A 243-hectare former Aylmer estate turned forest park, Donadea pairs ruined castle walls and a lily-covered lake with marked woodland trails and an unexpected limestone 9/11 memorial.
A flat 0.8 km loop (about 30 minutes) circles the ornamental lake and is the one trail fully suited to wheelchairs and buggies. Expect ducks, coots and waterhens, plus a carpet of white water lilies by mid-summer, with benches along the way.
The longest loop, 5.7 km (about 1.5 hours), is a Slí na Sláinte route through broadleaf woods and the 19th-century Lime Tree Avenue. It passes a scaled limestone replica of the Twin Towers honouring New York firefighter Sean Tallon, whose family came from Donadea.
Explore the ivy-clad ruins of Donadea Castle, home of the Aylmer family until 1935, plus St Peter's Church and tower, an ice house and a boathouse. The walled garden has been replanted near its estate layout, with benches and picnic tables.
An easy 1.6 km loop (roughly an hour) winds through man-made estate features and native woodland, with a short shrubbery section. Look for squirrels and woodland birds in the trees.
Zipit Donadea, opening within the park in 2026, adds high-ropes circuits, linked ziplines and suspended treetop nets for ages 3+ (ziplines from 7+). Sessions run about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Three permanent orienteering courses, Short (1.8 km), Medium (3.4 km) and Long (4.6 km), are set through the trees. Download the maps and answer sheet from the Coillte website before you visit.
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