Slieve Donard rises 850 metres straight up from the sea behind Newcastle, the highest mountain in Northern Ireland and in all of Ulster. The usual route starts in Donard Forest on the edge of town, follows the Glen River up into the hills, and then climbs beside the Mourne Wall to the summit. Stone paths have been laid on the steepest sections, but the path is badly eroded in places. It is not technical, but it is a long, steady climb from sea level.
At the top are a small stone tower on the Mourne Wall and the remains of two ancient burial cairns, one of them the highest known passage tomb in Ireland. On a clear day you can see Belfast Lough, Dublin Bay and the Isle of Man. The weather changes fast: take layers, water and a map.