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Ards Forest Park
Creeslough, Co. Donegal
Family friendly
Free to visit
Dog friendly
Paid car parking
Sunny days
Hike through beautiful woodlands, explore golden beaches, sand dunes and saltwater lakes in Ards Forest Park, Co Donegal. It’s one of the most unique forest walks in Donegal.

With breathtaking coastal scenery, beautiful woodland trails, rivers, lakes and megalithic tombs, Ards Forest Park is easily one of the most beautiful and varied of Ireland's forest parks with trees down to the water's edge.

Find this undiscovered national gem on the N56 between the pretty towns of Creeslough and Dunfanaghy. Its 1,000 acres are home to many plants and wildlife with nine signposted trails to suit all ages, picnic areas and a playground near the beach - you could easily spend the day here.

Discover wild Atlantic coastal views on the Binngorm Trail, follow the easy Sand Dune trail which takes around 90 minutes or try the 5km Arts Heritage trail. The Red Trail winds through 13km of forest and along Manus Lough but has shortcuts back to your starting point if you want to finish sooner.

There are lots of places to stop along the walks and trails to take in spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and the Atlantic Ocean. Watch out for wildlife as you go or make for the special hide at the end of the salt marsh trail and watch for birds feeding on the salt marsh.

Ards Forest Park has many historical treasures - four ring forts together with a holy well and a mass rock. Check out the map on the notice board for their locations. And remember to bring coins for the car park.

Why we like it
  • Stunning coastal forest park with nine different trails for all ages.
  • Beautiful views of the Atlantic and many different habitats to explore.
  • Picnic area and playground near the beach.
  • Discover many historical treasures throughout the park.
Tips from locals

You can stitch together a number of trails in Ards Forest Park and hike for over 15km through five different types of habitat.

Tips from locals

Visit Ards Forest Park in August and watch out for the lilies blooming on Lough Lilly as you make your way towards the shore.

Contact details
Ards Forest Park, Co. Donegal, Ireland
Visit duration

We recommend planning to spend 2 to 3 hours here.

More to discover at Ards Forest Park
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