From village walks to woodlands, there are plenty of options for family-friendly walks in Louth.

Pack a picnic and get set for a great family adventure!

Located approx 8km north of Dundalk, this Coillte forest park Ravensdale Forest offers walking trails, picnic site, viewing points and historic buildings. There are also many archaeological features for the history buff of the family, including standing stones.

There are three Way Marked Trails of various lengths, the Tain Trail, the Ring of Gullion and the short but interesting Ravensdale Loop, and they suit various abilities.

There is a car park on-site as well as a picnic area. It’s a great place to spend a few hours exploring the outdoors.

Townley Hall is a magnificent Georgian Mansion which is over 200 years old, and the beautiful gardens are well worth a family visit. It’s located on the Slane Road outside Drogheda and offers rolling parkland and beautiful views over the Boyne Valley.

There are scenic walks including the looped Glen Wood Nature Trail (1.7km) which starts at the car park, goes through woodland to a nice viewing point over the site of the Battle of the Boyne.

There is also a car park and picnic area on site.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

The Carlingford Greenway is a relatively flat walk of 7km that takes about 2 hours to do, you could go half way and then turn around if the kids are flagging. Start the walk in Carlingford and you will follow the shoreline of the Lough and see beautiful views of the Mourne Mountains as you go.

Carlingford has so much to offer and is a wonderful village to wander about. Kids will enjoy the long pier and exploring the ruined castle on the hill overlooking the lough, while the village also has a good playground.

Round off your visit with a trip to Slieve Foye Woods, which is located 3.5km from Carlingford (on the left hand side) on the road to Omeath/Newry. There are lots of picnic areas and beautiful panoramic views of Slieve Foye mountain and the Lough. The forest is steeped in history and legend, as it is connected to the mythical Fianna. The forest trail follows the 4km Tain way. Car parking available.

Stephenstown Pond in Knockbridge, Dundalk is a lovely nature park with walks by the lake and through the woods, a large playground and many areas for picnics.

The kids will love getting the chance to feed to ducks! They also have a kids nature quiz where they can learn about the wildlife in the park. Stop off at the Willow Tree Café after your walk to enjoy a bite to eat or a cup of coffee. There is a car park on site, small admission fee.

The Agnes Burns Cottage and Visitor Centre is also located right next to the Park. This was the home of the Scottish Poet Robert Burns’ sister.

Rathescar Lakeside Walk at Dunleer is a lovely place to go for a walk in beautiful surroundings. You’ll go through woodlands and along the lakeside, with the chance to look at plenty of nature – flowers, birds and maybe even an animal or too.

Courtesy Failte Ireland

The Boyne Ramparts Heritage Walk runs through The Boyne Valley with a linear walk section of 8km (16km return) from Navan Ramparts to Stackallen. As you walk you will find interpretative panels providing interesting facts that will help you enjoy the beauty and nature of the Valley.

Starting the walk in Navan at the trailhead carpark on the R153 road, note that the car park is pay and display. See if you can spot any of the amazing nature and wildlife as you go: kingfishers, moorhens, otters, herons and plenty of flowers and trees. The walk passes by the ruins of the Dunmoe Castle and Ardmulchan Church then you’ll see the canal locks of the once busy Boyne Navigation, as well as the oldest bridge on the river, Babe’s Bridge.

© Tourism Ireland

The 1.9km long Boyne Greenway runs along the south bank of the River Boyne. Start your walk at St. Dominic’s Park near the ‘Bridge of Peace’ in Drogheda and you’ll end up at the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre at Oldbridge.

There are sections of boardwalk, and along the walk you will find heritage signs about Irish Mythology. The walk passes close to the Mary McAleese Cable Bridge following the Boyne Canal to the Oldbridge Estate, where you can enjoy self-guided walks around the parkland.

Take a walk with the kids along the promenade in the popular resort of Blackrock. The promenade runs alongside the sandy beach and in the middle you w will find the Blackrock Millennium Sundial, one of the largest in Ireland. As you walk you will get lovely views across Dundalk Bay towards the Cooley Mountains.

You can watch sailboarders, canoeists and kitesurfers and stop off at one of the cafés and restaurants located along the promenade.