Escape to the coast with a trip to Northern Ireland's Newcastle. You'll find this seaside town in County Down, flanked by the Irish Sea to one side and the Mourne Mountains to the other. It's a quaint destination with plenty of natural attractions. Take a hike or test your limits with a climb, or simply wander the shore at sunset. When you've had your fill of the great outdoors, there are small local art studios and cosy pubs made for filling idle afternoons.
Make yourself at home in a Newcastle hostel in County Down with a roaring log-burning fire, the ideal way to warm up after a blustery walk by the sea. Look out for Newcastle hostels that give you free Wi-Fi with your stay so you can plan the next stop on your adventure. Save a few Northern Ireland pound notes as souvenirs by prepping your own meals in a hostel kitchen, then take your plate into common rooms designed around meeting other travellers.
Newcastle is small, so wherever you stay you'll be a short jaunt from the town's centre, for a stroll on the beach or a frothy Guinness in a local pub. For more coastal walks, you can try Dundrum. Another small Northern Irish town, this one has its own bay and a ruined castle to explore. Nearby Downpatrick is inland, and is a sleepy little town with an abbey and a cathedral that's said to be the burial place of St Patrick, Ireland's patron saint.
Gaze over the Irish Sea from the ruins of a Norman fortress with a trip to Dundrum Castle. You could also visit a 6000-year-old sand dune system at Murlough National Nature Reserve and immerse yourself in views of the mountains. Murlough Beach, a sandy, windswept stretch, is perfect for a brisk walk (or a bracing dip). For walking trails, head for Tollymore Forest Park where you might stumble across a bar from the 1700s. Slieve Donard mountain has challenging climbs and a prehistoric burial mound.
You can fly into Belfast City Airport; from there, Newcastle is about an hour away by car. Buses run from several major cities into Newcastle Bus Station. Bring your walking shoes and prepare to get around town on foot, as it's small and easy enough to navigate. To go further, consider hiring a car and taking in some of the epic landscapes that featured in the TV drama Game of Thrones.
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