Things to do in Co. Louth
14 places
1.Clogherhead Cliff Walk
the only high headland between the Mournes and Howth
A short, easy clifftop walk around Clogherhead headland, the only high rocky outcrop on Ireland's east coast between the Mourne Mountains and Howth, with sweeping views of the Irish Sea, Cooley and Mourne Mountains and Lambay Island.
- Highlights
- Only high headland on the east coast between the Mourne Mountains and Howth
- Panoramic views of the Cooley and Mourne Mountains and Lambay Island
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with rare coastal heathland
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
2.Carlingford to Omeath Greenway
a 19km cross-border trail on an old railway line
A flat, traffic-free walking and cycling trail on a former railway line that links medieval Carlingford to Omeath along the shore of Carlingford Lough, with the route now continuing across the border to Newry.
- Highlights
- Flat, traffic-free and family-friendly
- Views over Carlingford Lough to the Mourne and Cooley Mountains
- Former Dundalk-Newry-Greenore railway line
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
3.Rathescar Lakeside Walk
a free 1 km lakeside loop loved by birdwatchers
A free-to-visit, peaceful loop around a small woodland lake near Dunleer, Co. Louth, loved by families, dog walkers and birdwatchers.
- Highlights
- Free entry and free parking
- ~1 km easy circular walk, 20-30 minutes
- Swans, ducks and woodland birds close up
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Dog-friendly
4.Ravensdale Forest Recreation Area
woodland trails, standing stones and a 506m peak
A quiet Coillte recreation forest on the slopes of Black Mountain (506m), with waymarked woodland trails, standing stones and views over the Cooley Peninsula — rarely crowded and dog-friendly.
- Highlights
- Three waymarked trails: Ravensdale Loop, Táin Way, Ring of Gullion
- Black Mountain (506m) summit views
- Standing stones and other archaeological features
- Facilities
- Dog-friendly · Wheelchair access
5.An Táin Arts Centre
350-seat theatre plus free gallery in the old Town Hall
Dundalk's arts hub, housed in the former Town Hall on Crowe Street, packs a 350-seat theatre, a studio stage, a free gallery and artist studios under one roof. Expect anything from national theatre tours and comedy to contemporary exhibitions, film festivals and workshops.
- Highlights
- 350-seat main theatre plus 55-seat studio stage
- Free rotating exhibitions in the basement gallery
- Former Town Hall building on Crowe Street
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
6.Castle Roche
Ireland's first castle built by a woman
A windswept 13th-century Norman ruin crowning a rocky hilltop on the old frontier of The Pale, where Lady Rohesia de Verdun is said to have thrown her architect-husband from the "Murder Window". Free to visit, remote, and rarely crowded.
- Highlights
- First castle in Ireland known to have been built by a woman (Lady Rohesia de Verdun, 1236)
- Rare triangular layout dictated by the rock summit
- Murder Window legend and reported ghost
- Facilities
- Good for kids
7.Ice House Hill Park
a 1780s ice house in a restored 20-hectare park
A restored 20-hectare parkland in Dundalk, wrapped around a duck pond with fountains and the vaulted remains of an 18th-century ice house that once served the Earl of Clanbrassil's Dundalk House demesne.
- Highlights
- c. 1780 double-vaulted ice house
- 2-acre duck pond with fountains
- ~1 mile of golden-gravel paths
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Dog-friendly · Wheelchair access
8.Irish Folklore Park
a free storybook park of Irish myths and fairies
A free, whimsical open-air park on the shores of Carlingford Lough where storyboards, fairy sculptures and the underground Leprechaun Cavern bring the myths of the Cooley Peninsula to life.
- Highlights
- Free admission to the open-air park
- Storyboards of Cooley Peninsula legends and a fairy village
- Lough and mountain views from the shore
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
9.Skypark of Carlingford
460ft zipline with 30 obstacles
Ireland's largest adventure park — 30+ aerial obstacles, seven zip wires, and a dozen land activities set against the Cooley Mountains, just outside the medieval village of Carlingford.
- Highlights
- Ireland's largest aerial adventure course — 30+ obstacles and 7 zip wires
- 460ft Zipfinity zipline
- 776m² Ireland's Ancient East Maze with interchangeable gates
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
10.Stephenstown Pond
a community-run nature park with a historic Burns-family cottage
A community-run nature park with lakeside walkways, woodlands, and abundant wildlife — an ideal family day out in the Louth countryside.
- Highlights
- Community-led, not-for-profit — all proceeds reinvested
- 57+ species of trees and shrubs, 47+ bird species
- Agnes Burns Cottage — sister of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Dog-friendly · Wheelchair access
11.Carlingford Adventure Centre
home of Ireland's longest aerial adventure course
Carlingford Adventure Centre runs 30+ outdoor activities across land, sea and sky in the medieval village of Carlingford, anchored by Skypark – home of Ireland's longest aerial adventure course and its only wheelchair-accessible zipline.
- Highlights
- Ireland's longest aerial adventure course
- Only accessible zipline in Ireland
- 30+ activities across land, sea and sky
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
12.Carlingford Castle
a Norman castle where King John slept in 1210
A 12th-century Norman fortress dominating the shores of Carlingford Lough, where King John himself once stayed — now accessible by guided tour through one of Ireland's best-preserved medieval walled towns.
- Highlights
- Built c.1190 by Norman baron Hugh de Lacy
- King John of England seized and stayed here in 1210
- Extensively renovated by the OPW for public access
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
13.Funtasia Theme Park | Drogheda
Europe's tallest vertical drop slide
Ireland's largest indoor theme park — a 35,000 sq ft waterpark with over 200 aquatic activities plus bowling, laser tag, fairground rides, climbing walls and more, all under one roof just 40 minutes from Dublin.
- Highlights
- 35,000 sq ft indoor waterpark — Ireland's first
- Three new water coasters in Pirate's Cove
- Star Flyer swing ride (newest attraction)
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
14.The Pirates Den
big blue slide, ball volcano & toddler zone
A long-running indoor kids' play centre in Dundalk with a famous big blue slide, a ball volcano and a dedicated toddler zone — a solid rainy-day option for families with young children.
- Highlights
- Famous big blue slide and ball volcano
- Dedicated toddler area for under-3s
- Wednesday Parent and Toddler mornings (school terms)
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access