Walk the waymarked routes
Five signposted routes start and end at the Visitor Centre: Fairy (1.3km), Sculpture Park (3.3km), Mesolithic (9.3km), Finnamore Lakes (11.7km) and Turraun (15.8km). The landscape is level and suits all ages and abilities.
Lough Boora Discovery Park
4.7 (2,000)
About
A former industrial peat bog rewilded into 50km of flat trails, lakes and wetlands, with 24 large-scale sculptures made from the machinery that once worked the turf.
Things to Do
Explore the Sculpture Park
Twenty-four permanent works by Irish and international artists sit along the 3.3km route, including Michael Bulfin's Sky Train of peat wagons, Julian Wild's 18m serpentine System No. 30 and the Gathering of the Stones ring. Information panels tell each piece's story.
Cycle and hire a bike
Three bike-friendly routes cross the bog, with smooth, traffic-free surfaces and shortcuts. Hire runs 10:00-16:30 Thursday to Sunday via Mid Ireland Adventures (call 085 173 5204); take care at the road crossing and the four rail crossings.
Follow the Fairy Trail
A 1.3km family route past 14 fairy doors, the Wishing Seat, a bug hotel and the Willow World maze. Printed fairy maps are free from the Visitor Centre.
Birdwatch from the hides
The park records over 130 bird species and holds Ireland's last native Grey Partridge population. Use the wheelchair-accessible thatched hide at Tumduff Beag or the Boora Lake hide opposite, and keep dogs on a lead.
Fish the four lakes
Boora Lake and Loch an Dochais are coarse fisheries (tench, roach, perch), Finnamore Upper and Lower hold carp, bream and tench, and Loch Clochan is fly-only rainbow trout. Permits vary by lake; phone 057 934 0010 for details.
Join a guided tour
Daily and private guided walks cover the Sculpture Park, fairy trail, sensory garden, forestry and wetlands, themed on art, history, wildlife or ecology. Book at tickets.loughboora.com.
Picnic by Loch an Dochais
The Pavilion, three picnic areas and benches along the routes make easy lunch stops; wheelchair-accessible picnic benches are provided. The café terrace overlooks the lake.
Plan Your Visit
- Hours: Park open 365 days a year; wider trails open 7 days a week. Visitor Information is open 7 days April to October (email or phone November to March). Café 10:00-16:30 Wednesday-Sunday in the off-season; bike hire 10:00-16:30 Thursday-Sunday. Check the park's Facebook page for current times.
- Parking: Main car park (130 cars) is free of charge and open 08:00-18:00, 7 days, year-round; further parking is available south past the main gates. Coach parking for 5 coaches with overflow.
- Food: Café at the visitor hub overlooking Loch an Dochais, open 10:00-16:30, with a gift shop; group lunch packages come from the award-winning Ballycommon Bake House. Dietary needs can be catered for with 48 hours' notice.
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