With a fantastic adventure playground and the Giant's Lair storybook trail, the breathtaking Slieve Gullion Forest Park is one of the best places to visit in Northern Ireland with kids!
We lived in Northern Ireland before we had kids. It wasn't until recently that we've been introduced to all of the amazing family friendly activities the country has to offer. While the Giant's Causeway, Titanic Museum and other classic family attractions are all wonderful, we were especially impressed with what the Slieve Gullion Forest Park had to offer!
Here is everything you need to know for planning a visit to Slieve Gullion Forest Adventure Play Park and the Giant's Lair Trail with kids.
Our kids loved the adventure play park, which boasts stunning views of the surrounding area. But the real star of the show was the Giant's Lair Storybook trail. This imaginative and interactive storybook trail takes you through different chapters telling the tale of Finn McCool, a legendary Irish giant, and his adventures. Featuring a series of beautifully crafted fairy houses, troll dwellings and other mythological creatures, this was a highlight of our trip.
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- Here is everything you need to know for planning a visit to Slieve Gullion Forest Adventure Play Park and the Giant's Lair Trail with kids.
- Where is Slieve Gullion Forest Park?
- Pricing and Parking
- The Slieve Gullion Adventure Play Park
- Fionn's Giants Lair Storybook Trail
- The Slieve Gullion "Doe Doe" Fairy
- Food and Drink Options
- What to Wear
- Trip FAQs
- Did you find this guide for visiting the Slieve Gullion forest park with kids helpful? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Where is Slieve Gullion Forest Park?
The Slieve Gullion Forest Park is located in County Armagh in Northern Ireland, not far from the Irish border. It is part of the Ring of Gullion which is An Area of Outstanding Beauty and boasts a diverse environment of geological features and wildlife and is steeped in local Irish folklore and mythology.
It's less than an hour's drive from Belfast and about 1 hour and 45 minutes drive from Dublin. We recommend traveling to the park via car.
Pricing and Parking
Entrance to the adventure playground and Giant's Lair trail is free on bike or foot.
There is a carpark located directly beside the playground that costs £5 for a car with up to 7 seats. You pay upon entry into the park.
Check out the Slieve Gullion webpage for more information on different vehicle types.
The Slieve Gullion Adventure Play Park
The Adventure Play Park at Slieve Gullion has been designed with children of all ages in mind. There is a designated toddler area as well as play equipment with older kids in mind, including a zip line and some outdoor workout equipment for adults.
There's a beautiful view of the surrounding area from the playground. We love the natural, woodland vibe and our kids had a blast climbing and playing.
Fionn's Giants Lair Storybook Trail
The Giant's Lair Trail is one of the main reasons that we decided to visit Slieve Gullion. It did not disappoint! The trail itself is about 1 km (.62 miles) long and is very stroller friendly.
Each leg of the trail is marked as a different chapter in a story about the famous Irish giant Finn McCool and his encounters with fairies, trolls and witches. Along the trail you'll encounter impressive art installations and sculptures that bring the story to life with fairy houses and other mythological dwellings. One of our favorite portions of the journey has interactive woodland-themed musical instruments. We loved playing them!
Throughout the trail you are completely immersed in a gorgeous forest with plenty of fallen trees to balance on and areas to explore.
The Slieve Gullion "Doe Doe" Fairy
Located towards the entry of the Giant's Lair Trail in a fairy hollow you'll find the home of the Doe Doe Fairy. Even though neither of kids were big on pacifiers (and would have outgrown them by now), we though this was such a clever idea!
The basic concept is that when it's time for a child to stop using their pacifier or soother they can offer them up to the "doe doe" fairy. The fairy the leaves them a small present in exchange. In front of the fairy's home there is a little basket where they leave their binkies.
This is such a creative way to help your kiddo with a difficult transition!
Food and Drink Options
There is a cafe located in front of the Walled Garden that is easy to access. However, we don't really recommend it as the food is limited and service can be slow.
If you want to have a meal we recommend packing a picnic and snacks. There are picnic tables located within the playground area. And there are plenty of benches, tree stumps and logs for a picnic along the trail.
Seasonal Options: In the summer months there is an ice cream van that parks in the lot near the playground. Our kids absolutely loved this!
What to Wear
When visiting Northern Ireland we highly recommend dressing in layers. Depending on the season the weather can shift several times a day. Summer temperatures can reach up to 75 degrees F (though they average in the mid 60s and high 50s), the winter temperatures don’t often drift too far below freezing.
A short sleeve shirt with a light jacket and waterproof are a good option. When we were visiting the park is started raining about half way through. We were happy we came prepared!
What shoes should we wear?
While the tail itself isn't too challenging, it can get muddy at times. If your kids are like ours and climb and fallen tree or boulder in site we recommend getting them a pair of water resistant shoes with good traction.
Our kids both have this pair of Merrell Hiking Boots that they absolutely love.
Check out our full guide: what clothes to pack for your trip to Northern Ireland!
Trip FAQs
Dogs are allowed at the Slieve Gullion Forest Park and Giant's Lair trail as long as they are on a leash. They are not allowed in the adventure playground.
There are toilets and baby changing facilities just next to the playground. However, there aren't options throughout the storybook trail so we recommend having the kids go ahead of time.
According to the website, Slieve Gullion Forest Park opening hours are:
- March and October 9am - 6pm
- April and September 9am - 8pm
- May to August 9am - 9pm
- November to February 9am - 5pm.
The Park is closed on Christmas Day.
The trail is only about 1 km long (.62 miles). It's not a challenging walk and we'd say it is suitable for children and most fitness levels. It's also pretty stroller friendly if you bring younger kids.
More Northern Ireland Travel Advice:
What to Wear on Your Trip to Northern Ireland
10 Tips for Visiting the Giant's Causeway