Covering an area of almost 630 hectares at the foot of the Mourne Mountains this Forest Park offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the sea at Newcastle.
The forest has four walking trails signposted by different coloured arrows, the longest being the “long haul trail” at 8 miles (13 km) long. The Shimna River flows through the park. A population of red squirrels calls the forest their home. The Tollymore Red Squirrel Group was formed in 2004 by a group of volunteers and Forest Service management and staff, united by a common concern – the loss of the red squirrel in Tollymore Forest Park.
A few years later the group was joined by personnel from Mourne Heritage Trust. The group is dependant on its partnership with Forest Service, who is the landowner of the forests in which it works.
Since 2004 the group has been actively involved in conserving as well as increasing the red squirrel population in Tollymore Park, by supplementing the red squirrels natural food and managing the grey squirrel population within the park. To find out more visit www.tollymoreredsquirrelgroup.com
