Google Earth Community: Ireland's Largest National Park

This is the largest National Park in Ireland. It comprises 16,000 hectares of Hills, Lakes, Rivers, Woodlands and bogs. Glenveagh is the haunt of many rare and interesting plants and animals and is famous for it’s fine herd of red deer. The Park contains the peaks of the two highest mountains in Co. Donegal, Errigal (752m) and Slieve Snaght (683m). The steep sided valley of Glenveagh holds the 5.5km-long Lough Veagh. The site occupied by the Castle and Gardens was wild mountain moorland. In 1869 the first part of the Castle was constructed. However it was not until the mid 1880's that the Gardens were started. The two major elements of the Garden, the Pleasure Gardens and the Walled Garden were constructed in the late 1880's. The original Victorian Garden layout remains intact. It was for Mrs. Cornelia Adair that the gardens were constructed. Mrs. Adair employed a Kew trained gardener to lay out the gardens. Some of the planting in the Pleasure Grounds such as the purple maples and the Scots pine trees were planted at this time.
Glenveagh National Park is located 24km north-west of Letterkenny and can be reached via the villages of Kilmacrennan or Churchill.

Access from Letterkenny is by the (N56) road through Kilmacrennan, turning left on to the Gweedore road (R255), or alternatively via Church Hill, and past Gartan and Akibbon lakes (R251). This route passes close to both Newmills and the Glebe Gallery.

Admission to the National Park and Visitor Centre is free.

Cars are not allowed beyond the visitor centre however
a shuttle bus service is available to take visitors to the castle
and gardens.
Adult €2.00 (return)
Concession €1.00 (return)

Castle Tour
Adult €3.00
Group/Senior €2.00
Child/Student €1.50
Family €7.00

Admission to Glenveagh castle is by guided tour only and takes aprox. 30mins.

Admission to the gardens is free of charge

Opening Arrangements

The National Park is open to the public all year round, apart from Good Friday and Christmas Week.

Park open 10.00am - 6.00pm March - October
Last admission 5.00pm

9am - 5pm October - March (last admission 4pm)

Those wishing to take the guided tour of Glenveagh Castle should note that during the summer months demand can be high and therefore early arrival is advisable.

Edited by ZarateKearns (11/03/08 04:42 AM)