEQUES! Free Car Parks
The main car park is located close to the demesne entrance at “Blackhills”, while a second car and coach park, adjacent to the castle is open for castle visitors from Monday to Saturday and for restricted use on Sundays and Public Holidays. The gardens are in three main parts, the formal Rose Garden and the Potentilla collection to the west of the castle, and the walled garden to the north-west which contains herb, vegetable, fruit, and ornamental sections. The state-of-the-art playground was opened in 2006 and has over 30 pieces of play equipment to enjoy from cradle swings for the very young to a large climbing space net for older children (under 12).
