Castlemorris Wood Walk

Castlemorris Wood Walk

Trail Tips This walk is one of a range of scenic walks developed by trailkilkenny and designed to allow you explore more of the great outdoors; bringing Kilkenny s wonderful countryside to walkers. The walks are essentially mini hikes and the character of each walk varies we describe this character at the start of the trail guide. You may find that the terrain may alter as you progress along the trail, an easy stroll along the flat may become a more challenging ascent. Choose a walk to suit your fitness level and the nature of your walking party. Some walks may not suit children under 10 years of age. We recommend that you dress appropriately; taking account of weather conditions. In periods of heavy rainfall the trail may become wet. You may check the daily weather forecast by phoning Weather Dial 1550 123851 or log onto www.met.ie Each trail has been clearly marked with directional arrows. Note that the trails are marked in one direction only. We recommend that you follow the trail bringing the trail map with you for reference. The Country Code The country code reminds us that we are all guardians of our landscape and that these trails in particular have been developed with the kind permission of landowners we ask that you Respect the people who live and Guard against all risk of fire work in the countryside Leave animals, crops and Do not park in farm gateways or machinery alone on narrow lanes Keep dogs on a lead at all times Leave gates as you find them Avoid making unnecessary noise Keep to the edges of field when crossing farmland Protect wildlife, plants and trees Avoid disturbing fences, hedges, walls and gates Use public paths where possible Always consider your personal safety and keep children under close supervision

P Castlemorris Wood Walk Two looped walks that start and finish at the Grand Gates which lies west of the villages of Newmarket and Hugginstown and east of the village of Kilmaganny in south Kilkenny. Red Loop Green Loop Trail Length: 6 Km 3 Km Duration: 1.5 Hours 1 Hour Difficulty: Moderate Moderate Footwear: Walking Boots Walking Boots Terrain: Forest track, Grasslands Forest track Some wet ground, Some wet ground, Minor Roads 1.3Km Grasslands Parking: Parking available opposite the Grand Gates of Castlemorris Estate Caution: This is a working forest. The loops will be closed for thirty days of the year as the forest houses pheasants which are released during the shooting season. Notification of the closures will be placed on the map information board. You will come across ruins of old buildings as you take this walk. Please do not interfere with these ruins. Not suitable for buggies due to wet ground. Dogs must be kept on leads at all times. Along the Trail: Follow the pathway of the forest which leads you to two colour coded looped walks (a red and a green) offering an excellent display of the various flora and fauna changing with each season. This developing coniferous woodland also offers samples of broadleaf trees including oak, beech, birch, larch and ash. The trail starts/finishes at the Grand Gates entrance to Castlemorris Wood, Aghaviller, Newmarket, Co.Kilkenny Entering through the Grand gates of Castlemorris, you will pass the Gate Lodge on the right hand side. Climb over the stile on the left hand side and walk straight along path for both the red and green loop. Continue walking for approx 15 mins, until you come to an open space where there is a picnic table. Old out buildings are visible at the back entrance to what was Castlemorris house Courtyard.

At this point the loops diverge. Turn right for the Red loop and left for Green loop. Red loop This trail continues right around the estate with views of the old out buildings. The Trail does not include passing through the old courtyard outbuildings. Walk along a narrow path at the side of the forest, at the end of this path, turn right. Continue to follow the signs until you exit the forest onto a minor public road. Turn left and continue to walk down the hill. Enter back into forest at the end of the hill by turning left. Follow the signs to the area where you join with green route and follow the trail back to the Grand gates. Green Loop Starting the trail from the Gate Lodge, follow the signs to a common area where the two loops will diverge. Turn left at the picnic table. Continue to the next junction and turn left again. Follow the signs through the forest path. You will join back with the red route. Continue walking back towards the Gate Lodge, taking the two sign posted left turns. Your walk will end at the Grand Gates. Castlemorris Castlemorris Estate (also known as Castle Morres). Harvey Morres received a grant of land here in the late 17th century. Francis Morres, the first Viscount Mountmorris and Harvey s eldest son commissioned Castle Morres and as one of the largest stately homes in the country and it was built in approx 1751. Francis Blunden who also designed such notable houses as Bessborough House and Woodstock House in Co Kilkenny, designed the house. Based in the parish of Aghaviller, the Castlemorris Estate was previously known as Diore Lia a grey wood. Formerly home to the Morres and De Montmorency families, the family vault can still be seen in the local church yard. The church yard also contains the remains of an ancient round tower. Built to protect the occupants and valuables of monastic settlements from Viking raids, these towers dot the Nore valley.

In 1924 the house was sold to the Land Commission. In the early 1930 s it was unroofed and a demolition sale took place. Many parts of the house are to be found in houses around the country. The house was finally demolished in 1978. The grounds now merge with other Coillte woods totalling approximately 2000 acres. Flora With the changing of the season so too the variety of flora change see which of the following you can spot. Bramble, fern, bracken, great woodrush, honeysuckle, holly, ivy, moss, bilberry, gorse, bluebell, cherry laurel, wood sedge, speedwell, foxglove, willow herb and raspberry. Fauna The forest is the chosen habitat of a number of wildlife including the fox, badger, hare, rabbit, woodmouse, brown rat, grey squirrel, hedgehog and birds including the woodpidgeon, crow, magpie, blackbird, thrush, coal tit, willow warbler, wren, robin and goldcrest. Tree Species The forest at Castlemorris contain broadleaf species including beech, oak, hazel, ash, sycamore, Spanish chestnut, birch, elm, poplar, rowan and hazel. Conifers include the Sitka and Norway spruce, Japanese and European Larch, Scots pine and lodgepole pine, Douglas and silver fir, western hemlock, Lawson cypress. For details of other walking trails in Kilkenny log onto www. trailkilkenny.ie Our Trail Kilkenny Partners

N9 To Kilkenny R697 Knocktopher N9 To Thomastown R701 Kilmaganny Newmarket R697 To Carrick on Suir Castlemorris Hugginstown N10 To Waterford R701 Picnic Area P Grand Gates Newmarket Castlemorris Wood Walk