Area: Newry Mourne Down

'We have just opened a 21 mile (34km) network of new multi-use trails ... The National Trust offers five walking trails, which are part of an off-road shared-use trail system for walkers, cyclists and horse riders at Castle Ward ... Walkers must follow the waymarkers and the direction indicated at all times. For everyone's safety, cyclists will travel in one direction and horse riders will travel in the opposite direction. We recommend all users to 'Hail a Horse' - speak to the horse rider, this will help reassure the horse ...'

National Trust

'The forest park has a 7.5 mile (12 kilometers) walk trail network featuring breath-taking views to the Mourne Mountains as well as some of the oldest and rarest existing trees in the British Isles ...'

nidirect

'Founded in 1989 and is based at Ballynahinch in the heart of Down. This is a very active club with a preponderance of women walkers. Down Danderers is a friendly welcoming group with a huge reservoir of knowledge on walking in Co.Down. Groups of 30 members and upwards are frequent on midweek walks, and during summer months numbers have exceeded 60.'

'We walk every second Sunday starting from the Gap o' the North pub in Jonesborough at 10am. There is a strong local focus on the Cooleys and the Ring of Gullion with occasional trips to the Mournes and further afield. As far as possible we try to combine each walk with some local knowledge of history or archaeological sites and interpretation of landscape to show farming and community development over the centuries.'

'This Group was formed on 24th April 2013 ... Members come from the South Down, South Armagh area, specifically Rathfriland, Rostrevor, Warrenpoint and Newry. We also have members from Dundalk, Drogheda and Navan.'

'Extends from the heart of Downpatrick, taking in Strangford Lough and finishing in the seaside resort of Newcastle ... An entrance fee to Castle Ward applies.'

WalkNI

Usually held Late June.

'The Mournes, the best-known mountains in Ireland. An area of Outstanding Natural Beauty & the most picturesque in Ireland with cosy villages & busy towns. The magic Mournes will leave walkers smiling with generous walk ways, unrivalled views & friendly people ...'

Enjoy the Mournes

Mourne Mountains [WalkNI]

'We are the Mourne Rambling Group, a hill walking club providing 2 or 3 levels of walks every Sunday in the Mourne mountains ... However, please note, we are a hill walking club and you must be fit enough to walk hills and not just on the flat.'

'This route is almost entirely off road, traversing the foothill of the Mourne Mountains from Newcastle to Rostrevor on Carlingford Lough. The Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a unique, largely granite landscape shaped by ice and man, with stunning vistas of coast, sea and countryside.'

WalkNI

'Murlough National Nature Reserve is a fragile 6000 year old sand dune system owned by the National Trust and managed as Ireland's first Nature Reserve since 1967. It is an excellent area for walking and bird watching due to its spectacular location at the edge of Dundrum Bay and the Mourne Mountains.'

National Trust

'This two-day, circular route offers a perfect snapshot of life in rural County Down. The lowland terrain makes it accessible to all fit walkers, while the combination of forest trails, quiet, undulating country lanes and a long, golden Newcastle Beach ensures constant scenic diversity. All set within striking distance of Newcastle's traditional, seaside-resort hospitality.'

WalkNI

Of the eight Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) designated in Northern Ireland, three of them lie within our district. You can Experience Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s epic geology, biodiversity and archaeology very easily. Browse the three AONB websites, and plan your trip ...'

'The Ring of Gullion offers walking routes to suit every ability from the novice/pleasure walker to the most experienced of hikers. Walks range from 1 mile woodland trails to the 36 mile Ring of Gullion Waymarked Way.'

'This circular route follows off-road trails, quiet country lanes and forest tracks from Newry around the volcanic landscape of the Ring of Gullion AONB. '

WalkNI

'There are three waymarked trails, which vary in length from two kilometres to seven kilometres, and take the visitor to various areas within the Forest to enjoy the many magnificent views and beautiful woodland.'

nidirect

'Carved from the County Down landscape, the garden has grown from the 19th century beginnings of the Reverend John Moore and his nephew Hugh Armytage Moore. Their vision helped create a place where you can leave the outside world behind and immerse yourself in nature's beauty. The gardens are a mix of formal and informal spaces with many unusual vistas and unique plants from across the world. The trees, plants and shrubs range in ages, size and colour and create a spectacle throughout the year.'

National Trust

'The Silent Valley Reservoir was built to gather water from the Mourne Mountains and is the main water supply source for most of County Down and a large part of Belfast.'

Northern Ireland Water

'For the walker there is a route that leads on the top of Slieve Gullion Mountain, where a passage grave, cairn and volcanic lake can be found. For the less energetic a leisurely walk around the walled garden is a must, as is a 2km walk through the mostly broadleaf mature woodland.'

nidirect

'During the last great age of Irish Literature in the 18th Century, the Ring of Gullion was famed for its strong association with "fili agus filíocht" (poets and poetry), with all the major poets coming from this area. Their remains can be found in Creggan Church and graveyard in Slieve Gullion, which is known as the poet's graveyard. There are three waymarked trails, for walking or cycling, around Mullaghbane, Forkhill and Creggan, collectively titled The Poet's Trail, along which you can visit locations associated with these bards and find out more about them.'

Visit Mourne Mountains

'Four waymarked trails of varying lengths take the visitor on a tour of the park's most beautiful areas. These trails follow a circular route and are sign posted from the information board in the main car park. Strong footwear is recommended. The Mourne Way/Ulster Way crosses through the Forest.'

nidirect

'To become a Wee Binnian member, you must be over 18 years, have a level of fitness suitable to the demands of the sport and who accept the aims and objectives of the Club ... All our walks are on mountain terrain and involve climbing mountains of 700 metres (2300 feet) or more in height, over a distance of 10 kilometres. A good level of fitness is required as none of our walks can be regarded as suitable for beginners to hill walking.'

Held Mid September: ''With a reputation firmly established for great sociability, combined with an ability to put together a challenging walking programme, the Festival offers guided mountain and lowland walks in the Mournes, Slieve Gullion and Cooley Mountainswith grades catering for all hill walkers ... The Wee Binnian Walkers was founded in 1987 and is based in the North Eastern border area of Newry Co Down and Dundalk Co Louth'.