Start : St Donard's Community Church, 183 Main St, Dundrum, Newcastle (BT33 0LY)
(S) From St Donard’s Church of Ireland on the right when you are on A2, Main Street, walk along the road for around 130 m.
(1) Take the next turn left onto an off-road path which leads through a small plantation of trees on to Keel Point road. Walk South along this road for around 410 m.
(2) Cross the three stone arches of the Downshire Bridge, then turn right (South-West) onto a gravel track. If you look back across the estuary towards Dundrum you’ll get a fine view of the village, guarded by the hilltop ruins of its medieval castle. The track leads along the final stretch of Dundrum Inner Bay.
(3) Shortly before you reach the A2 road, a footpath veers left (South-East) into Murlough National Nature Reserve. Follow a wooden boardwalk across the site, undulating through the dunes and coastal heath. After 1 Km or so, as you exit the dunes and drop down onto the beach, a wonderful sight meets your eyes. The Mourne Mountains now seem just a stone’s throw away, rising majestically above the sweep of the bay.
(4) Turn right and follow the beach South-West for almost 2.7 Km. The terrain underfoot varies between firm sand and small pebbles, and depending on the state of the tide you may either have a wide space or a narrow strip at your disposal.
(5) As you approach Newcastle town, the first building you encounter is the Slieve Donard Hotel, with its imposing Victorian facade. Shortly beyond this, on your right, climb a set of steps to reach the wide pavement of the town promenade (Main Street A2).
(6) Turn left and make your way South along the waterfront to a white metal footbridge across the Shimna River. Cross the bridge, and keep left along the promenade. Take the next right turn through the small car park to finish at the Newcastle Tourist Information and the official end of the route. (E)