In County Donegal in the north-west sits magnificent Glenveagh National Park. At its heart is tranquil Lough Veagh and the gorgeous Glenveagh Castle and gardens dotted with exotic and delicate plants from as far afield as Chile, Madeira and Tasmania.
For a walk on the wild side, Ballycroy National Park should be the destination. Located on the western seaboard in north-west County Mayo, it’s an unspoilt expanse of Atlantic blanket bog and mountainous terrain overlooked by the Nephin Beg mountain range, Ireland’s first designated wilderness area.
Connemara National Park encompasses the beauty of one of Ireland’s most loved landscapes. A mix of mountains, bogs, heaths, grasslands and forests in County Galway, the park encloses fascinating 4,000-year-old megalithic court tombs and is also known for its diversity of bird life.
The unique, lunar-like landscape of The Burren is the star of the Burren National Park in County Clare. The exposed limestone pavement is the dominant feature but there is an abundance and wide variety of flowers in the rock’s cracks and crannies and it is a favourite spot for hikers.
The sixth park is Wicklow National Park, to be found in the mountains in Ireland’s south-east. As well as stunning natural beauty, the park is the location of the extensive ruins of a monastic site at Glendalough. Dating from the sixth century, the site is known as one of the most magical in Ireland.
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