Carlingford Oysters

Carlingford Lough is a fjord-like sea inlet between the Cooley peninsula and the Mourne Mountains, with a strong tidal exchange and a mix of fresh and salt water that suits oyster growing. The farms work Pacific oysters on trestles laid on the intertidal flats, harvested at low water, and the local claim is that the mineral run-off from the granite mountains gives them their particular flavour - a claim of the kind every oyster region makes and which is impossible to test, though the oysters are good. Native flat oysters were fished here historically and are largely gone. The Carlingford Oyster Festival, run since the 1990s over a weekend in August, fills the medieval town with tastings, an oyster-opening competition, music and a pearl hunt, and books out the limited accommodation. Outside the festival the oysters are on restaurant menus in the town year-round, served raw with lemon and brown bread.

What you actually see

• The trestle beds - visible on the flats at low water across the lough.
• The setting - the Mournes on one shore and the Cooley hills on the other.
• The August festival - tastings, competitions and music in the medieval town.
• The serving - raw with lemon, brown bread and stout.

When to go

Any time for the oysters themselves; the festival is a weekend in August and fills the town completely - book accommodation months ahead if you want to attend it.

Honest expectations

Carlingford is small and packed during the festival, with accommodation booked far in advance. These are farmed Pacific oysters, not natives. Raw shellfish carries the usual risks for vulnerable groups.

Nearby

The Cooley peninsula and Slieve Foye are behind the town; the Mournes are across the lough.