Tollymore Forest Park (occasionally misspelled “Tullymore”) sits at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, a short drive from Newcastle, County Down - one of Northern Ireland’s best-known parks, and genuinely worth the visit beyond its screen fame.
History
The earliest record of Tollymore dates to 1611, when the Maguinness family received a grant of land here from King James I. It passed to the Earls of Roden by 1798, and was sold to the Department of Agriculture in two phases, 1930 and 1941. The park opened to the public in 1955 as Northern Ireland’s first state forest park. Some of its landscape features were designed by Thomas Wright, the eccentric English mathematician, astronomer, and garden designer.
The Shimna River runs through the centre of the park, connecting the mountain landscape to the coast, crossed by 16 historic bridges - the oldest dating to 1726.
Game of Thrones
Tollymore’s atmospheric woodland and ancient paths played the Haunted Forest in HBO’s Game of Thrones - the land south of the Wall, including the scene where the Night’s Watch first spot the White Walkers and where the Stark children find the direwolf pups. It’s become a genuine pilgrimage spot for fans, on top of everything else the park offers.
Main Attractions
The park covers nearly 630 hectares of woodland and grassland - big enough that even on a busy Sunday, there’s room to spread out. It was listed among the UK’s top 20 picnic sites by the Sunday Times in 2000, and it’s easy to see why: large flat grass areas suit an impromptu game of football or cricket, and barbecues are a regular sight through late spring and summer.
For walkers, there are four marked trails, the longest running 8 miles (13km). The woodland mixes native tree species with imported ones brought in to enhance the park’s appeal - some of which supplied timber for the Titanic’s wooden interiors, built in Belfast.
Caravanning
The park has 92 touring pitches, with shower and toilet facilities, chemical toilet disposal points, electricity, fresh water, and laundry facilities. Reasonably priced, and well positioned for exploring the County Down coast.
Tollymore Mountain Centre
For anyone after something more structured, the Tollymore Mountain Centre runs courses in mountaineering, canoe sport, first aid, and more, with experienced instructors and its own accommodation on site.
Getting There
From Belfast, take the A24 south through Ballynahinch to Clough village, then the A2 Newcastle Road - the route is signposted past Dundrum and its Norman castle. The park is a five-minute drive from Newcastle itself.
