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Cong Forest had almost 87,400 visits last year, making it the tenth most popular Coillte recreational site in 2024. Cong Forest offers a variety of walking trails through its lands, which were formally part of the Ashford Estate and owned by the Guinness family until 1939. The trails traverse diverse forest landscapes that are home to a wide range of wildlife species and a rich biodiversity. It also offers visitors sights such as the Pigeon Hole Cave, where water flowing from Lough Mask to Lough Corrib is visible by descending the stone steps. In first place with almost 350,000 visits, Avondale Forest Park is home to the visitor destination Beyond the Trees Avondale, which officially opened in July 2022. In addition to Avondale House, the home of Charles Stewart Parnell, the property now features a unique Treetop Walk and Viewing Tower. Ireland’s longest slide is also on site. For the Halloween season, a Spooktacular Halloween Twilight Trail and family fun activities will be offered. Coillte is the largest provider of outdoor recreation in Ireland, with a total of 260 forest recreational areas, 12 forest parks, and six mountain bike centres nationwide. Coillte’s head of recreation, Daithi de Forge, said, "Coillte is delighted to see the growth in visitor numbers to three million, across our most popular recreational sites in 2024. This increase highlights the importance of outdoor recreation and reflects a growing public desire to spend time in nature. "Storm Éowyn caused unprecedented damage in January to our productive and recreational forests, as well as to biodiversity areas across the country. Almost 100 Coillte recreation locations were closed after the storm, and we’re pleased that 92 of these sites have since reopened following significant efforts by the Coillte team, with just eight sites remaining closed at this time." Earlier in 2025, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht announced that it would invest over €4 million at Coillte recreational sites this year. This funding will be dedicated towards new trail infrastructure, ongoing maintenance and repair of damage caused by recent storms, including Storm Éowyn in January of this year. This funding is crucial for maintaining the upkeep and improvement of locations, as well as ensuring the continued safety of visitors who seek to enjoy the outdoors and reap the benefits that nature offers for their health and well-being. For more information, www.coillte.ie
