Afraid of heights? No need to look down, reassures our guide, Dave Ballesty. The trees look their best from the side. “There is no reason to look down, because there’s no hazard. If you look out and you look up, then you’re looking up, you’re seeing the same as if you are standing on Mount Everest, or you’re standing at ground levels. It doesn’t matter. You’re still seeing the same height.“
Set within the sprawling 500-acre Avondale Forest Park in County Wicklow, Beyond the Trees Avondale invites visitors to start at the top. The visitor centre is on a hilltop, so the walk is flat while the valley falls away beneath the boardwalk and we get to see some famous trees from an accessible vantage point. .
Managed by Coillte in partnership with Fáilte Ireland and EAK Ireland, the 1.4km Treetop Walk, Ireland’s longest, guides guests along a gentle, wheelchair-accessible boardwalk through the forest canopy, offering views of the Avonmore River valley and an arboretum featuring 300-year-old trees planted by Hayes. Informative signs and interactive stations along the walk provide insights into local flora and fauna, while the 38-metre Viewing Tower, constructed with sustainable Irish timber, rewards climbers with 360-degree vistas of the Wicklow Mountains and Vale of Avoca. For an extra €2, Avondale valiants can descend via the 90-metre spiral slide, weather permitting.
The Seed Café serves seasonal dishes using locally sourced ingredients, with outdoor seating overlooking the rejuvenated Walled Garden, where a children’s playground and sensory garden add to the appeal. Guided tours of Avondale House, lasting about 30 minutes, explore the Parnell family’s legacy, showcasing rooms like the entrance hall, drawing room, and the American-style room with Parnell’s original Wooton desk.
The Coillte Pavilion offers a free self-guided exhibit on Ireland’s forestry history, while trails like the 5.2km River Walk, 2km Tree Trail, and 2km Railway Walk cater to those eager to explore the park’s grounds. Picnic areas and a gift shop with local crafts complete the experience.
For the past two years, Beyond the Trees has introduced “Treetop Night Lights,” running from mid November to mid January, transforming the Treetop Walk into a lit evening experience with a winter-themed display, ideal for families and evening visitors. A new theme will be introduced for the 2025-26 programme. Last year’s theme was “animals in the park.”
The Smurfs Village event, from 19 July to August 2025, will feature interactive activities and live shows tailored for children aged 3–12, running Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Special character appearances, such as Chase and Marshall from Paw Patrol on 16 and 17 August 2025, add to the family-focused calendar.
The attraction remains fully accessible, with wheelchair-friendly facilities, parking for 1,000 cars, and electric vehicle charging points, though visitors should note the €6 parking fee and book tickets in advance due to high demand.
The signage directs the eye to the trees planted by barrister Samuel Hayes, a keen naturalist who planted thousands of trees to combat Ireland’s dwindling forests, forms the historical heart of the estate. He conceived an ark of copses of native trees, sn oidea which has become fiercely fashionable 250 years after he first tried it. Hayes also bult Avondale House in 1777. Designed by architect James Wyatt in the Georgian style, the house passed to Sir John Parnell in 1795 and later to his descendant Charles Stewart Parnell, the renowned Irish political leader born there in 1846.
Having destroyed the career and shortened the life of its most famous occupant, the house was acquired by the Westminster government in 1904, and the estate became a hub for modern forestry, until eventually Coillte having inherited its preservation. The house, restored in 2022, complements the forest park’s trails and the innovative Treetop Walk, which opened to acclaim that year.
Dave Ballesty advises: “Do try to experience all of the activities along the way. It would get you in touch with your inner child. So that when you get the slide, you will be on first name terms with them and you’ll be willing to come down the slide.“
Dave Ballesty says the oldest child to do the slide was 94. A walk in the woods.
