Newcastle is where, in the words of Percy French's well known song, the famous "mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea." The town is an ideal base for exploring the county Down coast and the Mourne mountains and has good facilities for all land and water based outdoor activities (try Tollymore Mountain Centre). It has a raised sandy beach and a seafront promenade. It's home to the Royal County Down Golf Club, apparently one of Tiger Woods' favourite courses.