An extremely rare and ancient wildlife haven in Northern Ireland is now open to the public for the first time in 500 years.
Mourne Park, near the pretty fishing village of Kilkeel in County Down, is home to some of the rarest and most ancient woodland on the island of Ireland.
Last year the Woodland Trust bought 156 hectares of the 212 hectares of the Mourne Park estate, until then completely held in private hands, with the aim of opening it up in a sensitive way, to allow the public to enjoy its beauty and tranquillity.
The area includes 73 hectares of incredibly rare ancient woodland – defined as having existed continuously since 1600 or earlier – which has been inaccessible to the public for over 500 years.
The Trust has now completed three walking trails of differing lengths and gradients to give visitors of all abilities the chance to explore this area of outstanding natural beauty.
The Bluebell Walk is a relaxing 1.6km stroll through ancient woodland over a long sloping section while the Woodland Loop explores newly restored native woodland over a 2.8km gravel path. The longest trail, the 4.5km Whitewater Trail, follows the river and an old carriageway through mature beech trees.
The areas were cleared of invasive species and now forest floor plants like wood anemone, foxgloves and bluebells are thriving.
During the restoration work the team uncovered trees with carvings on them from Second World War soldiers.
The Trust plans to acquire a further 46 hectares of the estate where it will plant over 90,000 trees to further protect the ancient woodland, reinstate wildlife corridors and help increase tree cover in Northern Ireland.
Mourne Park now joins the many must-see stops along the scenic Mourne Coastal Route.
Stretching along the County Down coastline from Belfast via Bangor, down through the Ards Peninsula to the spectacular Mourne Mountains, the Mourne Coastal Route offers wonderful views of the Irish Sea and the region’s undulating countryside, and passes through charming seaside towns and villages.
Highlights of the route include Mount Stewart, a gorgeous neo-classical stately home, and Castle Ward, made famous as Winterfell in Game of Thrones.
And of course, the majestic Mourne Mountains lie at the route’s end offering an escape into nature with wonderful walks, challenging hikes to its many peaks and inspirational beauty.
