Overview
One of the largest country houses in Ireland once stood in these woods; it was deroofed in the 1930s and finally demolished in 1978, and what remains is 637 acres of Coillte woodland that you can walk for free. Castlemorres sits off the R701, a short drive from Kilkenny city and the villages of Knocktopher and Kilmaganny. Three colour-coded loops start at the Grand Gates and wind through mature beech and sweet chestnut, past surviving stone outbuildings and the footprint of the vanished house. It is a plain, honest woodland walk rather than a manicured heritage attraction – no toilets, no café, no visitor centre – and that is much of the appeal.
A Layered History
The Morres family arrived in Ireland with Strongbow in the 12th century, and Hervey Morres was granted these lands in 1684 for Cromwellian service. The Palladian house went up around 1751 to a design by the architect Francis Bindon, and at its peak the demesne had formal gardens, a walled kitchen garden, a lime-tree walk and a large pond, with a fair that ran here every year until the 1950s. Worth knowing as you walk in: the Grand Gates were not the original entrance. The first driveway was a long, straight avenue lined with holly trees, still there but reverted to a gated track.
The house was sold to the Land Commission in 1924, deroofed in the early 1930s, and demolished in 1978. The story now reads off the ground itself – the surviving courtyard outbuildings, the Morres family vault in the nearby Aghaviller churchyard, and a round tower that stood here long before the estate.
Walking the Trails
All three routes begin and end at the Grand Gates car-park. Coloured arrows on wooden posts guide the way, and information boards at the entrance outline each loop’s distance and points of interest. Dogs are welcome on all trails but must be kept on a lead.
Fern Loop (3 km)
An easy, flat circuit of about an hour. It stays close to the old estate core, through mixed woodland and past the ruins of the stable yard, and it is the pick for families with young children or anyone wanting a short, relaxed walk.
Holly Loop (6 km)
Moderate terrain with gentle gradients, following minor roads and wider tracks deeper into the forest. It gives more varied scenery and passes the stone courtyard outbuildings that once ringed the main house.
Pheasant Loop (7 km)
The longest route circles the whole woodland over a couple of hours. The climbing is modest and the reward is broader views out over the surrounding farmland. This is also the one that takes you past Aghaviller church and its round tower, a couple of hundred metres from the trailhead.
Wildlife & Woodland Character
Coillte’s light-touch management has let the wood keep a natural character. Mature beech and sweet chestnut make a dappled canopy, and standing and fallen dead wood gives cover to the usual native woodland wildlife – if you are quiet and out early you stand a fair chance of red squirrels and woodpeckers, though nothing is guaranteed. The wood is at its best in autumn, when the chestnut and beech turn gold and russet.
Practical Information
- Entry & Opening Hours: Free access, open year-round. The woodland is accessible at all reasonable daylight hours.
- Parking: Free car-park at the Grand Gates, with clear signage from the R701.
- Facilities: Picnic tables near the entrance, way-marked trails, and information boards detailing the estate’s history and walking routes. No toilets or café on site.
- Accessibility: The Fern Loop is largely flat and suitable for pushchairs on firm ground. The Holly and Pheasant loops follow gravel and dirt tracks that can become muddy after rain; sturdy footwear is recommended.
- Maps: Downloadable trail maps are available through Coillte and Trail Kilkenny. Bring a printed copy or save the PDF offline, as mobile signal can be patchy within the denser sections of the wood.
Planning Your Visit
Castlemorres Estate works well as a standalone walk or as part of a broader day trip through north Kilkenny. Pair it with a visit to Kilkenny Castle or a stroll along the Medieval Mile in the city, then drive out to the R701 for a quiet afternoon in the woods. If you are tracing local history, combine the walk with a visit to the Aghaviller churchyard to see the family vault and the round tower up close – a 12th-century national monument, one of five in County Kilkenny, and unusual for having two doorways rather than one. Pack a picnic, keep dogs on a lead, and check the weather forecast before heading out – the forest tracks are best underfoot when dry. The estate does not host guided tours or seasonal events, so you will likely have the trails to yourself, making it an ideal spot for uninterrupted walking or photography.