| Tollymore Forest Park | |
|---|---|
.JPG) A wooden footbridge crossing the Shimna River in Tollymore Forest Park | |
| Map | |
  Location of Tollymore Forest Park | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 54°12′58″N 5°55′01″W / 54.216°N 5.917°W |
| Area | 630 hectares (1,600 acres) |
| Administration | |
| Established | 2 June 1955 |
| Governing body | Forest Service Northern Ireland |
Tollymore Forest Park was the first state forest park in Northern Ireland, established on 2 June 1955. It is located at Bryansford, near the town of Newcastle in the Mourne and Slieve Croob Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It covers an area of 630 hectares (1,600 acres) at the foot of the Mourne Mountains and has views of the surrounding mountains and the sea at nearby Newcastle. The Shimna River flows through the park where it is crossed by 16 bridges, the earliest dating to 1726. The river is a spawning ground for salmon and trout and is an Area of Special Scientific Interest due to its geology, flora and fauna. The forest has four walking trails signposted by different coloured arrows, the longest being the "long haul trail" at 8 miles (13 km) long. It was listed in The Sunday Times top twenty British picnic sites for 2000. The Forest Park has been managed by the Forest Service since they purchased it from the Roden Estate in 1941.