Things to do · From the door
The Mournes start at the garden gate.
Northern Ireland's highest mountains, its most photographed golf links and a Blue Flag beach are all on the doorstep — and the house is set up for the people who come for them.
Walking
Boots on at the front door.
Stroll the hotel's own woodland trail to the Shimna River, dander through neighbouring Tollymore Forest Park to the Hermitage, or conquer Slieve Donard itself — at 853 m the highest of the compact ring of twelve Mourne summits on the doorstep.
- Slieve Donard — Northern Ireland's highest mountain
- The Brandy Pad — an old smugglers' route through the Mournes
- Tollymore Forest Park — the Shimna River and the Hermitage
- Murlough Blue Flag beach and sand dunes
- Silent Valley Reservoir and the Mourne Way
Many of the staff are keen walkers: the house keeps a drying room with dehumidifiers, laminated maps and route advice, packed lunches and thermos flasks, guided walks, and a mini-coach shuttle for pick-ups and bag transfers.
Golf
Royal County Down, next door.
The house sits beside the globally renowned Royal County Down links — Tom Watson, a many-time Enniskeen guest, called the outward half 'as fine a nine holes as I have ever played' — with the friendlier Annesley Links alongside.
The hotel arranges tee times, runs its mini-coach to Royal County Down, Ardglass (40 minutes) and Royal Belfast (an hour), and keeps the drying room ready for your kit.
Bike hire & the Foods and Films tour
Uphill by shuttle, downhill by bike.
Bicycle hire from £15 (electric bikes £35), with a shuttle bus up to Spelga Dam in the heart of the Mournes — then it's all downhill back to Enniskeen for afternoon tea.
The hotel devised the self-guided Mourne Foods & Films Cycle Tour: freewheel down the Shimna Valley past filming locations from Game of Thrones, The Fall, Philomena and Dracula Untold, tasting artisan produce like Abernethy's hand-churned butter on the way. From £49.95 per person for hotel guests, including Mourne Honey afternoon tea, bike, trail pack and shuttle — book with Clearsky Adventure on 028 4372 3933.
Advance booking for bikes — call reception on 028 4372 2392.
Worth the short drive
Nearby
The places the hotel points its guests to — each link goes to the attraction itself.