Murlough National Nature Reserve
Murlough National Nature Reserve in Dundrum, Newcastle, is a fragile 6000 year old sand dune system owned by the National Trust and managed as Ireland's first Nature Reserve since 1967. Murlough is an excellent area for walking and bird watching.
Covering around 700 acres, Murloughis the best and most extensive example of dune heath within Ireland, and is an important wintering site for many species of bird.
Murlough makes up one fifth of all dune heathland in the British Isles, but remains under threat from the encroachment of scrub vegetation such as bracken and gorse. Murlough is an extraordinarily beautiful dune landscape, fringing on one of Northern Ireland's most popular beaches and overlooked by the rounded peaks of the Mourne Mountains to the south.
It is a great place for of seal watching. Between 50 and 130 common and grey seals regularly use the area for moulting, resting and feeding. Their numbers reach their peak from July to October.
Wildlife highlights: Greay & common seals, thrushes, Fieldfare and Redwing; Marsh fritillary is one of 22 butterfly species.
Access & faciities: A boardwalk, suitable for wheelchairs, leads from the National Trust car park through the dunes to the beach, a long arc of sand several miles long. An information centre and toilets are located in the car park and are open throughout the summer months, and nearby holiday cottages are available for rent throughout the year.
These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.
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