I woke up early after my day in the Mourne Mountains with slightly stiff thighs, after the descent from Slieve Binnian, but in time to catch a beautiful sunrise from the front door of our cottage.
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| A Mourne sunrise |
After breakfast, and with the promise of a fine dry day, we set off to the Murlough Beach nature reserve, owned by the National Trust. Murlough Beach is a 5 mile long sandy beach that runs from Newcastle to Tyrella and is backed by an extensive and scientifically important dune system. The National Trust car park is about 2 miles outside Newcastle and was virtually deserted. A series of way marked trails, partly over board walk to protect the fragile dune system, weave their way through the dunes towards the beach. Arriving on the beach, which was virtually empty, we had Newcastle backed by the Mourne mountains on one side and golden sands running away into the distance to the north.
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| Murlough dunes with the Mournes in the background |
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| Crowded Murlough beach... |
We followed the trail along the soft sand accompanied by the sound of the sea and the calls of gulls and oystercatchers until the path took us back through the dune system. There were lots of blackberries here, so we spent quite a while picking and eating some of the ripest and juiciest blackberries we'd tasted for a while. Among the dunes there was a variety of flora. I spotted wild pansies and there were plenty of mushrooms - something I hasn't expected to see growing on sand dunes.
It was a fascinating and beautiful eco-system. We arrived inland at a river that looked over Dundrum bay where gulls and swans were feeding and finally found ourselves back at the car park after 4 miles of delightful wandering.
The delays for blackberry picking meant we'd taken most of the morning exploring Murlough beach so we decided to head back to the cottage and have lunch there - but not before stopping on the way at a little spot by the coast on the road back called Bloody Bridge. Bloody Bridge takes its name from a rather gruesome historic event. In 1641 a group of prisoners were executed while being transported from Newcastle to Newry, and their bodies thrown off the bridge turning the water of the river red with blood. Now its a peaceful spot that, if you didn't know the history, would seem like an idyllic spot for a paddle in the pools or a stroll along the river bank. I climbed down to the river and across some large stones to get a better look, almost disturbing a speckled wood butterfly that was sunning itself on a rock.
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| Mrs B is just visible on Bloody Bridge that's covered in foliage |
Mrs B. decided she needed a restful afternoon, so despite my aching thighs I decided to head for another top - something not too arduous - the intriguingly named Pigeon Rock Mountain. This minor summit (534m) was only a short drive away and it was a sunny afternoon so I headed uphill, my thigh muscles feeling a bit tight, following the line of a stone wall. As climbed views opened up of the Spelga Reservoir and I got considerably warmer - the wall sheltering me from any cooling breeze. 
Views of Spelga Reservoir on a sunny afternoon in the Mournes
As I gained more even more height the views improved but the ground underfoot became a bit boggier. Fortunately after a spell of dry weather it wasn't too bad and I could hop from one relatively dry bit to another without getting caked in mud. The final stretch to the summit passed a number of pools of water and at one point a loud buzzing sound alerted me to the presence of two dragon flies who appeared to be getting quite intimate - not something you see everyday!
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| Two dragonflies.... |
I carried on to the summit, marked by a small cairn, feeling very warm after a short but strenuous climb in hot sunshine. 
On the summit of Pigeon Rock Mountain
After a brief rest I retraced my steps, taking in the views as I descended back to the car, with the knowledge my thighs were going to be even more achy in the morning! So far every day in this part of Northern Island was throwing up wonderful new experiences with its mixture of quiet unspoiled coast, sea loughs and rugged mountain landscapes. The only question on my mind as I returned was 'what shall we do next'?
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