Murlough National Nature Reserve and The Mournes - National Trust

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Murlough National Nature Reserve and The Mournes - National Trust

Overlooked by the rounded peaks of the Mourne Mountains to the south.
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Cared for as Ireland's first nature reserve since 1967, the fragile 6000 year old sand dune system lovely walking and discover wild nature its birds, flowers, butterflies and more.

22/05/2026

The Mournes and Murlough NNR on a bank holiday weekend. Sunshine, fresh air, mountain views and hundreds of people all trying to park at the same time. ⛰️☀️

If you’re heading into the mountains or reserve this weekend, help us keep this landscape looking and feeling like the special place people come here for in the first place.

Take your litter home. Stick to paths where possible. Close gates behind you. Respect wildlife, farmland and the people who live and work here year-round.

If you see fire-setting or signs of fire in the countryside, call 999 immediately.

Leave the only trace being slightly sore legs tomorrow.

📸TNI

19/05/2026

The Murlough NNR conservation team has officially returned to work. They eat grass, ignore emails, and occasionally stare at you for no obvious reason. 🐄🌾

Our cattle are back on the reserve and this year, they’re using NoFence collar technology to help us manage grazing more carefully across the landscape.

The collars use GPS technology to create virtual boundaries, meaning grazing can be targeted to the areas that need it most. Right now, the cattle are grazing at the North Point, but they’ll move around the reserve as needed throughout the season.

Careful grazing helps maintain the dunes and grasslands, creating better conditions for wildlife, including ground nesting birds and all other important species that call Murlough NNR home.

If you’re visiting over the coming weeks, please remember:
🐕 Keep dogs on a lead at all times on the reserve to protect cattle and wildlife
🦭 Give seals plenty of space to rest undisturbed
🐦 Help protect ground nesting birds by sticking to paths where possible

Technology is great. Cows doing conservation work is even better.

18/05/2026

Nature can’t “wait a wee minute.” Today, Northern Ireland is one of the most nature-depleted places in the world.

Nature is essential to all of our lives. It’s the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. It protects our communities from flooding and extreme heat, supports our health and wellbeing, and brings beauty and connection to our everyday lives. It is not a nice-to-have. And it is not a blocker to growth.

Yet nature is in freefall. Wildlife continues to decline, water quality is failing, and too many people are increasingly cut off from the natural spaces that help communities thrive.

That’s why today we are launching a Nature=Future e-action, a campaign calling on the NI Government to act now to:
🌱 Restore nature
🦋 Protect and invest in wildlife
🏡 Build resilient futures for communities

We’re asking people across Northern Ireland to contact their MLAs and demand action. Please click the link below and show your support.

https://campaigns.nationaltrust.org.uk/page/190930/action/1?ea.tracking.id=NI_Faceboook

It takes less than two minutes to add your voice.

15/05/2026

🧚 Job Fairy - Join our team!

Welcome and Service Team Member [IRC174931]
• Part-time, summer seasonal job | 📍 Murlough Nature Reserve
Applications close this Sunday , 17th of May
For more information, search 'IRC 1744931' at : https://www.nationaltrustjobs.org.uk/

14/05/2026

👂 Keep an Ear Out for the Stonechat in the Mournes 🐤

If you’re out in the Mourne Mountains, you might spot (or hear!) the Stonechat - a small, striking upland bird often seen perched on gorse or heather. Its sharp “tic‑tic” call sounds just like two stones being tapped together, giving the bird its name.
Stonechats nest low to the ground, hidden in dense heather and grass. Their nests can be incredibly well‑camouflaged, which makes them vulnerable to disturbance.

🐕 Dogs off lead can accidentally flush adults or trample hidden chicks.

Next time you’re walking in the Mournes, keep an eye out for their bold black heads and warm orange chests—and give them the space they need to raise their young. 💚

Places to walk your dog off the lead can be found here: https://www.visitmournegullionstrangford.com/blog/read/2025/06/dog-friendly-walks-in-mourne-gullion-strangford-b197

13/05/2026

Less time at the machine. More time at the beach. 🌊

We’ve upgraded our parking system at Murlough NNR to make arriving a little quicker and easier.

Simply enter your vehicle registration when scanning your National Trust membership card or making a payment at the machine.

You can also pay online using the JustPark app, meaning you can skip the machine altogether and pay straight from your phone.

A few less buttons. A few more beach walks.

Enjoy your next visit to this special place.

11/05/2026

🧚 Job Fairy - Join our team!

Welcome and Service Team Member [IRC174931]
• Part-time, summer seasonal job | 📍 Murlough Nature Reserve

Are you a warm and friendly team player with enthusiasm for delivering great customer service? This could be the job for you!
As a Welcome and Service Assistant at Murlough Nature Reserve, your role is to make sure our visitors have the best day they can.
You'll be able to work on a shift pattern from Monday to Sunday, and have the chance to be involved in different aspects of the visitor experience; no two days are the same!
Applications close this Sunday , 17th of May
For more information, search 'IRC 1744931' at : https://www.nationaltrustjobs.org.uk/ See less

08/05/2026

Good memories belong at the beach. Your rubbish doesn’t.

The summer season is here and we know there’s no better place to celebrate than the dunes and shoreline at Murlough NNR.☀️

But if you’re heading here with friends over the coming weeks, please remember to leave no trace behind.

Every year, our rangers care for this special landscape and the wildlife that calls it home. Sadly, the photos shared here show some of the rubbish left behind after last weekend, taking valuable time away from conservation work and putting fragile habitats and dunes at risk.

So if you’re packing snacks, drinks, speakers or picnic gear, make sure it all goes home with you too.

Enjoy the beach. Respect the landscape. Leave it as good as you found it.

07/05/2026

🌿 Help Protect Ground‑Nesting Birds in the Mournes 🐤

Over spring and summer, many of our most vulnerable bird species begin nesting - not in trees, but right on the ground. These ground‑nesting birds choose open habitats such as moorlands, heathland, sand dunes, wetlands, farmland, and coastal grasslands. Their nests are often little more than small scrapes in the earth, beautifully camouflaged… but also very easy to disturb.

✅ What You Can Do

Keep dogs on leads in the mountains .
Stick to paths to avoid disturbing hidden nests.
Give wildlife the space it needs to thrive.

Together, a few simple steps can make a huge difference for the next generation of ground‑nesting birds - including the magnificent Merlin.

Places to walk your dog off the lead can be found here: https://www.visitmournegullionstrangford.com/blog/read/2025/06/dog-friendly-walks-in-mourne-gullion-strangford-b197

05/05/2026

Last week, partners from across the Mournes came together for The Mournes: Building a Sustainable Future event, focusing on how we can collectively protect this special landscape while supporting sustainable access, local communities and livelihoods.

With fires still affecting the Mournes at the time, the discussions also reflected the urgent need to strengthen our shared approach to fire prevention and the importance of raising awareness, encouraging responsible behaviour, and reaching people before fires are ever started. It was a valuable opportunity to align on the challenges ahead and identify practical actions we can take together.

We will continue working closely with partners and stakeholders to help deliver positive, lasting change for the Mournes.

Mournelive, Northern Ireland Water

Address

Keel Point
Dundrum
BT330NQ

Telephone

+442843751467

Website

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/murlough-national-nature-reserve

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