Worth the trip from Cork: Treetop walk was a highlight of house tour

Avondale House and Forest Park is located at the heart of County Wicklow and these days is better known for being home to the treetop walk, an experience known as ‘Beyond the Trees’, the first of its kind in Ireland and the UK.

It comprises a self guided 1.4km treetop walk which was opened in June, 2022, with a viewing tower at the end, 38m above the forest floor, where 360 degree panoramic views of the countryside beyond can be enjoyed.

When viewing is finished, there is the option of a giant slide to be taken to the base of the tower, or you can simply walk down! A well-stocked gift shop awaits where a multitude of woodland-related items can be purchased.

Indeed, it is not for the faint of heart, but the whole experience is one that you will not forget, it is very educational with some very informative and innovative signage along the way.

Educational and engaging for adults and children alike, the information is not only about the trees - wildlife takes centre stage here too, with birds, where they nest, and their different songs identified.

Native wildlife versus non-natives, like the red and grey squirrels, are described, with positive accounts of red squirrel numbers in recent years as the pine martin is preying on the introduced grey squirrels, whose numbers are decreasing.

Avondale House and Forest Park did strike me as being a very good place to go to learn about trees from all over the world, with plenty of mature trees for identification and information provided about their origins, growing conditions, and uses of the timber.

Growing trees has a long history at this location, with the house being built in 1779 by Samuel Hayes, Wicklow’s representative in the Irish House of Commons. He was the man that began the tree planting here, with many of the ones planted under his guidance seen as mature specimens today.

The estate later passed to Charles Steward Parnell, famous for his leadership of the Home Rule movement. He died in 1891 and the estate passed into state ownership in 1904.

At this stage, it became the first forestry training school established by the department of Agriculture, and it was during this time that ‘The Great Tree Experiment’ was started to discover which trees were best suited to growing in the Irish climate for commercial forestry.

Plots of trees were planted - 54 conifers and 45 broadleaf species adjacent to the Great Ride.

The forestry training school continued at Avondale until the 1970s and during the 1980s Coillte took over the management of the estate and still run it today.

In recent years, the emphasis is on the tree top walk and viewing tower, but there are a variety of walking and cycling trails to be explored throughout the 500 acres of mature woodland.

Tours of the house are also available and there are plenty of facilities on-site providing refreshments close to the new visitor centre, which has been developed on the site of the former seed store which was where seeds collected by forestry students in the early 1900s were stored and preserved to ensure quality seeds.

Collected seed is now stored at a more modern facility in County Carlow.

The remnants of a walled garden is now the site of a modern playground and wildflower area adjacent to the visitor centre.

It looks like there are also plans for growing vegetables to supply the café in part of this area in the future, which would be an interesting addition to the experience.

Some information provided in this area highlights the importance of seasonal eating and using locally grown food, an increasingly important message for the future.

There is a sensory garden located close to the front of Avondale House, on what was known as the bleaching green, where linen was spread out on the ground to be whitened by the sun.

Gardens do not take centre stage at this forest park, trees are the main players, that is for sure.

Trees form such an important part of our landscape and were never more important with the threat of global warming and our planet overheating.

Their presence helps to cool and clean our air and also stores carbon, helps to prevent soil erosion, provides habitat and seasonal interest, and provides a most useful raw material, timber, which is so versatile with so many different uses.

Forest parks like Avondale help to highlight the importance that a green oasis provides, and underline the need to continue planting and expanding to ensure a healthier future for everyone.

Additionally, trees that were planted historically on this site may have information valuable to us about trees that can cope well with changing climatic conditions.

Plant of the Week

Naturally, it has to be a tree at this location, and European larch (Larix decidua) was looking good from the top of the walkway.

This is a deciduous conifer, its needles turning golden yellow before shedding in the autumn, and also bearing attractive new foliage in spring, making it a visually attractive specimen for the garden if space allows.

It can get to 30 metres tall, with a spread of about 8 metres, and can live for more than 200 years.

The European larch is native to the mountains of central Europe, preferring a well drained soil in full sun. It is widely grown commercially as its timber is very durable and of a high quality.

Also a great tree for supporting wildlife, with red squirrels and siskins eating the seeds and many different moths feeding on the foliage.