Bohill Nature Reserve

The walk into Bohill Nature Reserve feels properly remote despite being just outside Newcastle. You're threading through bogland and rough grassland where the ground squelches underfoot even on what passes for a dry day - bring decent boots. What draws people here is the blanket bog habitat itself, which is genuinely rare in these parts now. Peat moorland stretches away, dotted with heather and cotton grass, and if you time it right (late summer into autumn) the colours shift from greens to purples and golds.

It's not a quick circuit. Most walkers allow a couple of hours to properly explore without feeling rushed, though you can do shorter loops if you're just after a taste of it. The terrain is uneven and muddy, so it's less appealing for very young children or anyone wanting an easy stroll - this is walkers' territory. Bird enthusiasts will have their ears pricked: red grouse, golden plovers, and the occasional hen harrier if you're lucky.

If you're camped at Slieve Croob just down the road, Bohill makes a solid half-day excursion that gets you properly into the Mourne foothills. The reserve itself is free to access. Go early in the day when the bog light is best and you've got the place mostly to yourself.