Doaihilmore

The walk up Doaihilmore is steep, relentless, and absolutely worth doing if you're based anywhere near Newry. This peak isn't a gentle morning stroll - you're looking at proper legwork, with the path climbing steadily through moorland before opening up to views that stretch across Down and into the wider Mourne landscape. On a clear day, you can see for miles. On a grey one, which is frankly more likely, the mist clings to the hilltop and you feel properly remote.

The summit itself is modest - no café, no visitor centre, no postcards. Just windswept grass and the satisfaction of having earned the views. The walk takes a solid two to three hours depending on fitness and which approach you take from Newry. Families with younger children might find it a slog, but capable teenagers and serious walkers will find it genuinely rewarding. The terrain is boggy in places and the descent can be tricky in wet conditions, so decent boots matter.

If you're staying at somewhere like Hilltop Hideaway - that luxe pod setup about five miles away - this makes a cracking day out to break up your holiday. It's the kind of walk that leaves you properly done in by lunchtime, ready to sink into a hot tub afterwards. Free to access, of course. No gates, no barriers. Just a mountain.