Tollymore Forest Park

Tollymore Forest Park is a state forest near Bryansford in County Down, at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. It covers 630 hectares and looks out over mountains and the sea at Newcastle. The Shimna River runs through the park, crossed by 16 bridges, the oldest from 1726. The river is a spawning ground for salmon and trout and is recognised for its geology and wildlife. The park became Northern Ireland’s first state forest park in 1955. The land was once owned by the Magennis clan before passing to the Hamilton family in the 17th century. The Hamiltons built follies and bridges, including Gothic gate arches and Clanbrassil Barn, designed to look like a church. A granite obelisk honours a son of the Roden family who died in the Royal Navy. Prehistoric and Bronze Age artefacts have been found near the river, showing long human use of the site. Visitors find four walking trails marked by coloured arrows, the longest eight miles. The Hermitage, a stone shelter built in the 1770s, sits above the river gorge. The park has old millponds, a megalithic cairn called the King’s Grave, and a large cashel known as the white fort. Fallow deer roam the woods, and red squirrels were recorded here in 1880.