09 Jan Helen’s Bay, County Down
Helen’s Bay is in County Down , and a great little hidden gem on Ireland tours.
Just down the bay itself , a walking path leads east to Grey Point Fort , positioned to command the mouth of Belfast Lough , along with its sister fort at Kilroot on the other side.
The fort has what you’d expect by way of quarters and stores , as well as an impressive battery of gun emplacements , ready to challenge the shipping that entered the lough during the two world wars.
It sits in a lovely forested area with a neat little beach nearby.
In the little village of Crawfordsburn is the thatched Crawfordsburn Inn which is lovely to stay in and great for lunch.
These areas are accessible on our extended Belgast tours if you are visiting on a cruise ship , and nice to take in on tours of Ireland.