Carlingford Lough is the narrow inlet of the Irish Sea that frames Warrenpoint to the south. It is bordered by the Mourne Mountains on the County Down side and the Cooley Mountains on the County Louth side, so the views across the water in both directions are extraordinary — granite ridges falling almost directly into the sea, with small villages strung along the shore at their feet.
A ferry runs across the lough between Greencastle (north shore) and Greenore (south shore), a short crossing that lets walkers and cyclists link the two coasts without driving back through Newry. The lough is also worked for oysters and mussels, which appear on local restaurant menus as a matter of course. Sailing, kayaking, and shore fishing are all popular, and the Warrenpoint waterfront is the natural place to start.