This is a place that I always wanted to visit. Castlecomer Discovery Park in County Kilkenny is ‘Ireland’s Best Activity Provider` for the 2022 Reader Travel Awards.
It is visited by 120000 + visitors per year.
Open all year round Castlecomer Discovery Park is located immediately outside the town of Castlecomer on the Dublin side of the N78, just 20 km north of the city of Kilkenny and 24 km from Carlow Town.
Set in the former grounds of the Wandesforde Estate, the Park comprises 80 acres of stunning natural woodland and lakes and began as a community project to rejuvenate the town of Castlecomer following the closure of the coal mines in 1969.
This relatively ‘young’ park opened to the public in 2007 with the launch of the Coal Mining Exhibition, Visitor Centre, and Design Craft studios which are located in the former stable yard.
The Park continues to evolve and is actively developing a range of exciting recreational, cultural, and educational activities for visitors of all ages.
Today Castlecomer Discovery Park has:
- Tree Top Adventure Walk,
- Climbing Wall,
- Zipline and Octagon High Ropes Course,
- Boats & Canoeing,
- Coal Mining Museum & Exhibition,
- Archery,
- Orienteering & Walking Trails,
- Raft & Catapult Building,
- The Canopy Cafe,
- Timber Tumbles Playground,
- Junior Woodland Adventure Course,
- Elf & Fairy Village.
Castlecomer Discovery Park is home to the longest over-water zipline in Ireland! It is 300 meters long and 35 meters over the ground at its highest point.
I was delighted with The Elf & Fairy Village. It has a small yellow sweet shop, a cute café, an underground bunker, and an amazing Head Quarters for the fairy folk. It’s full of colorful hand-carved toadstool mushrooms where children can meander through the woodland paths. Visitors, of all ages, can enjoy the woodland village which is free and is a short 7-10 minute walk from reception.
Castlecomer Discovery Park is a brilliant Social Community Enterprise operating on a Not for Profit basis and it operates a “Leave No Trace” policy.
The woodland park itself is free to visit. Each activity is individually priced. Parking costs are max. €5 per day with the first hour free.
Visit the official website: discoverypark.ie
Location:
Below are photos I took in August 2021.
