Oak Wood

Oak Wood sits right on Newry's doorstep, which means you can be among the trees within minutes of leaving town. It's a proper forest walk rather than a manicured park - the kind of place where you crunch through leaves and the canopy does most of the work for keeping you cool on warmer days.

What you get here is straightforward: woodland paths that wind through decent-sized oaks and mixed trees. The terrain's manageable enough for families with older kids, though younger ones might find the uneven ground a bit tedious after a while. Dog walkers love it for obvious reasons. If you're after a quick leg-stretch or a longer ramble, Oak Wood obliges both.

There's no visitor centre or facilities to speak of, so come prepared. The walk works best in autumn when the floor's carpeted with leaves, or spring when everything's just unfurling. Winter's quieter but can get muddy.

For a holiday based at Kilbroney Caravan Park just half a mile away, this is your backup plan when the weather's decent but not spectacular. It's not a destination in itself - you won't drive here specially - but if you're staying locally, it fills an hour or two without fuss. The Mourne Mountains loom nearby if you want something with proper views, but sometimes a simple woodland wander hits the spot when the kids need to burn energy without you needing to navigate peaks.