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DutchForest Parks are a great place to take the family, for walking, cycling, picnicking and general outdoor fun.
In Ireland there are 260 recreational forests nationwide, including 3,000km of way marked walking trails, 12 forest parks and six mountain bike centres, operated by Coillte. There are 9 forest parks in Northern Ireland managed by the Forest Service of Northern Ireland. The parks offer a wonderful selection of facilities including children’s playgrounds, picnic sites, marked walking and cycling trails alongside the beautiful scenic woodlands. They are ideal places to take the family and have a ramble, spot some nature, have a picnic if the weather permits, spot wildlife, and do some fun outdoor activities and games. AND, the good thing is they are free to visit (there may be a small parking fee in some places). Recreational maps are available at each site and also can be downloaded from the Coillte website. Coillte has also developed six world class mountain bike centres in counties Sligo, Galway, Laois/Offaly, Dublin, Wicklow and Limerick.
Some of the great caravan & camping sites throughout Ireland are within easy access of these sites. We are also very lucky to have a few sites located within the Forest Parks which means you can totally immerse yourself in the Forest and pitch up surrounded by trees. Enjoy the peace & tranquility of pitching under the stars in a forest park. Get in touch with nature and pitch your tent for a cool camping adventure at one of our designated camp sites in Ireland. Whether you want a fun family experience or some peace and quiet with friends or a loved one, nothing beats the magical experience of sleeping under the night sky. You can pitch your tent, motorhome or caravan under the stars in a number of locations throughout Ireland.
Let’s start off with the Forest Parks that have quality assured caravan & camping parks within the park offering safe overnight facilities for caravans, motorhomes and tents.
Curragh Chase Forest Park is the woodland estate and lakes around the shell of the 18th century Curraghchase House, in County Limerick, home of poet Aubrey de Vere. It is located 22km west of Limerick on the N69 coast road close to Kilcornan and Askeaton. There are 313 hectares of mixed woodland, 8km of multi-purpose way-marked trails. There are 4 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. There are also two children’s playgrounds, picnic and barbeque facilities.
Lough Key Forest Park is located on the N4 13km west of Carrick on Shannon and 4 km east of Boyle. Discover one of Ireland’s most extensive and picturesque forest parks. Enjoy the scenic nature walks, beautiful bog garden, enchanting wishing chair, magical underground tunnels, ice house and epic views from the observation tower. Wander along the tree canopy trail or get a team together for the Boda Borg Challenge. Bring the kids to the Adventure Play Kingdom and explore the grounds with glorious woodland, a pretty lake and several islands. Go on a guided history tour, try the thrilling zipline, and drop by the Visitor Centre, the gateway to the parklands and forest. Hire a boat and experience Lough Key, one of the most beautiful lakes in Ireland. It’s navigable from the Shannon via the Boyle River and the Lough Key jetty harbours many pleasure cruisers. Discover Zipit Forest Adventures in Lough Key Forest Park. Fly down zip lines, run across rope bridges, swing like Tarzan and climb giant walls. The family orientated woodlands Lough Key Forest & Activity Park Caravan Park offers a range of open and secluded pitches for tents, camper and caravans.
Many of the forest parks in Ireland have onsite activities and attractions for all ages to enjoy.
Farran Forest Park is located on the southern shore of Inniscarra lake in County Cork. It enjoys panoramic views of the lake and surrounding countryside. This lake is really a reservoir, constructed in the mid 1950’s to store water for the nearby Inniscarra hydroelectric generating station. There are two way-marked looped forest trails in the park. The National Rowing Centre is also located within the park on the lake shores. Located within Farran Forest Park, Zipit Forest Adventures provide a fun filled, environmentally friendly, adrenaline experience suitable for adventure lovers and families. Experience the excitement of flying along zip lines, swinging through trees and feeling an immense sense of achievement. The course contains five individual circuits and children from the age of seven upward can participate. Farren is easily accessible from one of the many top quality caravan & camping sites in Cork and Kerry and a great place to visit when in the area.
Avondale House and Forest Park is set in a magnificent forest park of over 500 acres near Rathdrum, County Wicklow with trees from all over the world available to explore and enjoy. It is also home to Beyond the Trees Avondale a 1.4km treetop walk. Some of Ireland’s most interesting and tallest trees can be found at Avondale. With many footpaths and a variety of marked walking and cycling trails this is a wonderful place for a outing with the family and the dog. Journey through the forest at Avondale, County Wicklow, and above a canopy of trees. The treetop walk culminates at the spectacular Viewing Tower, 38m above the forest floor with panoramic 360 degree views of the Wicklow Mountains and the Vale of Avoca. To complete this innovative experience, you have the option to whizz back down the tower via the gigantic 90m spiral slide. The spiral boardwalk of the Viewing Tower rises at a gentle angle, making it fully accessible for wheelchair users and families with prams or a children’s buggy. There is a good selection of top quality caravan & camping sites in Wicklow to chose from to pitch up for a few days and take in Avondale Forest Park and Beyond the Trees.
The Ballyhoura Mountain Bike trails are nestled into the beautiful Ballyhoura mountains straddling the counties of Cork and Limerick. The trails run over 90km of the most wonderful undulating hills and forests that Ireland has to offer. Some of the quality approved caravan & camping sites in Tipperary are located just beside the Ballyhoura Trail and would be ideal locations to pitch up for a few nights.
Other great Forest Parks to explore include:-
Cavan – Dun a Rí Forest Park, Killykeen Forest Park and Cavan Burren Park
Cork – Gougane Barra Forest Park
Donegal – Ards Forest Park
Galway – Portumna Forest Park
Monaghan – Rossmore Forest Park
Kildare – Donadea Forest Park
In Northern Ireland there are extensive forest parks to explore as well as pitch up for a few nights.
Kilbroney Park Forest is a picturesque 97- acre site, overlooking the beautiful Carlingford Lough. It features riverside walks and an arboretum. There is a two-mile forest drive which showcases panoramic views over Carlingford Lough. There is also a Play Park with children’s play area and tennis courts, an Information area and a café all on site.
Clare Glen is on the banks of the Cusher River Armagh. There are a number of colour coded waymarked trails within Clare Glen so you can either follow one of these trails or mix and match them. Located within the park is Clare Glen Caravan Park offering 25 superb pitches for caravans, motorhomes and tents. Relax surrounded by trees and the magical wildlife in the area.
Slieve Gullion is Ireland’s Mountain of Mystery in County Armagh. The Forest Park offers walking trails, a scenic drive, an Adventure Playpark, Fionn’s Giant Adventure children’s story trail and a Courtyard with coffee shop. Slieve Gullion Adventure Playpark is guaranteed to keep kids of all ages delighted and thoroughly entertained. It includes a specially designed toddler’s area, adventure and play equipment for the older kids, the “Slieve Gullion ZIP” and even a trim trail for the adults. Burn off some energy on the slides, climbing frames and outdoor gym equipment, make a wish on the wishing chair and find your way out of the maze. Fionn’s Giant Adventure is situated beside the Slieve Gullion Adventure Playpark. It is an innovative magical living storybook and is free to walk round and explore.
Other great Forest Parks in Northern Ireland
Down – Castlewellan Forest Park
Tyrone – Drum Manor Forest Park
Antrim – Gosford, Tollymore and Glenariff Forest Parks
Fermanagh –Florence Court Forest Park and Ely Lodge Forest is part of the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark and home to the Cuilcagh Mountain Boardwalk (The Stairway to Heaven)
If the coasts are lined with sandy beaches, inland you’ll find forest parks almost everywhere you go. These are great places to explore and safe environments for all the family to enjoy.
These are just a few ideas for you and your family to explore throughout Ireland. So whether you are planning a few days away or a longer break there is plenty to see and do as part of your caravan & camping holiday.
It is time to get planning and booking for your next trip away. Camping Ireland has so much information to help you plan your caravan & camping trip away. Our website is very user-friendly and has a number of great features which makes it very easy to navigate. One of the new features is that you can now add filters to your selection. This will allow you to get information on parks that are specific to your needs.
You can now filter for sites as follows:
Camping type – camping, glamping, mobile home hire, etc.
Holiday type – Forest locations, beach holiday, countryside, family-friendly, dog friendly, etc.
Facilities – beach nearby, playground, games room, shop, etc.
County
Region – Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Dublin or Northern Ireland
Also, many sites are now offering online booking which will help you secure your pitch at the click of a button.
Whatever you want Camping Ireland has something to suit everyone. Enjoy the independence and flexibility that camping in Ireland can offer in quality approved sites. We look forward to welcoming you to Ireland’s outdoor living.
