Life

Weekend Walk: Tollymore Forest Park – River Trail

Area: Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Distance: 3.1 miles Circular.

Map: Sheet 29 of Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland Discoverer Series available from Land & Property Services osni.gov.uk or nidirect.gov.uk/map-shop-information.

Nearest town to start: Newcastle.

Facilities: Car park, toilets, picnic and camping facilities.

Developed By: Forest Service Northern Ireland.

Terrain: Easy off-road tracks.

Walk Description: Spend an afternoon crunching through autumn leaves in search of red squirrels. Nestled in the foothills of the majestic Mourne Mountains, Tollymore Forest Park covers an area of 630 hectares. There are a number of walks way-marked throughout the forest; the River Trail begins at the car park, following the red way markers towards the Shimna River and Hermitage.

This stone structure was built in the 1770s for lady gentry of the day to sit inside and take shelter while the gentlemen fished in the river below, famed for its salmon.

Continue through the woodland, keeping an eye out for the elusive red squirrels, one of many species of wildlife present within Tollymore, as they rush around in search of chestnuts. Cross the river at Parnell's Bridge, the last stone bridge built in the forest in 1842 and one of 16 bridges in the forest park.

From here you can explore the White Fort Cashel before following the Spinkwee River downstream back to the 'Meeting of the Waters', where the Shimna and Spinkwee join together. The Spinkwee River is also known as the Cascade due to a narrow gorge which during high water levels, has a great volume of water falling through it.

Keep an eye out for the stepping stones, which are a fun way to cross the river and make for a great photo. Continue along the trail through the conifer plantations, past the duck pond and across the Old Bridge, aptly named as it was the first of the present structures to be constructed. The walk finishes back at the car park.

Responsible Walking: Please remember to practice the principles of 'Leave No Trace' when enjoying the outdoors in order to minimise your impact on the environment. For more information, visit leavenotraceireland.org.

Disclaimer: This information has been provided by WalkNI.com in association with The Irish News. Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information. However, neither WalkNI.com nor The Irish News can accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Where such are brought to our attention, the information for future publications will be amended accordingly.

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