Favourite places : : Mullaghmeen Forest

(More pictures available in my Irelands Eye folder)

"Mullaghmeen is an isolated area of forest rising above the farm land of north Westmeath. Mullaghmeen Forest is the largest planted beech forest in Ireland. Along with beech, within its 400 ha of forest it also has Sitka spruce, Scots pine and noble fir and a very interesting native tree collection. This is well worth a stop on the Mullaghmeen Summit Trail / Red Trail. The summit of Mullaghmeen provides magnificent views north across Lough Sheelin and into the neighbouring county of Cavan.

The forest, once an out farm belonging to a Lord Gradwell, has many examples of mans former impacts on the landscape. Following the White Trail one passes sad reminders of famine times with relic walls of famine fields. A Booley Hut, a summer grazing shelter is just off the Red Walk / Mullaghmeen Summit Trail, while the Flax Pits show that this important crop for the linen industry was once harvested and cured in this area.

The underlying Geology is Limestone Rock and in the south eastern corner more of its geology is revealed where one can see turloughs – disappearing lakes that fill and empty with no apparent in or outflow.

Come in spring for the best displays of woodland flowers notably bluebells. The area is populated with grey squirrels, jays, badgers, foxes, pheasant, rabbit & hares as well as a large selection of song birds. "