DISCOVER WINTERFELL IN THE SOUTH OF NORTHERN IRELAND!
CASTLE WARD: Winterfell.
Castle Ward, just 45 kilometres away from Belfast, became the ancestral home of House Stark: Winterfell. Its stone walls from the 18th century brought to life the most famous castle in the North.
Many scenes from the first season were shot here. And you probably remember its courtyard as the place the Stark family welcomed the King Robert Baratheon in the first episode of the show.
Nowadays, you can find in the castle’s gardens a recreation of the Archery of Winterfell. In the exact same place where many of the scenes with bows and arrows were shot. One example is the scene where the two older brothers Jon and Robb encourage the youngest, Bran, to keep practising his aiming skills. Do you want to visit the seat and home of the royal House Stark? This is our tour recommendation from Belfast so you can become a guest to this Northern family!
AUDLEY'S CASTLE: Robb Stark's camp.
On the shores of Strangford Lough, and 20 minutes away on foot from Castle Ward, it is the spot where Robb Stark set his camp, before he was attacked by the Lannister army in the Battle of Oxcross in season two.
The surroundings of the only tower remaining of Audley’s Castle were also used as the scenery where Robb and Talisa (his future wife) first met. The tower is open to visitors, free access.
Once you are at the top, and with a better view of the area, you can try and imagine hundreds and hundreds of soldiers camping on these lands.
INCH ABBEY: The Twins and Riverrun.
The Gothic ruins of Inch Abbey stand the text of time on a land only 50 minutes away from Belfast. The Abbey (well, what is left of it) as well as its surroundings on the slopes of the Quoile river, turned into Riverrun. A central area of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros filled with forests, rivers and green landscapes.
Among the scenes shot here it is the one when Robb Stark was declared King in the North by his army. It was also in this place where he discovered, at the same time as his mum Catelyn, that his father had died.
Inch Abbey area doubled in the show as The Twins, also known as The Crossing. Two names to denominate two almost identical towers and a bridge over House Frey. This was the destination of Catelyn Stark’s journey in order to talk to Walder Frey about letting Robb’s troops pass down south.
As a curious fact, this Abbey is located just outside the town of Downpatrick. And in its cathedral it is buried St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
TOLLYMORE FOREST PARK: The Haunted Forest.
The forest where it all began. Tollymore Forest Park, near Newcastle and an hour away driving to the south from Belfast, has the honour of being the first location we see on the show. In a scene where three members of the Night’s Watch find the White Walkers.
Ned Stark with his children also walked along these mysterious paths, and Theon Greyjoy tried to escape from the evil Ramsay Bolton among its trees. Without much luck, though. If you too want to explore The Haunted Forest in Winterfell… what do you think about joining this walk to Tollymore?
POLLNAGOLLUM CAVE: Hollow Hill.
This is the most remote GOT location in Northern Ireland. The rest of the filming spots are in the eastern area of the country, but Pollnagollum Cave is located in County Fermanagh, the most western point in Northern Ireland almost 2 hours away from Belfast.
The cave is inside Belmore Forest and it is the longest cave in Ireland, with more than 16 kilometres long. You can trek your way into Belmore Forest to visit this magnificent destination.
This feature makes Pollnagollum the perfect hiding spot. At least this is what the members of the Brotherhood Without Banners must have thought when they chose it to hide away. This is how a “normal” cave turned into Hollow Hill in the Riverlands.
The access into the cave is not allowed for safety reasons. But nearby there is a platform from where you can see the main entrance of Pollnagollum and the 12-metres high waterfall beside it.
