39 Forests to Explore in Ireland

The park covers approximately 480 hectares (1200 acres) and includes a variety of habitats, among them sand dunes, beaches, salt marshes, salt water lakes, rock face and, of course, coniferous and deciduous woodlands. In the forest, you will find a range of archeological features and national monuments, and these are all documented in the guide booklet produced by Coillte, and available at most tourist information centres.

Avondale Forest is a wooded estate in County Wicklow, Ireland, on the west bank of the River Avonmore. It contains the home of Charles Stewart Parnell which was built in 1777 by Samuel Hayes and is now the Parnell Museum. The park is rich in wildlife and notable features include the exotic tree trail and a well-developed arboretum. It lies mainly on the west bank of the Avonmore River covering 214 hectares of land. The ruins of Parnell's old sawmill and Parnell's well are located in the park.

A deciduous forest in Kilkenny and has an elevation of 192 metres. Ballykeefe Wood is situated nearby to Ballykeefe Cross Roads, close to Seomra Glas. The woodland features an abundance of bluebells and brambles amongst pedunculate oak and young ash. The wood is adjacent to the old Ballykeeffe limestone mine, which was refurbished in the 1980s and now features rock climbing and an amphitheatre.

A beautiful public woodland, is noted for its aesthetic and recreational value. The geology of the hill is Ordovician granite – these rocks were formed during volcanic activity about 400 million years ago. It features three looped Slí na Sláinte routes individually waymarked – starting at the trailhead in the main car park/picnic area.

Big Dog Forest, cloaked largely with conifers, dotted with open stretches of upland landscapes and lakes, offers astonishing views, wilderness, and exploration with the highlight being the 360-degree view from the top of Little Dog. This beautiful short walk allows you to explore some of Fermanagh’s best upland landscapes, and the forest is inhabited by wildlife as varied as red deer, herons and dragonflies

A majestic woodland of oak wood 23km from Wexford Town in County Wexford. It is set on a hard volcanic outcrop that resisted the weathering process and now stands out on the otherwise low lying flat landscape.

The Colligan walk takes the walker through woodland that grows along the valley of the River Colligan, where is a wide range of tree species. Deciduous trees such as Spanish chestnut, oak and beech grow here. The views are expansive and include the surrounding woodland and farmland with Dungarvan Harbour and Helvick Head in the distance.

Crone Woods,is located in the northeastern section of the Wicklow Mountains, just below the summit of Maulin 570 metres, in Wicklow in the Ireland. Crone Woods have an extensive network of forest trails and hikes which can be accessed from the village of Enniskerry. The woods were once part of the Powerscourt Estate with records from the 13th-century showing the area was set aside as a royal hunting ground. The forest is owned and operated by Coillte, the Irish state forestry agency.

Curraghchase is a 774-acre forest park located in County Limerick. There are over 300 hectares of rolling parkland, trails, mixed woodland, lakes and an arboretum here. There are a number of looped way marked trails in the park to suit all visitors. They vary from the multi-access trails suitable for wheelchair users and family walkers to the longer Curragh and Glenisca trails suitable for those looking for more demanding walking and cycling options.

Derryclare, is the 119th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 145th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale. This is a popular viewpoint for visitors to the area and a great place for photo opportunities. The Derryclare Lough on its southern slopes is a scenic location in Connemara, while the Derryclare Wood, on its eastern slopes, contains a Statutory Nature Reserve.

Donadea Forest Park is situated in northwest Kildare and comprises of approximately 243 hectares of mixed woodland. It is part of the old Aylmer family estate. There are many historical features including the remains of the castle, walled gardens, church, tower, ice house, boat house and Lime Tree Avenue.

Donard Forest lies at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. It has some spectacular views of County Down, including Newcastle, Dundrum Bay, St John's Point and Slieve Croob. The north east section of the forest contains a Heritage Stand of Scots and Corsican pine planted in 1927. A south east section, beside the Glen River, was the former site of Donard Lodge.

Doneraile Court is the stunning centrepiece of one of Ireland’s most beautiful estates. The Park comprises approximately 166 hectares and is an outstanding example of an 18th century landscaped park in the ‘Capability Brown’ style. Mature groves of deciduous trees, several restored water features and a number of deer herds can be viewed along the many pathways within the Park. The pathways are generally accessible for people with special needs.

Covering an area of approximately one thousand acres Dromore Wood has all the attributes necessary for the perfect Nature Reserve. These include rivers, lakes, turloughs and callows, limestone pavement, fen peat, reed and rush beds and vast areas of species-rich woodland. The area comprises perfect habitat for a huge variety of flora and fauna species. Today, most of the townland is accounted for by Dromore Wood Nature Reserve.

Dún na Rí Forest Park is a forest park is situated on the County Cavan-County Monaghan border, in Ireland. The park itself borders the Shercock and Carrickmacross roads more specifically at Magheracloone and Kingscourt. The park forms a part of the old Cabra Estate. The park is about 2 kmnorth of Kingscourt on the R179 road. It is a peaceful place with a lake, walled garden, open air sculptures and many attractions. There are several marked trails.

The majestic Dunmore East woods comprise of 42 acres of woodland granted in a trust by the 7th Marquis of Waterford in 1924, for the recreational use of the people of Dunmore East along with the park in the centre of the village. The woods and park are administrated by a Trusteeship of villagers. The woodland is a mixture of conifers and deciduous trees. You can see Wild Cherry, Silver Birch, Common Lime. Scots Pine, Rowan and Yew which have been part of the recent Neighbourwood planting scheme.

Fota Wildlife Park in Cork is a special zoo and Ireland’s premier wildlife attraction. Wherever possible the park have chosen animals that thrive in a free-range environment, which allows them to roam free, while mixed with other species and with us human visitors. The park is home to nearly 30 mammal and 50 bird species.

This is a mixed woodland in Ireland. It is situated on Old Red Sandstone on the southern slopes of the Galtee Mountains. It is mainly a coniferous forest with Sitka Spruce being the main species. The area also contains approximately 50 hectares of native Oak, Birch and Alder. Animals present include fallow deer, foxes, badgers, hares and red squirrels. Birds include pheasants, hawks, kestrels, ravens, herons and many song birds.