House & Garden Trails in Carlow
WOODFORD ISLAND
Located on the grounds of our hotel, you won’t have far to travel to experience true tranquillity and relaxation.
Following the gardens at the rear of the hotel, cross the red bridge over the River Barrow and into the natural paradise to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of your day. On Woodford Island, you’ll be met with the beautiful sounds and scents that nature has to offer.
The singing birds, the crisp leaves, and the beautiful sound of the River Barrow will be sure to give you that blissful feeling of relaxation you need. You will also find an array of wildlife on the island, such as Heron, Swans and Field Butterflies.
Woodford Island is the ideal trail for walking and appreciating what nature has to offer. Read more about Woodford Island and find out how much more it has to offer.
CARLOW GARDEN TRAIL
It should come as no surprise to hear that Carlow is a treasure trove of wonderful gardens. Follow the Carlow Garden Trail, a collection of 16 gardening attractions featuring old gardens lovingly restored and maintained or smaller gardens that are maturing beautifully over time.
Award-winning garden centres and forest parks complement the joy of a visit on the Carlow Garden Trail.
The Carlow Garden Trail can be driven in one day but we recommend you book one of our special offers and give yourself the time to enjoy the remarkable beauty at a more leisurely pace.
The trail can be joined at any gardening attraction and then you just follow the easily identifiable signposts.
ALTAMONT GARDENS
Visit Heritage Ireland’s most romantic garden within a 20-minute drive our the hotel. Discover the stunning and sweeping estate covering 16 hectares in total. Admission is FREE, with a charge of €2 for parking.
The Robinsonian or Arts and Craft style of this garden gracefully melds formal and informal elements while blending in with surroundings. Take a fascinating walk through the Arboretum, Bog Garden and Ice Age Glen, sheltered by ancient oaks and flanked by huge stone outcrops, leads to the banks of the River Slaney. Make sure to visit in summer to experience the glorious perfume of roses and herbaceous plants in the air.
Then enjoy a break at the Altamount Garden Cafe, which offers delightful home baked cakes and scones with freshly brewed tea and coffee, with takeaway options available. And light snacks are available during summer months.
Altamount Gardens is open all year, 7 days a week including bank holidays. The seasonal opening times for April to September are 9am to 6.30pm.
OUR FAIRY GARDEN
Ireland has long since been known for fairy tales and we’re very lucky at the Woodford Dolmen to be the chosen home of King Oran, Queen Tianna and their daughter Orla with the Magical Fairy clan.
Having a King and Queen stay with us was a huge responsibility, luckily, we’re used to giving our guests the red-carpet treatment and we were well prepared. Quickly the fairies made their home in our gardens and christened it ‘An Draoicht Glen’. The fairies have since built their homes among the trees and hedges.
The Fairy Garden is fenced off, so only our guests get special access to see the fairy’s homes among the trees. Explore the garden and see where the mystical creature live, and see how many homes you can find.
DELTA SENSORY GARDEN
These gardens are part of Delta Centre which was established in 1990 as a centre for adults with disabilities. The Sensory Gardens were created as a therapeutic outlet for those attending the service. Just a 10 minute drive from our hotel to this fantastic garden.
The sensory theatre building in the gardens houses a reception, toilet facilities, a colourful indoor musical fountain and activities room. Attached to this building is the very popular Café Thyme which serves food daily and linked to this is a small garden centre.
ARBORETUM GARDEN & HEAVEN
Bord Bia’s first ever Five Star Garden Centre is just a 10 minute drive from our hotel!
The Arboretum is an award wining family run business that guarantees a gardening and lifestyle experience that is second to none. With dedication, enthusiasm and passion for the business the Doyle family has established the business as one of Ireland’s leading garden centres.
& Sunday: 11am – 6pm.
BORRIS HOUSE GARDENS & WOODLANDS
Situated in the beautiful Barrow Valley in County Carlow, Borris House is one of the most picturesque country houses in Ireland. Built in 1731 by Morgan Kavanagh, it is the hereditary home of the MacMorrough Kavanagh family, former Celtic kings of Leinster, and the famous twelfth century Kavanagh Charter Horn remains on display in the house today.
HARDYMOUNT GARDENS
Travel just 2o minutes from our hotel and arrive at Hardymount Gardens which houses one of the largest Spanish chestnuts in the country which greets you on arrival to 2.5 acres of lawns and shrubs surrounded by magnificent beech and oak trees.
A wonderful walled garden behind the house contains many unusual plants and flowers in the herbaceous border – lilac coloured Erysimum, yellow helianthus, beds of old roses, downy variegated mint, mimosa, blue agapanthus, California tree poppies, Chinese foxgloves and much, much more.
Admission is €5 (in aid of Cancer Research). Open daily 2 – 6 p.m. May – August inclusive.
BLACKSTAIRS ECO TRAIL
The Blackstairs Eco Trails is perfect for walking, hiking, cycling and swimming, just 5 kilometres away from the Georgian village of Borris in South Carlow.
If you are into nature or wildlife, this South Carlow gem with over 40 years is completely unspoilt and rich in biodiversity, with even a young 5-acre Oak wood for visitors to explore. If canoeing or swimming is part of your plans, Blackstairs Eco Trails also has a small lake, ideal for a dip or a canoe trip around the island. There are also fields, a wild flower meadow & a classical Old Rose Garden for guests’ enjoyment.
The Blackstairs Eco Trails is a Gold acredited Eco-Tourism destination, certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
Admission is €10 | OAP/Students €6 | Children Free
Hours 9am -1pm
Open to public from July 31st – August 31st
THE SOUTH LEINSTER WAY
The South Leinster Way is a long distance walking route which starts from Kildavin, Co. Carlow to finish in Carrick-on-Suir in Co. Tipperary covering 102 kilometres (64 miles) in length and ascending some 1600 metres. FREE to visit and walk. Estimated length of the walk is 5 days.
It is a route that passes through varied terrain, including the heathery flanks of Mount Leinster (796m) and Brandon Hill (515m), a fine riverside stretch on the River Barrow, a large decayed demesne, and coniferous woodlands, but it finishes with a long stretch of 30 km on quiet tarmac roads.
Explore Carlow
Explore Carlow from The Woodford Dolmen Hotel. A Comfortable stay awaits, after your adventures!
