The Ben Rock

You'll spot the Ben Rock long before you reach its base - a distinctive rocky outcrop that rises abruptly from the Mourne landscape near Newry. It's not a mountain so much as a proper granite lump, the kind of place that rewards a scramble more than it demands serious hill-walking kit.

The walk up takes the best part of an hour depending on your pace and which route you pick. Once you're up there, the views justify the effort - you can see across towards the Mourne Mountains proper, and on a clear day the visibility stretches well beyond Newry itself. The rock itself is loose in places and a bit steep for what it is, so watch your footing on the way down especially.

It works best for walkers who fancy something achievable without a full day's commitment. Families with older kids will manage it fine, though younger ones might find the final scramble tedious. History buffs won't find much to detain them - there's the landscape and not much else, which is either its charm or its limitation depending on what you're after.

If you're staying at Kilbroney Caravan Park, this makes a decent morning outing before heading elsewhere. It's free, obviously - just park sensibly and go. The best light is late afternoon when the sun picks out the surrounding hills. Allow two to three hours all in.