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Mount Stewart, Greyabbey

Companionship careArds

Days out in Ards for an older parent

Nine places in Ards that make a good day out for an older parent, from Mount Stewart to Millisle Beach Park. For each one: what its own access information confirms, what it costs, how long to allow, and the carers nearby who drive and could take them.

Researched by PrimeCarers from each place’s own website and access information  ·  Updated October 2026

Mount Stewart. Photo: Ulsterbeef, CC BY-SA 3.0

Nine days out across six towns

The best places to take an older parent in Ards

Six of them are free to visit or to walk around. The access information for two describes a step-free route, and three confirm an accessible toilet. Where a place does not publish its access, we say so.

Mount Stewart, Greyabbey

Photo: Ulsterbeef, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Garden · Greyabbey

Mount Stewart

Mount Stewart is a National Trust house and garden on the shore of Strangford Lough, once home to the Londonderry family. The formal gardens are known for their unusual plants and statues, and there is a lake walk, the house itself and the Temple of the Winds.

The lake walk and formal gardens are accessible, there are Blue Badge spaces in the main car park, accessible toilets in several places and wheelchairs and mobility scooters to book, with a tea room that has level access.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Greyabbey

Grey Abbey, Greyabbey

Photo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Day out · Greyabbey

Grey Abbey

Grey Abbey is the ruin of a Cistercian abbey founded in 1193 by Affreca, wife of John de Courcy, and is one of the best examples of Anglo-Norman church building in Ulster. The roofless church, graveyard and grounds sit on the edge of the village of Greyabbey.

It is free and compact, so a carer can plan a short, gentle look around the ruins from the car park and then head to the village for a cup of tea.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free of charge

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Greyabbey

Scrabo Country Park, Newtownards

Photo: Guliolopez (Wikipedia:en:User:Guliolopez), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nature reserve · Newtownards

Scrabo Country Park

Scrabo Country Park surrounds Scrabo Tower, the Victorian memorial tower on the hill above Newtownards, with woodland, old quarries and views over Strangford Lough. The main car park is on Scrabo Road and parking is free.

The trails are unpaved and the walk up to the tower is short but steep, so this suits a parent who can manage a slope, or one who is happy to enjoy the view from near the car park.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free parking

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Newtownards

Exploris Aquarium, Portaferry

Photo: Michael Dibb, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Animals · Portaferry

Exploris Aquarium

Exploris is Northern Ireland's public aquarium, on the shore at Portaferry, with tanks showing sea life from Strangford Lough and further afield. It also has a seal sanctuary where rescued seals are cared for before release.

Exploris says it is wheelchair accessible through all areas, with lifts between floors, accessible toilets and seating along the route, so it works well on a wet day.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Paid entry

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet

Their websiteAccess information

WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Comber

Photo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nature reserve · Comber

WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre

Castle Espie is a Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust centre on the shore of Strangford Lough near Comber, with ducks, geese and swans you can see up close and hides looking out over the lough. In autumn and winter large numbers of Brent geese arrive from the Arctic.

The car park is free with level, step-free access to the entrance, there are accessible toilets and the Kingfisher Café in the visitor centre, and the Brent Hide has step-free access with chairs and sofas.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry, essential carers free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Carers who drive, based near Comber

Donaghadee Harbour and Lighthouse, Donaghadee

Photo: Martyn Boyd, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Coast · Donaghadee

Donaghadee Harbour and Lighthouse

Donaghadee harbour was built in the 1820s and its lighthouse, from 1836, was the first in Ireland to be lit by electricity. The seafront town has cafés, the Moat viewpoint and views across the sea to Scotland on a clear day.

The harbour and seafront are free to walk, and with cafés close by a carer can plan a short stroll with regular sit-downs.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Donaghadee

Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards

Photo: Michael Dibb, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gallery · Newtownards

Ards Arts Centre

Ards Arts Centre is in the old Town Hall on Conway Square in the centre of Newtownards, with exhibitions by local and visiting artists and a programme of talks and events. It is a short walk from the main town centre car parks and shops.

Wheelchair access covers the public areas on both floors, with a lift, push-button doors and an accessible toilet on the ground floor, so it makes an easy indoor visit.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Accessible toilet

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Newtownards

Windmill Hill, Portaferry

Photo: Eric Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Day out · Portaferry

Windmill Hill

Windmill Hill is a viewpoint above Portaferry beside the stump of a windmill built in 1771 and destroyed by fire in 1878. From the lay-by there are wide views over the town, the narrows of Strangford Lough and across to Strangford village.

The view can be enjoyed from the lay-by with almost no walking, which makes it a good stop for a parent who tires quickly, combined with a visit to Portaferry.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Millisle Beach Park, Millisle

Photo: Robert Ashby, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Coast · Millisle

Millisle Beach Park

Millisle Beach Park is a stretch of seafront on the east coast of the Ards Peninsula with a promenade, grassy areas, picnic tables and a sheltered lagoon. It is a popular spot for a seaside walk and for watching the sea towards the Copeland Islands.

It is free with a large car park beside the promenade, so a carer can plan a short, flat stroll or simply park up for a picnic by the sea.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free, parking charges may apply

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Carers who drive, based near Millisle

Regular groups and events in Ards

Something to go back to every week or every year, from our research into what older people enjoy doing in Ards.

  • Music · BangorOpen House Festival, BangorA long running festival of folk, roots and traditional music staged in venues around Bangor across the summer and autumn. A carer can pick a seated daytime or teatime gig, check the venue in advance and go along for company.Details
  • Dancing · NewtownardsTea dances at Queen's HallCouncil run afternoon tea dances with sequence and ballroom dancing, which have drawn over a hundred people at a time. A carer can book a place, provide the lift into town and sit with someone who would rather watch part of the afternoon.Details
  • Dancing · ComberEmerald Isle Highland Dance FestivalAn annual Highland dancing festival in Comber with competitions, a choreography showcase and a piped parade of dancers. A carer can take someone for a couple of hours as a spectator rather than the whole day.Details
  • Photography · BangorBangor and North Down Camera ClubA local camera club with a programme of meetings, talks and competitions for members of all standards. A carer can help with transport to evening meetings and with sorting and printing images at home beforehand.Details
  • Painting · NewtownardsArds Art ClubA local art club listed in the borough's culture programme, giving amateur painters regular company and shared sessions. A carer can carry materials, arrive early to set up a comfortable seat and take someone home afterwards.Details
  • Reading · BangorBangor Carnegie Reading GroupA library reading group that has met for close to twenty years, with some original members still attending. A carer can collect the monthly title, read passages aloud during the week and provide the lift to the meeting.Details

Hobbies and carers who share them in Ards

At a glance

The nine places side by side

What each place’s own access information confirms. “Ask” means it does not say, not that it is missing.

PlaceTimeCostStep-freeToiletCafé
Mount StewartGreyabbeyhalf a dayPaid entryAskAskAsk
Grey AbbeyGreyabbeyan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Scrabo Country ParkNewtownardsan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Exploris AquariumPortaferryan hour or twoPaid entryYesYesAsk
WWT Castle Espie Wetland CentreComberhalf a dayPaid entryYesYesYes
Donaghadee Harbour and LighthouseDonaghadeean hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Ards Arts CentreNewtownardsan hour or twoFreeAskYesAsk
Windmill HillPortaferryan hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Millisle Beach ParkMillislean hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk

Where the places are in Ards

The county’s boundary, numbered as on this page, with the main towns for reference.

Comber123456789
  1. 1Mount Stewart, Greyabbey
  2. 2Grey Abbey, Greyabbey
  3. 3Scrabo Country Park, Newtownards
  4. 4Exploris Aquarium, Portaferry
  5. 5WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Comber
  6. 6Donaghadee Harbour and Lighthouse, Donaghadee
  7. 7Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards
  8. 8Windmill Hill, Portaferry
  9. 9Millisle Beach Park, Millisle

What it costs

What a day out with a carer costs in Ards

Carers in Ards charge £19 to £22 an hour through PrimeCarers, typically £20, with our fee included. A four-hour outing is about £80 for the carer’s time. Entry, food and parking are extra, and travel costs are only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance, in writing. The cost of home care in Ards has the full figures.

Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.

Questions

Questions families ask about days out in Ards

Mount Stewart in Greyabbey, Grey Abbey in Greyabbey, Scrabo Country Park in Newtownards, Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry, WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre in Comber, Donaghadee Harbour and Lighthouse in Donaghadee, Ards Arts Centre in Newtownards, Windmill Hill in Portaferry and Millisle Beach Park in Millisle. Each has its own section on this page with what its access information confirms, the cost and how long to allow.

The access information for Exploris Aquarium and WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre describes a step-free route. Exploris Aquarium, WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre and Ards Arts Centre have an accessible toilet. WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre lends wheelchairs. Access changes, so ring ahead about anything your parent depends on.

Grey Abbey, Scrabo Country Park, Donaghadee Harbour and Lighthouse, Ards Arts Centre, Windmill Hill and Millisle Beach Park. Parking is often charged even where entry is free.

Yes. A companion carer can drive your parent there, walk at their pace, help with the toilet and meals, and bring them home. 11 of the carers with a rate near Ards drive. Visits are booked by the hour, typically £20 an hour here with our fee included. Companionship care in Ards shows who is available.

Often. Many attractions let a carer or companion in free, or at a reduced price, with a disabled visitor, and some ask for proof such as a letter or a benefit award. It varies, so check each place’s access or prices page before you go.

Where the nearest carers live

From the profiles of the carers based across the wider region around Ards

Where the nearest carers live. A carer close to home can manage a longer day out.

Companionship care in the counties around Ards

Days out in the areas around Ards

Companionship care by town in Ards

Each town page shows the carers who list it as home, with their rates and reviews.

Find a carer who could take them out in Ards

See carers near Ards who drive, with their photos, interests, rates and reviews. Talking to them is free and nothing is booked until you say so.

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