Hi, we are travelling to Northern Ireland for a week, and my wife wants to take her ND.
I have toured the Wild Atlantic Way on a motorbike twice and remember the roads being challenging at times. I have no experience of the Ards Peninsula, or Strangford Lough and wondered if we would be better in our SUV?
Please put my mind at rest.
Many thanks for any feedback.
The roads are fine.
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If you get a chance, drive to Castle Ward, a NT property, where some of Games of Thrones was filmed. Itâs near the village of Strangford, and you can take a brief ferry to Portaferry on the other side of Strangford Lough.
Itâs a lovely area, with great Mx5 driving roads.
Youâll have a ball! SUV shouldnât be required 
When are you going to be there?
Some friends of ours in CastleWard, on the Strangford village side, looking across Strangford Lough to Portaferry, on the other side.
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The roads will be absolutely fine in an MX5. An SUV would be a waste.
Hi David,
thanks for your helpful response.
We are hoping to visit in June.
Thanks again
John
Weâll be in Spain/Portugal with our NC in June- so unfortunately wonât be in NI to help directlyâŚ.
If you need any help with possible destinations when youâre over, let me know and we may be able to help?
Enjoy your trip.
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Those roads were built specifically for MX5âs. Enjoy.
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You mentioned âArds, or âNewtownardsâ which gives the peninsula its name.
A great Mx5 day would be to drive to Downpatrick from Newtownards, via Killinchy, then visit Castle Ward before catching the ferry in Strangford village and crossing over to Portaferry; returning to Newtownards via the âArdâs Peninsula â, as per the red line route.
Nice to stop off in âDaft Eddyâs â on Sketrick Island on the way down ( or up, depending on whether or not you choose to reverse the route). Nice place for food/refreshments and accessible via a causeway road.
Good Mx5 roads all round .
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A favourite route is to leave Newtownards and drive towards Donaghadee on the Irish Sea side of the Peninsula. Stay on the A2 passing through Millisle, Ballywalter, Ballyhalbert, Portavogie and Cloughey. As you leave Cloughey, you have a choice of staying on the A2 (for Portaferry) or turning left (just before the Centra store/petrol station) onto the Manse Road and head for Kearney. Youâll come to a T junction, turn right on Quintin Bay Road. Follow until another T and left on Ballyquintin Rd taking you on to Barr Hall Rd. T junction again, turn right and staying on Barr Hall Rd will lead you into the south end of Portaferry. You then have the choice of staying on that side of the Peninsula which will take you back up to Ards (you can drive out of Portaferry up the Lough Shore Rd or just take the main A20) or catch the ferry for the short hop to Strangford.
This route will take you around the Ards Peninsula for most of itâs entirety which leave you the Comber, Downpatrick Newcastle side for the next day with a drive up through the Mourne Mountains a great drive in a 5.
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