Discover Crossgar: Gardens, Trails and Gin Experiences

Crossgar can be discovered from several perspectives: with historic parkland, a walking and cultural trail, distinctive gardens, local history and experiences centred around gin. This allows you to plan your trip in very different ways – as a cultural discovery, a stay with exercise in green surroundings or with a focus on regional distilling culture.

Gardens, woodland and a trail with panoramic views

Crossgar House, also known as Tobar Mhuire, is a Regency-era parkland registered as Grade A. The grounds cover 55 acres (22.3 ha) and lie on the south-eastern side of the village of Crossgar. Tobar Mhuire itself is located in a wooded area at the heart of Crossgar. Anyone wishing to combine the history of the place with time spent outdoors will find several different points of interest here.

The Walled Garden includes the Vinery Conservatory, a greenhouse approximately 1870 added with a length of 145 feet (44 m). The garden also has a recently restored pond. Permission via the Retreat Centre is required to visit the Walled Garden. This requirement should therefore be included in your planning if the gardens are to be an important part of your stay.

The Tobar Mhuire Trail is 3 km long and follows its trail markers anticlockwise. A short detour offers a view of the original Crossgar House. There is also a seating viewpoint overlooking the Mournes. Mary’s Well, designated as a holy well, is also located along the trail. The Irish name Tobar Mhuire means “Mary’s well”. For a trip with different interests, the trail can thus be combined with landscapes, history and quieter moments. Private retreats for quiet, personal reflection are offered at the Tobar Mhuire guesthouse.

Shortcross and distilling culture

Another focus is the Rademon Estate and its distilling culture. The Rademon Estate Distillery can be reached via Church Road, BT30 9HR. The official distillery tour includes a fully immersive, guided tour through the gin distillation process. The Shortcross experience also offers an informative tour of the copper stills, along with explanations of how gin and Irish whiskey are made.

The ingredients used also give the experience a local character: wild botanicals are used for Shortcross Gin, including wild clover, apple, elderflowers and elderberries. The visit includes tastings of neat gin and instructions on how to pour a G&T. During the Shortcross Discovery experience, you can also seal a personalised gin bottle with wax yourself and take it home. If you plan to include these offerings, it is advisable to take the distillery address and the desired scope of the experience into account when planning your trip.

History in the village landscape

The Rademon Estate dates back to AD 565. The estate’s original manor house dates from 1667, while the gate lodge at Tobar Mhuire is a single-storey lodge dating from 1875. The Tobar Mhuire Trail also passes the foundation of a military observation post used by British and American troops during the Second World War.

The James Martin Memorial Stone stands on the Square in Crossgar. James Martin was the inventor of the aircraft ejection seat and co-founder of the Martin-Baker Aircraft Company. Individual sites like these also make Crossgar interesting for travellers who want to discover not only landscapes but also specific local and technological history during a walk.

The right holiday apartment for your plans

A holiday apartment in Crossgar is a natural starting point for your search if you want to include the village itself, Tobar Mhuire and the Square in your travel plans. If your focus is on gardens, the trail and reflection, you should take permission for the Walled Garden and the Retreat Centre’s desired offerings into account. For a stay including a distillery tour, tastings and insights into the production of gin, the address of the Rademon Estate Distillery should form part of your specific plans. This way, you choose your accommodation not based on a general promise, but on the experiences that are intended to shape your trip to Crossgar.

For further travel planning, you can also look at Crawfordsburn, Ardglass, Killough, Banbridge, Rathfriland, Newcastle, Downpatrick and Conlig.

To the overarching travel overview: Down.