Murlough NNR County Down

Discover butterflies, beetles and sunbathing seals on Northern Ireland’s windswept shores.

Situated 3.5 miles north-east of the town of Newcastle on County Down’s sweeping coast is Murlough National Nature Reserve. The long, sandy beach and vast dune system, overlooked by the iconic Mourne Mountains, host a huge diversity of flora and fauna, making the reserve an enriching place to visit for wildlife lovers.

Murlough was Northern Ireland’s first National Nature Reserve and has been cared for by the National Trust since 1967. It is thought that human history here extends some 4,000 years, with evidence of occupation from the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, while the dune system itself is believed to be

6,000 years old.

Today, Murlough – which derives from the Irish ‘murlach’, meaning ‘sea inlet’ – is a landscape shifted and shaped by the wind and waves that whip across the natural enclave of Dundrum Bay.

Habitats at Murlough include species-rich grassland, woodland, coastline and dune heath, an element that is rare across Europe. The dunes themselves climb high above the beach and are only dwarfed by the majestic Mourne Mountains that rise to the south, their gorgeous outline dominating the surrounding landscape.

It’s a landscape shifted and shaped by the wind and waves

Rabbits were introduced to Murlough during the 12th century and today the population plays an important role in preserving the dune structure. Wildfowl and waders, common and grey seals, 23 species of butterflies (the reserve is one of the last strongholds of the endangered marsh fritillary), over 250 types of beetle and even the pygmy shrew – the smallest mammal found in Britain – can all be found within the reserve.