Head outside of Belfast and well off the beaten track on a tour of rural Ards Peninsula in County Down, with an inside visit to abbey ruins dating back to 1193. The coastal roads play hide and seek with the sea, darting in and out of rounded hills and giving glimpses of sandy beaches and bustling harbors. A fine example of a PBS-style Georgian country home, Grey Abbey House has been in the same family for over 400 years, and the crumbling Cistercian abbey you’ll tour on its park-like grounds is twice that age. Sights seen elsewhere on this tranquil peninsula include the rustic fishing village of Ballywalter and the seagoing town of Donaghadee, where you’ll enjoy spectacular views across the Irish Sea – and perhaps even spot Scotland. The 1836 lighthouse here was first in Ireland to be lit by electricity. An Irish Coffee stop at a friendly local hostelry and some free time to independently explore this pretty little hamlet provide a refreshing glimpse into pastoral life on Ards.