Seal Bay Cottage, Millisle, County Down
Overview
Seal Bay Cottage is a renovated traditional workers cottage in Ballyhaskin, between Millisle and Ballywalter on the Ards Peninsula. Sleeping five guests in two bedrooms, it offers a beachfront setting with a large private garden stretching down to the shore.
Sea views from the garden and rear bedroom bring the coastal setting into everyday life, whether you are enjoying breakfast outside or settling in after a day exploring County Down. Up to two pets are welcome.
The Property
The ground floor has a living room, kitchen-dining area and bathroom. The lounge provides upholstered seating and a television, while the indoor dining table offers somewhere to gather for meals.
The kitchen includes an oven, hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, toaster and coffee machine, with cookware and utensils for self-catering. Central heating, Wi-Fi and a washing machine add practical convenience. Board games and children’s books and toys provide options for quieter moments.
Both bedrooms are upstairs. The rear bedroom has a double bed and views over the garden towards the Irish Sea. The front bedroom has a double bed with a single bunk above, bringing the total capacity to five.
The bathroom has a bath with an electric shower over it, a basin and a toilet.
Outside, the long lawned garden has outdoor furniture and a picnic table overlooking the sea. A charcoal barbecue is available for outdoor meals, and the beach can be reached directly from the bottom of the garden. Access crosses pebbles and, depending on the tide and sand levels, exposed rocks. At high tide, the water can reach close to the garden boundary.
Private parking is included, reached along a narrow access lane beside the row of cottages.
For the Cat
Cats are welcome, with up to two pets permitted in total. Each pet must weigh less than 10 kg.
Accessibility
Both bedrooms are on the first floor and reached by stairs. The only bathroom is on the ground floor, so guests need to use the stairs between the bedrooms and bathroom.
Beach access involves crossing pebbles and potentially exposed rocks, with conditions changing according to the tide.
Location
The cottage is approximately 1.6 miles from Millisle, on the eastern coast of the Ards Peninsula. Its position between Millisle and Ballywalter makes it a useful base for beach walks, coastal villages and days exploring the shores of Strangford Lough.
Ballywalter Beach offers a broad stretch of sand and rock pools beside the village. Further along the coast, Donaghadee has a harbour and distinctive lighthouse, making it another option for a seaside outing.
For gardens and woodland walks, Mount Stewart offers formal planting, a lake walk and trails through its wider estate. Greyabbey and the ruins of Grey Abbey provide another nearby destination for a day exploring the peninsula.
Closer to home, the garden offers a place to watch the changing sea and enjoy the morning light over the Irish Sea.
