Every parent talks about tearing the family away from their screens. Here in Northern Ireland we’re ready to introduce you and them to other screens altogether: the wonderful wide-screen wonders of walking in any or all of our six magnificent counties.
Get Down in the depths of the forest
At the Big Deer in Tollymore Forest Park, County Down the kids can scramble to a giant timber deer, castle turret or folly tower through a series of rope-bridges, tunnels, spider webs, swings and slides while parents can sit back and watch the adventure unfold. Enjoy a picnic at the deer tables before making your way through a pick of four walking trails in the forest park.
Go wild in the country
The theme of fun with furry friends continues at the Animal Wood in nearby Castlewellan Forest Park. Located beside the Peace Maze, this lovely spot provides lots of opportunities for playing on wild woodland animals including a badger and its den, a red squirrel and a giant spider. You’ll also find The Moorish Tower where children can enjoy the climbing wall, fireman's pole and rope-bridge over to a hollow tree stump slide and Red Kite nest. For the hardiest of hardy walkers the forest park has a warren of walking trails with breath-taking views to the Mourne Mountains as well as some of the oldest, rarest and largest existing trees in Britain and Ireland.
Discover a giant’s lair in Slieve Gullion
You’ll meet more giants at the wonderful Giant's Lair in Slieve Gullion Forest Park, County Armagh. This special place is a magical living storybook brought to life along a trail of fairy houses, dragon dens and goblin bridges. Follow in the footsteps of Flynn the mischievous fairy as he makes his way to the Ladybird House for some dandelion tea in the beautiful setting of Slieve Gullion Forest Park.
Explore a glen and its animals in County Tyrone
Inspired by County Tyrone’s natural surroundings, the wooden sculpture at Gortin Glen Forest Park allows kids to engage with the forest environment through exploration and play. Standing four metres tall, the centrepiece, a family of red deer, celebrates the forest park's much loved inhabitants. You’ll more than likely get to see them if you decide to go a little further and take one of the easy trails that leads from here and out into the Sperrin Mountains.
These are just a few of our walks of wonder for you and your family. Take these little steps with the kids and then it’s easy to take a giant leap into a whole new experience in Northern Ireland.
