Castlewellan Forest Park

At Ireland Luxury Tours we often take clients to the Mountains of Mourne.

Castlewellan Forest Park encompasses 450ha. of land lying to the north of the Mourne Mountains. The lands at Castlewellan passed into the possession of the Annesley family in 1742 when they were purchased from Arthur Magennis.

The Annesley family had a great interest in trees and rare species and there were already 280ha. of forestry plantation and an extensive arboretum when the Forest Service acquired the Estate from Mr. G.F. Annesley in 1967.

The forest of conifer and broadleaf woodland is set against the backdrop of Slievenaslaat (270m) and Slieve Beg (200m) with Castlewellan Lake in the foreground.

The castle, which is built in the Scottish Baronial style, is the former home of the Annesley family. Other smaller historic features can also be seen in the forest and the National Arboretum, as well as more modern developments such as the Peace Maze which from 2001 to 2007 was the largest and longest permanent hedge maze in the world.

Try and see it on your tour of Ireland.