Bring the Dog: A Weekend of Adventures

Start the weekend at a dog-friendly spot on Newcastle's promenade. Niki's Kitchen Cafe has outdoor seating where dogs are welcome, or try The Great Eastern which allows well-behaved dogs inside. Get your Ulster fry, let the dog stretch its legs on the prom, and watch Slieve Donard catching the morning light. The beach beside the promenade is right there if your dog needs a pre-breakfast paddle.

Five minutes south of Newcastle on the A2, pull into the Bloody Bridge car park. The name comes from a 1641 massacre, but today the river valley is one of the most peaceful walks in the Mournes — and one of the best for dogs. The path follows the Bloody Bridge River upstream into the mountains, with granite boulders and deep pools on both sides. Most dogs will be in the water within thirty seconds. The path is clear and well-worn — this was the start of the old smugglers' route over the mountains. Walk as far as you like and turn back. Twenty minutes in, the mountains close around you and the coast disappears behind.

Back in the car and a ten-minute drive inland to Tollymore (*Tulach Mhór* — "the big hill"). This is the forest Game of Thrones used as the Haunted Forest, but forget the White Walkers — for dog walkers, this is paradise. Sixteen trails wind through ancient oaks, past stone bridges, along the Shimna River, and through an avenue of Himalayan cedars that feel like they belong in another century. The river crossings are the highlight — your dog will find every one of them. The 18th-century follies hidden throughout the forest are worth hunting for: gothic gates, a hermit's grotto, a clapper bridge. Most visitors walk the river trail and miss them entirely.

Head back into Newcastle for a dog-friendly lunch. If the weather's kind, grab a takeaway and eat on the beach — the dog won't complain.

After lunch, drive north along the coast for five minutes to Murlough National Nature Reserve. This is one of Ireland's finest dune systems — 6,000 years old, stretching along the coast with Dundrum Bay on one side and the Mournes rising behind. The beach itself is spectacular: long, sandy, and usually quiet enough that your dog can run for as long as its legs will carry it. The dune boardwalk trail adds a gentler option if you want to save some energy. The reserve is managed by the National Trust, and the wardens are friendly. Check at the car park for any seasonal restrictions — ground-nesting birds use certain areas in spring and early summer, and those sections may require dogs on leads.

Return to Newcastle for the end of the afternoon. If the tide and light cooperate, walk the length of Newcastle strand with the dog. The beach stretches south towards Bloody Bridge, and with the Mournes behind you and the Irish Sea ahead, this is one of those walks where you stop thinking about time. Slieve Donard turns pink in the evening light. Your dog will be tired by now. So will you. That's the point.

After a full day of river walks, forest trails, and beach runs, you've earned a proper dinner. The Anchor Bar is a solid choice for pub grub in a traditional setting.

Start day two with a short drive inland to Castlewellan. The town is small and quiet — a good staging post before a morning in the forest park.

Walk straight from the town into Castlewellan Forest Park — one of the finest in Northern Ireland. The lakeside trail is a gentle 4km loop around the lake, flat and well-surfaced, with the Mournes reflected in the water on a still morning. For something more adventurous, take the longer forest trails up through the arboretum — some of the trees here are over 150 years old and came from as far as Japan and Chile. The Peace Maze (the world's largest permanent hedge maze when it was planted in 2001) sits in the grounds, though dogs aren't allowed inside. Drumena Cashel, a 1,500-year-old ringfort, is a short drive from the park if you want a historical detour.

Drive south through Hilltown or via the coast road to Rostrevor (*Ros Treabhair*), the adventure village at the foot of Slieve Martin overlooking Carlingford Lough. The Kilbroney Bar & Restaurant has an outdoor area with lough views. Sit outside if the weather allows — the view across to the Cooley Mountains of County Louth is worth the drive alone.

The Cloughmore Stone (*An Chloch Mhór* — "the big stone") sits on the hillside above Rostrevor: a 40-tonne granite boulder that legend says the giant Fionn Mac Cumhaill hurled across Carlingford Lough from the Cooley Mountains in County Louth. The reality is almost as impressive — an ice-age erratic carried here by a glacier and deposited 15,000 years ago. The walk up from Kilbroney Park takes 30-40 minutes on a well-maintained forest trail. It's steep in places but manageable for any reasonably fit dog (and owner). The views from the top are extraordinary — Carlingford Lough, the Mournes, Slieve Gullion, and on a clear day, the Wicklow Mountains 100 miles south. Your dog won't care about the views. It will care about the squirrels.

The last adventure of the weekend. Drive up into the mountains from Hilltown to Spelga Dam, a reservoir sitting at over 300 metres in the heart of the Mournes. The landscape here is open moorland — heather, bog, and silence. This is the kind of place where you can see for miles and hear absolutely nothing. Let the dog off the lead (if no livestock in sight) and walk along the dam wall or out onto the surrounding hills. The water is shallow at the edges — perfect for a paddle. On the way back down towards Hilltown, you'll pass the famous gravity hill — a stretch of road where your car appears to roll uphill. Stop, put it in neutral, and let physics (or fairies) do their thing. The dog will be unimpressed, but you'll tell the story for years.

On the drive back down from Spelga, pull into any of the laybys and take in the view. The Mourne peaks spread out in every direction. If the light is right — and in the late afternoon it often is — the mountains glow amber and the valleys fill with shadow. This is the quiet heart of the Mournes, away from the coast and the towns. A final moment of stillness before the drive home. Your dog has earned the car nap that's coming.

End the weekend with dinner before the drive home. If you head back through Rostrevor, try one of the local pubs for reliable pub grub in a friendly setting. In nearby Warrenpoint, The Whistledown on the seafront serves fish and chips with a view. The dog's weekend is done. Yours too. Two days of forests, rivers, beaches, and mountains — and a dog that'll sleep all the way home.