Overview
Lough Key Forest Park is Coillte’s flagship woodland park, spread over about 800 acres of the old Rockingham estate on the southern shore of Lough Key, just off the N4 between Boyle and Carrick-on-Shannon. It packs a lot in – forest trails, the estate’s follies and tunnels, a working marina and a cluster of paid attractions – and the modern lakeside Visitor Centre is where the day starts, with a café and hire desks for bikes and kayaks. If you’ve brought children and only a few hours, point them at the Tree Canopy Walk and the Adventure Play Kingdom. If you’ve come for the history, do the Rockingham Remembered Tour, which strings the tunnels, the tower and the canopy walk into one route.
History and the Rockingham estate
The park is the old Rockingham Estate, and the house at its centre was one of John Nash’s – built in 1809 for the King family, a neoclassical pile set among landscaped gardens, canals and follies. Fire gutted it in 1957. The shell stood for another thirteen years before it was demolished in 1970.
Rather than clear the footprint, the owners put the Moylurg Viewing Tower on it. Finished in 1973, the concrete tower is a jarring thing to find among Georgian landscaping, but it makes a good landmark and a better viewpoint. Underneath the grounds runs a network of 19th-century service tunnels, built so staff could move between house, stables and kitchen unseen – and now one of the more memorable parts of a visit.
The lake carries its own history. Out on Castle Island stand the weathered remains of a 19th-century castellated house, raised on the site of the McDermotts’ medieval stronghold that once controlled this whole stretch of water.
Nature, Wildlife & The Lake
Lough Key’s woodlands mix native broadleaf – oak, beech, ash – with conifers planted for forestry, so the colour shifts through the year from spring green to autumn gold. Red squirrels and badgers hold on in the cover, kingfishers and herons work the water’s edge, and buzzards ride the thermals over the canopy.
The park’s layout encourages quiet observation as much as active exploration. Boardwalk trails wind through wetland areas, and interpretive panels along the routes explain local flora, peat formation, and the ecological balance of the lake. Several small islands dot the water, each offering a different perspective on the shoreline. For a closer look, guided boat tours depart regularly from the lakeside jetty, navigating past the castle ruins and quieter coves that are hard to reach by land.
Walking, Cycling & Waterways
A network of marked trails covers the park, from short family strolls to longer forest walks that take in its odder corners – the Bog Garden, the Wishing Chair, the Fairy Bridge. The main routes are well-maintained and largely fine for pushchairs and mobility scooters, though the older estate paths turn uneven. Cycling works well too, with flat routes looping the Visitor Centre and out to the marina, bikes for hire on site, and a new Boyle to Lough Key cycleway if you’d rather arrive under your own steam.
Water-based exploration has been expanded in recent years with the restoration of Drummans Canal, a historic waterway that cuts across the southern shoreline. Now cleared for non-motorised craft, the canal provides a calm, sheltered route for kayaks and paddleboards. Beyond the park, the lake connects to the wider Shannon-Erne Waterway via the Boyle River, making it a recognised stop for leisure cruisers and a working marina for around 50 berths.
What to See & Do
Tree Canopy Walk
Ireland’s first elevated canopy walkway stretches 300 metres through the forest, rising roughly nine metres above the ground. The timber and steel structure weaves between mature trees, offering an unusual perspective of the woodland floor and panoramic views across the lake. The walk is fully accessible and connects directly to the Rockingham Remembered Tour route.
Rockingham Remembered Tour
This self-guided experience links three of the park’s signature attractions: the underground service tunnels, the Moylurg Viewing Tower, and the Tree Canopy Walk. Visitors follow a marked path with interpretive stops explaining the estate’s layout and the tower’s construction. The route is wheelchair-friendly at ground level, though the tower’s viewing platform is reached by stairs.
Adventure Activities
For those seeking more active pursuits, the park hosts a range of family-friendly attractions:
- Boda Borg – A Swedish indoor challenge: 15 ‘Quests’ made up of some 47 rooms of mental and physical puzzles, with no instructions – you work it out as a team of three to five, ages seven up. A good wet-weather bet.
- Zipit Forest Adventures – High-wire zip lines that run through the canopy at varying heights, suitable for different age groups and experience levels.
- Adventure Play Kingdom – An enclosed outdoor play area for younger children, with climbing frames, slides, and interactive elements.
- Cé Sauna – A traditional Finnish-style sauna located near the Visitor Centre, offering a quiet space to unwind after a day outdoors.
The park itself is free to walk, but the attractions are ticketed. The Rockingham Remembered Tour and canopy walk run about €10 an adult, €5 a child and €25 for a family of four; Boda Borg is priced separately, from around €30 an adult; and there’s an all-day combo pass if you’re doing several. Book the timed attractions ahead in summer.
Festivals & Events
Lough Key runs a busy events calendar. Summer brings music festivals – the Night and Day Festival among them – along with open-air cinema and guided folklore walks tied to the lake’s mythology. On the sporting side there’s the Lough Key Legends Run, a triathlon, and a weekly Parkrun on the lakeside trails, plus the Lough Spookey run around Halloween. Winter lights the grounds for festive walks. Dates and tickets change yearly, so check the park’s events page before you plan a visit around one.
Practical Information
- Getting there: Located on the N4, approximately 3 km east of Boyle. The entrance is clearly signposted from the main road.
- Parking: This is the catch – parking is not free. It’s €6 per vehicle, pay-on-exit, though you get it free if you spend €20 or more in the Visitor Centre or restaurant. Regular visitors can buy an annual parking pass for €50.
- Opening hours: Hours change by season – broadly 10.00–18.00 from April to June, later (to 20.00) on July and August weekends, and cut back to weekends only from November to February. Last entry to the Rockingham tour is an hour before closing, and to Boda Borg two hours before. Check current times before a winter visit.
- Accessibility: Most main trails and the Tree Canopy Walk are wheelchair and pushchair friendly. The Moylurg Tower viewing platform is reached by stairs. The Rockingham Remembered Tour route is level and suitable for wheelchairs and buggies.
- Dog policy: Dogs are welcome on the forest trails and around the grounds but must be kept on leads. They are not permitted on the Rockingham Remembered Tour, inside the Boda Borg, or in the Adventure Play Kingdom.
- Facilities: The Visitor Centre houses a café and restaurant, gift shop, toilets (including accessible facilities), picnic areas, and equipment hire desks. The marina has fuel, pump-out facilities, and slipway access for visiting boats.
- Nearby stops: Boyle Abbey, a well-preserved Cistercian ruin, and King House, a restored Georgian mansion, are both minutes away in Boyle. For a walk with a view, the Curlew Mountains ridge rises just to the north.
Plan to arrive by mid-morning to secure parking and beat the peak crowds, especially during school holidays and festival weekends. Book the canopy walk and indoor attractions in advance during summer, as they operate on timed entry slots to manage capacity.