Murlough is a system of high sand dunes covered in heath, formed about 6,000 years ago at the mouth of the Dundrum estuary and now a National Nature Reserve managed by the National Trust. A wheelchair-accessible boardwalk leads through the dunes to the beach, with the Mournes lined up across the bay.
You can walk here from Newcastle along about two miles of beach, or from Dundrum village along Keel Point Road. Parking is paid for non-members, toilets are open only in summer, and dogs must be on leads; in July and August dogs are not allowed on the Blue Flag beach area. Watch for signs about ground-nesting birds in spring.