After years of passing a signpost for Donadea I finally made the trip today. It was about an hour from my home and although the blue skies kept themselves stubbornly hidden and replaced with pale clouds, it was warm with a gentle South Westerly breeze and around 21°C.
Donadea Forest is another Coillte site ( pronounced kwil·tuh), https://www.coillte.ie/ and it has to be said they have done a great amount of work to open beautiful walks for the people of Ireland and beyond.
Donadea Forest Park includes Donadea Castle and estate, the former home of the Aylmer family up until 1935. There are many historical features including the remains of the castle and walled gardens. Another feature of the park is the 9/11 Memorial, a scaled replica of the twin towers carved in limestone.
The small lake is brimming with ducks, waterhens and has a beautiful display of water lilies in the summer. There is a café open throughout the year but it seems to only open from lunch hour through the afternoon.
All in all it was a lovely place to visit, the summer breeze had the trees talking to me, the peace and quiet was something to behold. I will go back there again as it was one of the best sites I have seen so far. It is so good for mental health to visit these forests, they fill one with a feeling of renewal.
For a very detailed history of Donadea please visit https://seamuscullen.net/donadea.html
8 KM south of Kilcock 13KM north of Naas on the Killcock Road.
Told you it was a lovely place. Love the photos.
Thank you Geraldine, I certainly would go back there again.