A 589-hectare coastal nature reserve where a mature pine forest planted on an old sand spit meets dunes and a shell-sand beach — home to rare plants and one-third of the world's Greenland white-fronted geese each winter.
The main trail is a 6.5–7 km loop on a compacted stone surface with minimal gradient, suitable for walkers, buggies, and wheelchairs. It passes under mature Corsican pines, opens into dunes and salt-marsh lagoons, then meets the shore at Curracloe. The full loop including the beach stretch is about 9 km. Allow 2–3 hours. Red waymarking arrows mark the route.
The woods are a stronghold for native red squirrels, which thrive on pine seeds. The elusive pine marten keeps grey squirrel numbers at bay. Look for common lizards basking on sunny days, and in summer the reserve is alive with 25 species of butterfly plus dragonflies and damselflies. The ivy mining bee was recorded here for the first time in Ireland in 2021.
The forest trail opens onto a wide, golden shell-sand beach that forms part of the Curracloe strand — about 4 km long. It's quieter than the main Curracloe access points and makes a fine spot for a picnic with a view. Check tide times: a high tide can briefly cut off the sand-bar crossing at the southern tip.
Between October and April, roughly 35% of the world's Greenland white-fronted geese roost on the sand bar at the southern tip — arrive around dusk to watch them return. Large flocks of waders roost year-round, little terns nest on the shell beaches, and crossbills can sometimes be spotted working the pine cones.
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