Drum Manor Forest Park is located south of the Sperrin Mountains . The Forest Park is a beautiful eighteenth-century demesne , open 10am to sunset every day.

Most colourful in spring and autumn with a shrub, butterfly and Japanese garden, arboretum, ponds and mixed woodlands. The forest park has a large car park with toilets, gardens, lawn areas, waymarked trails and forest plots exhibiting a wide range of tree species planted in formal groups.

🧺There’s also a large lawn area that is perfect for picnics!

🍦☕️ Paul’s Ice cream van truck is situated in the Car park! Be sure to check it out! Just perfect for a snack!

🏕️The park offers extensive facilities if you fancy caravan or camping .There are 31 caravan and camping stands with modern toilets and showers, together with a fresh water supply, chemical toilet disposal point and electricity hook up for caravans.

Forest Plots Trail: 1.9miles (black waymarked)

On this trail you can explore the butterfly gardens with a walk through the heart of the Forest plots .Take the red trail at the large fish pond, the black trail takes you to a junction where the Black 1 Old Woodland trail separates from the Forest Plots trail. The Forest Plots line both sides of the trail until it rejoins the Red trail.

The Forest Plots were established from 1965 onwards. Many of the tree species here have not generally been grown in this country within closely and evenly spaced stands. Examples worth looking at are Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle), and Thuja plicata (Western red cedar).

Old Woodland’s Trail: (2miles)

Leading off the Red Trail, this trail passes through the old estate woodland that guards the southern boundary of the demesne and shelters most of the demesne from the south westerly winds. Follow the trail to see a young native plantation being managed to produce timber. This trail eventually takes you onto the Old Kildress path, which passes through the Beech avenue. I recommend a visit to the beech avenue during the Autumn when some of the leaves have fallen and the colours are popping!

Terrace & Pleasureground trail- 0.8miles (red waymarked)

This trail takes in the butterfly gardens with a walk through the heart of the Forest plots enabling the walker to view a wide variety of different tree species then skirting the edge of the pond before rising through the open parkland back to the car park

The tower and the ground floor walls of the most recent house remain intact. Within the walls there are the features of a Japanese garden.The terrace was the most important viewpoint within the old estate demesne in the late 1800s, and is the most attractive one within the Forest Park now. The layout of the grounds have been carefully designed to provide tantalising views of the ponds, trees and the woodlands behind.

💚 As with any natural area please follow the principles of Leave No Trace, respecting the environment and wildlife.