When Hillyard House reached out to collaborate, I was thrilled! This gem of a boutique hotel, tucked away at the entrance of Castlewellan Forest Park, is the perfect little getaway.

My husband and I recently celebrated 13 years of marriage, and what a joy to be able to do it at Hillyard House.

On arrival to the hotel, we were warmly welcomed at reception before opening the door to our room to find a handwritten card with a bottle of prosecco waiting for us! What a lovely touch.

Usually, I’d be straight into the prosecco, toasting ‘to us’ with some choccies too! But, I’m currently pregnant, so the prosecco has to wait! We’ll hopefully have lots to celebrate later in the year!

After a quick explore of the room it was time to chill before freshening up for dinner.

Each guest room (with en-suite) in Hillyard House is unique in shape and size, incorporating the quirky layout of the original building design.

Following extensive renovation, this beautiful 20-bedroom boutique hotel reopened its doors in August 2020.

Unwind in a tranquil retreat, complete with thoughtful touches that truly matter. Be it a romantic escape or a golf getaway, our tastefully finished bedrooms provide a contemporary, cosy sanctuary. Many rooms boast superking-sized beds for added luxury. Each room caters to your comfort with individual coffee machines, air conditioning, and spacious bathrooms. Decorated with local photography, our rooms seamlessly connect you to the surrounding area and warmly welcoming you to our 'hidden gem’.

A quick bump selfie before dinner! I was starving and excited to try the menu at The Yard Restaurant - my first ever ‘Yard Experience’!

Hillyard’s Restaurant is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rustic yet modern, the menu is focused on creating mouthwatering dishes that celebrate fresh local produce.

You can read more and find new summer menus here.

To start, Matt and I shared tempura cauliflower and sticky chicken. Both dishes were delicious!

For mains, I couldn’t resist trying out the ‘famous’ Yard Fish and Chips. Just look at that extra wee touch of the newspaper - love it! Matt had a mushroomy dish (I’m not a mushroom fan!) and once again, both dishes were scrummy. Our lovely server also brought us over some complimentary onion rings from the chef. Miss Phoebe would have been delighted - her favourite!!

For dessert, we opted to share this yummy, fruity, berry crumble. We were both stuffed and couldn’t have managed one dessert each. I also enjoyed a peppermint tea. Thank you to Hillyard House for treating us to such a delicious, complimentary meal. We felt so very spoiled on our anniversary.

Our serving staff were super friendly and lovely too. I was noticing a trait here! Staff clearly pride themselves on warmth and hospitality - it definitely shows.

If you are in or around Castlewellan on a Sunday, I’d highly recommend visiting for a traditional Sunday Lunch - it’s supposedly renowned in the local area!

Alongside The Yard Restaurant is Mrs Coleman’s Bar where you can enjoy cocktail mixology, local craft beers, gins, whiskeys etc in a beautiful bar and mezzanine area. I’ll be back to try a cocktail when I can!

Full tummies and full hearts after a really lovely dining experience …

After dinner, we took a short stroll around the corner to the local eco store for snacks.

Snacks acquired, we headed back to our cosy room to watch the new season of Jack Ryan …

We both slept really well, the bed was comfy and the hotel was quiet.

Then it was time for my favourite part of any hotel stay … breakfast! I am unashamedly a breakfast gal at heart and boy, was I delighted with the choices available at Hillyard House.

Always cereal and breakfast juice to start, and there was a great selection to choose from. Rice Krispies for me on this occasion!

Next up, some fruit (for balance obviously!) and pastries. I really had to resist scoffing more than one custard pastry - they were so good! Again, a brilliant selection on display, plus homemade scones and breads to toast in the grill.

Had to post two pictures of our main breakfast dish options. Honestly, so good! I usually go for the traditional fry but fancied pancakes this time and I’m so glad I made this choice. The pancakes were freshly made, fluffy and fantastic! And bonus, I was offered a fresh pot of tea too - win, win. Amazing service.

Matt went for the Hillyard Hash - again, not his usual choice but he was so glad of it! I tried some of the hash and can confirm it was really tasty indeed. You can see the full breakfast menu here - available between 8-11am daily.

After breakfast, we rolled back to the room to chill before packing and changing clothes for our hike. Before checking out, we took a nosey in The Pantry …

In The Pantry you’ll find high quality, locally sourced artisan products available to purchase. ‘Support local’ at its best and just lovely to see something like this being promoted in a hotel. Of course I was naturally drawn to anything connected with The Mournes.

Unfortunately, the time had come to say goodbye to Hillyard House (for the time being) and after another lovely chat with the reception staff, we handed in our room key. Thankfully, our experience wasn’t quite over just yet. We couldn’t resist a hike in The Mournes when we were staying so close by.

Before I take you on our hike up Slieve Bearnagh, I must take a moment to thank Hillyard House Hotel once again for their kindness and generosity. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and even though this is a review blog - I can genuinely recommend this fab wee hotel.

Once checked out, I took a dander up the street to check out the lovely Blue Beans craft and gift shop …

Why can’t I stop being drawn to the Mournes?

After a wee mooch around - and resisting all the lovely baby grows and gifts - it was time to grab some coffee from one of my favourite coffee spots. I’d purposely chosen to drink tea during breakfast, saving my precious caffeine for Birch coffee. This preggo gal is on a daily caffeine limit remember!

I can’t not shout out Birch (a regular coffee haunt of mine) and with two stores - one in Castlewellan, one in Newcastle - it’s a great spot if you are local, or visiting the area.

Suitably caffeinated, we made another quick trip into the eco store for hiking supplies (water, fruit and snacks) before making the short journey to Meelmore Lodge.

Meelmore Lodge is a great starting point for hiking Hare’s Gap, Bearnagh, Meelmore, Slievenaglogh and more. There is a small charge for car parking but you have access to toilets, showers and a cafe too. It’s a very popular camping spot at this time of year!

Poles are essential gear for pregnant hiking!

The route from Meelmore Lodge is a lovely one. Follow the path to the style and meander up and along until you meet the crossing point at the river and onto Trassey Track.

Bog cotton blowing in the breeze - always a lovely sight to see

We followed the track until it splits and then took the higher route up on the right towards Hares Gap. The weather was changeable all day and windy too! Roasting one minute and cold the next - layers on and off like yo-yos!

From Hare’s Gap, follow the wall and the steps up towards Bearnagh. On a clear day, views are spectacular! Don’t be intimidated by Bearnagh looming 739m above you in the distance - she’s steep alright - but very doable if you take it slow and steady. Her other side is much steeper to climb! Please note: you do need a relatively good fitness level for this one.

We were definitely taking it slow and steady up the steep slopes of Bearnagh. At 21 weeks pregnant, I’m always keeping a close eye on my heart rate whilst exercising! And hiking sure spikes the heart rate up!

A quick pee and snack stop at the first set of rocks on the North Tor before making the final ascent up Bearnagh’s South Tor to the summit.

Felt like the Michelin Man with so many layers on - it was so cold and windy! My Keela coat was stretched to the max!

We didn’t stop for long at the summit as it was wild windy! We continued on to descend down the steeper side (next to Meelmore) before grabbing another break at the shelter of the style at the bottom. We took it handy back down the path, cutting across the river and staying left all the way back to the style closest to Meelmore Lodge.

The colour of the mountain heather is so vibrant at the moment - gorgeous!

This is a route that I’ve done many times, but hiking while pregnant has certainly been a new and exciting challenge so far. I’m not as confident solo hiking at the minute, so was very grateful to have the best kind of company, and to have stayed so close by too.

Hillyard House Hotel is a great option for anyone looking to stay close to the Mournes. It’s also right on the doorstep of the stunning Castlewellan Forest Park, a perfect place to explore the outdoors. Do check out Hillyard House for their current outdoor package options.

Disclaimer: Our hotel stay and dinner at Hillyard House was a #giftedexperience. All views/opinions expressed are my own.