Located just outside of Tullow on the border of County Carlow and County Wicklow, Rathwood is a great place to visit.
It was established in 1994 as a family-run furniture store. Today it is a multi-award-winning family-run facility with shops, a garden center, restaurants, woodland walks, and a children’s play center.
Maze of Ireland, Animal park, Forest walks, Woodlands Train, Play Centre, Children’s Events, Beauty Boutique, and Restaurants are just some of the activities that visitors can avail of when they visit Rathwood.
Rathwood Home and Garden World offers an amazing range of home and garden furniture and accessories along with a massive garden center, gift shop, and boutique selling the hottest in Irish design.
There are two restaurants. The Merry Tree serves delicious locally sourced foods, roasted coffee, and homemade treats in a refined and relaxed atmosphere. While The Wood Shed Café, adjacent to The Ark play center, provides a more casual option for a light lunch or coffee while your children play.
Rathwood Events run a massive range of fun family shows at the Rathwood Big Top in the heart of the forest. The Halloween Spook-tacular and Santa Train are perennial favorites, with new shows taking place regularly. The audience is taken to the Big Top through the forest aboard the Rathwood Express.
Rathwood is one of must-visit place in County Carlow!
Express Train is the perfect activity for all ages both young and old. The train runs through the woods and around Animal Park. So everyone gets a chance to see ducks, swans, goats, pet lambs, and Santas at Christmas time.
Rathwood Maze of Ireland is a fun activity for all the family. You can explore the Maze and identify each County of Ireland. The Maze is planted in the shape of Ireland. Each county is built to scale and has a marker to indicate the county town and river flowing through it.
The Playground is a fun day out guaranteed for all kids at a fantastic outdoor playground. The playground has swings and slides to suit children of different ages. It’s conveniently located next to Rathwood’s restaurant.
Deer Park is one of the favorite activities among younger visitors and families enjoying a day out at Rathwood. Rathwood’s deer park is home to two different breeds of deer; Fallow deer and Sika deer.
Forest Walk at Rathwood is a short stroll to the lake to feed the ducks and geese, or explore the looped ‘Molloy Walk’. The Rathwood Forest Walks are very easy trails, suitable for walkers of all ages and abilities. The woodland walks expand over 4km. Benches are placed at regular intervals so you can have a rest or simply absorb the tranquility of the forest.
Make sure you go to The Merry Tree Restaurant. It’s a lovely place for lunch/dinner and treats.
I enjoyed the walk through Rathwood Maze of Ireland and Forest Walk. And after, we had an amazing dessert at The Merry Tree Restaurant.
Rathwood is open Monday to Sunday 10 am – 5 pm.
For more information: visit rathwood.com
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Below are my photos were taken in September 2021.
