Slievenagore

Slievenagore sits roughly 1,200 feet above Newry, a proper hill walk rather than a mountain epic. The summit rewards you with views across the Mourne range - on a clear day you're looking at decent panoramas of the surrounding peaks and down towards Newry itself. It's the kind of walk that takes two to three hours return, depending on your pace and the route you fancy.

This is walker territory, plain and simple. Families with older kids will manage it fine, though younger ones might find the climb tedious. The paths are generally okay but can be boggy in wet weather - I'd not recommend it the day after heavy rain. There's no café at the top, no facilities, just you and the Mourne hills. That's precisely why it works.

Access is free, as it should be. Most people park near Newry and pick up one of several marked routes onto the slopes. Allow a full morning or afternoon rather than treating it as a quick detour. If you're staying at Oakwood Glamping or any of the other sites dotted round the Mourne Mountains - Willowtree, Annalong, Greenview - this fits neatly into a broader hill-walking itinerary. Don't come expecting dramatic geology or viewpoint cafés. Come for the walk itself and the straightforward pleasure of being on a hillside that's seen far fewer visitors than its flashier neighbours.