Warrenpoint

The walk down to Warrenpoint feels deceptively simple at first - you're coming from a busy market town, after all. But once you slip past the seafront and into the nature reserve itself, the whole pace changes. This is proper coastal grassland, the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think, with views across Carlingford Lough that stretch into County Louth on the far side.

The reserve itself is modest in scale but genuinely interesting. You're looking at salt marsh and neutral grassland - habitats that support ground-nesting birds and wintering wildfowl if you come in autumn and winter. Bring binoculars and patience rather than expecting spectacle. It's the kind of place that rewards slow walking, not a quick tick-off. Spring is probably best, when breeding birds are active and the light hits the water properly.

This works best for walkers and birdwatchers. If you've got restless small children, they might flag after half an hour unless they're the type who'll hunt for birds. The terrain is easy enough - mostly level paths - but there's not much in the way of facilities or distractions.

If you're staying at Kilbroney Caravan Park just down the road, it's absolutely worth an afternoon visit. You won't need more than two hours here realistically, but it's the sort of place that sits nicely in a longer walk around Newry's coastline. Free to access, and genuinely quiet even when Newry itself is rammed.