Situated on the Ards peninsula, you’ll discover Greyabbey, a charming village on the shores of Strangford Lough. It’s a picturesque village with everything you could need for a perfect Saturday morning wander. It boasts an eclectic range of shops and lovely cafes as well as the ancient Cistercian abbey from which it derives its name. The origins of the village can be traced bank to 1193 when Affreca, the wife of John de Courcy (the Anglo Norman invader), founded the abbey. Tradition says that Affreca founded the abbey in thanksgiving for a safe landing after a perilous journey at sea.
From Belfast, it is approximately a 30 minute drive by car and there is a small car park a stone’s throw from the village centre which also offers lovely views over Strangford Lough. We arrived just before 10am and after parking, walked the short distance back into the village. The village at that time was just waking up and getting ready for the Saturday morning trade.
In search of coffee and breakfast
There are a number of lovely cafes to choose from and we eventually opted for Dutchie. It’s a delightful little cafe serving bread, sweet treats, brunch and breakfast with a Dutch influence. A short time later we were both tucking into seriously delicious breakfast baps and mugs of much needed coffee. We were both very impressed with the food and agreed it would be worth going back to Greyabbey just for this breakfast !
The Dutchie cafe in Greyabbey
Time then for a little shopping
Feeling very well fed, it was time then to go for a wander through the village and indulge in a little retail therapy. Greyabbey is well known for its antique shops. Through the arched gateway at Hoops Courtyard you’ll discover a treasure trove of antique shops as well as a cafe. You could spend hours there browsing through the vast collections of jewellery, curios and collectables.
It was at The Eclectic House though, just further up the village, that we made a few purchases, the aesthetic of the place more in keeping with what we were looking for. I came away with some handmade wooden trugs for the top of the dresser. Hubby bought a cloche made out of recycled glass for his Venus Fly Trap. It was all was very reasonably priced. We also popped into Angus Farm shop and had a friendly chat with the owner while he packaged up a rather large supply of sausages for our hound Bo. They lasted nowhere near as long as we had hoped !
The Cistercian Abbey
The abbey is located at the top of the village just a few minutes walk from the village centre. You can take a stroll through the grounds of the abbey for free . It’s a beautiful, calm space to wander through. And if you are interested in learning more about its history, there are guided tours in summer and an exhibition centre that is open weekend afternoons between February and November.
The abbey ruins
Medieval abbeys kept areas for cultivation of herbs and plants for medicinal purposes and local volunteers have recreated this in The Grey Abbey Physic Garden located just at the entrance. Here you will find familiar herbs such as fennel (to add digestion and suppress appetite) and calendula. You’ll also discover less well known ones too. I’d never heard of wood betony before – apparently it was believed it could be used for headaches and jaundice and to dispel ghosts and witchcraft.
Herbs in the Physic Garden
Feverfew in bloom at the Physic Garden – thought to relieve headaches
And then, having eaten, shopped and visited the abbey ruins, it was time to go home and say hello to a hungry hound waiting for his sausages !
I hope you’ve enjoyed this short tour of Greyabbey. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and will definitely return later in the year. I’ve added some useful links at the end of the post if you require more information.
Have a lovely weekend,
Paula
Useful Links
Other posts from Typewriter Girl to enjoy:-
Discover Kearney: A Picturesque Village on County Down’s Coast
A wonderful post about Greyabbey!
Thank you. Greyabbey is such a lovely spot to visit !
Another spot for my list…I mean book!! LOL (Lilly is glad you remembered to get Bo sausages)
Ha…those sausages were gone in a day . Lol 🙂
That sounds about right!! ❤️
Yep. There’s always room for more !