From Dublin: Game of Thrones Winterfell, Dunk & Egg Trek

About This Tour

This is Ireland’s largest Game of Thrones tour company, and this day - the Winterfell Trek from Dublin - is their most popular run. Your guides have actually worked as extras on Game of Thrones. They know these forests and lakeshore paths from the inside, not just from watching the show on a screen.

The day takes you north from Dublin to filming locations south of Belfast. You’ll trek 3km through old-growth forest in Tollymore - the same trees you’ve seen in the show - then walk a 3km lakeshore path at the original Winterfell castle used in Season 1. A crumbling medieval abbey is also on the route. Tablet clips and VFX breakdowns are shown at each location so you can see exactly how the scene you’re standing in was put together.

Stark cloaks, swords, shields, and banners are available for everyone at no extra cost. All entrance fees are included. The one thing you’ll need to budget for yourself is lunch at Strangford.

What’s Included

• Cloaks, swords, shields and banners
• All taxes, fees and handling charges
• Behind-the-scenes DVDs and tablet clips

What’s Not Included

• Food and drinks
• Merchandise

Itinerary

1. 07:45 - Meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, Custom House Quay, Dublin - Meet your group and guide before heading north. (15 min)
2. 10:15 - Tollymore Forest - Morning walking tour through the old-growth forest used throughout the series, covering 3km in total. (90 min)
3. 13:00 - Strangford - Lunch stop at the port of Strangford. Food and drinks are at your own expense. (60 min)
4. 14:00 - Castle Ward (Old Castle Ward) - The location used for Winterfell in Season 1. You’ll walk through filming spots including Walder Frey’s Twins and Robb Stark’s camp in the Riverlands. (30 min)
5. 16:15 - 12th-century ruins - Photo stop at the medieval ruins where Robb Stark was declared King in the North. (30 min)
6. 17:30 - Hen Mountain - Where Dunk buries Ser Arlan of Pennytree in the opening scene of Episode 1 of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’. You’ll walk up an inclining path for around 30 minutes to reach the exact filming location. The views are spectacular, but it’s windswept and exposed, so this stop is only included when weather allows. (60 min)

Good to Know

• Public transport is available nearby
• Not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travellers
• Not recommended for travellers with poor cardiovascular health
• You’ll need a moderate level of physical fitness for the walks
• Groups are capped at 37 people
• The tour operates in English

Local Tips

Wear proper walking shoes, not trainers. Tollymore Forest and the path up to Hen Mountain both involve uneven ground, tree roots, and Irish mud. Wellies are too clunky for 3km, but a good pair of waterproof walking shoes makes a real difference. The forest floor can be wet even on dry days.

Eat a solid breakfast before 7:45. You won’t reach Strangford for lunch until 13:00, and you’ll have done 3km of forest walking by then. There are cafés near the Hilton Garden Inn on Custom House Quay if you want something before the bus. Don’t rely on a coffee to get you through the morning.

The Hen Mountain stop depends on weather conditions - it’s windswept and exposed at elevation, and the guides make the call on the day. If it’s included, take it seriously as a walk rather than a stroll. The 30-minute climb is steady, and the views back across County Down toward Strangford Lough are worth every step.

Strangford is a good lunch stop in its own right. It’s a small port village on Strangford Lough, and the crossing between Strangford and Portaferry is one of the shortest ferry routes in Ireland. If you have time between arriving and sitting down to eat, it’s worth walking down to the waterfront.

Castle Ward is also a National Trust property with extensive grounds beyond the filming locations. The guides focus on the Game of Thrones stops, but if you’ve visited before or want to linger, the walled garden and the Victorian-era additions to the castle itself are genuinely interesting on their own terms.

Nearby on IrelandMe

• Strangford - a quiet port village on Strangford Lough with ferry connections to Portaferry and great views across the water.
• Newcastle - a seaside town at the gateway to the Mournes, close to Tollymore Forest Park and worth the detour on a clear day.