For a stay with Stranocum as your destination, there are several areas of interest to choose from: the history of Gracehill and Stranocum Hall, the Dark Hedges or the Bush circuit. If you are looking for a hotel, first consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay.

Dark Hedges and Gracehill: the history of the house and avenue

The former entrance to Gracehill House is now a public road lined with beech trees and known as the Dark Hedges. The trees were planted around 1775 and stand on both sides of a long avenue near the house. Gracehill House was also built around 1775: James Stuart built it and named it after his wife, Grace Lynd. The approximate date shared by the house and the trees links the history of the house with the creation of the avenue.

Bregagh Road through the Dark Hedges is for pedestrians only; vehicles are not permitted. Take this restriction into account when planning your visit. The Dark Hedges also served as a filming location for Game of Thrones, where they represented the Kingsroad. This brings landscape and film history together in one place. The Gracehill estate also has a royal history dating back to the early 17th century.

Stranocum Hall and local history

Stranocum Hall was built by the Hutchinson family in the mid-18th century and is designed in the classical Georgian style. The Hutchinson family's connections date back to the 16th century. This places the Hall's architectural history in a broader local context, while keeping the different periods distinct.

Two early medieval ringforts are located near Stranocum Hall. They add a much older archaeological context to the Georgian architecture. Stranocum Hall also houses a local history museum. If you would like to visit, check in advance whether visits can currently be arranged. The area's history thus encompasses buildings and archaeological remains, as well as a place of remembrance: the Stranocum War Memorial commemorates 29 people who lost their lives and 90 who returned.

The Bush: a circular route through the landscape

The Bush offers a different way to explore. The circular route passes through the Stranocum countryside in the valley of the River Bush. Unlike Bregagh Road, where the pedestrian-only restriction is important for planning, The Bush is defined above all by its circular route and connection to the landscape. Check current path conditions before setting out. This lets you treat the route as a focus in its own right without assuming an unspecified duration or additional stages.

The historical themes can also be distinguished chronologically: Gracehill's royal history dates back to the early 17th century, while the Hall dates from the mid-18th century and the avenue's beech trees were planted around 1775.

Discover more destinations: Cloughmills.

Return to the main travel overview: Ballymoney.