Northern Ireland
Van Life Campsites in Down
County Down is Northern Ireland's most varied county for van life. The Mourne Mountains — dramatised in the folk song "Where the Mountains of Mourne Sweep Down to the Sea" — are exactly as described: dramatic granite peaks that descend directly to the Irish Sea coast. Farm camping in the Mourne foothills around Rostrevor and Newcastle is excellent.
Strangford Lough — a vast sea inlet connected to the Irish Sea by the Strangford Narrows — is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and one of the most important intertidal habitats in northern Europe. Farm sites along the western shore near Downpatrick and Strangford give access to the lough's remarkable birdlife.
The Ards Peninsula — a long, narrow finger of land between Strangford Lough and the Irish Sea — is Down's quietest corner, with a string of small harbour villages, good beaches at Ballyhalbert and Kearney, and farm sites charging very reasonable rates.
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The Mourne Mountains roads are generally van-friendly. Newcastle is the main service town — good supermarkets and filling stations. Strangford Lough ferry crosses the Narrows between Strangford and Portaferry — a useful shortcut for exploring the Ards Peninsula.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there van-friendly campsites in the Mourne Mountains?
Several farm sites and touring parks in the Mourne foothills — around Newcastle, Rostrevor, and Kilkeel — welcome vans. Most have good access roads and open from Easter to October.