Castlewellan Lake Circular
County Down
Castlewellan Forest Park covers around 450 hectares in the foothills of the Mournes, built around a 40 hectare lake and the grounds of Castlewellan Castle, a Scottish baronial house completed in 1858 for the Annesley family, with flat lakeside paths that let a dog off the lead for much of the circuit. Way-marked trails circle the lake through a mix of coniferous and broadleaved woodland that turns richly colourful in autumn, with the Castlewellan Arboretum and Annesley Garden, one of the finest tree collections in Ireland, opening off the main route through a 12 and a half acre walled garden. Nearby stands the Peace Maze, planted with 6,000 yew trees by volunteers from across Northern Ireland and once the longest permanent hedge maze in the world. The full lakeside circuit runs to a little over 4km on level paths, an easy walk for most fitness levels.
This is a dog friendly walk on flat, well-made paths right around the lake, with moderate off-lead potential on the quieter wooded stretches away from the arboretum, maze and picnic areas. There is no livestock in the park, and the lake gives a dog plenty of opportunity to cool off at the water's edge, while the mixed woodland offers good shade for warmer days. The Grange Coffee House operates seasonally near the car park, and the park has wheelchair-accessible toilets alongside camping and touring facilities. A vehicle access charge applies for cars entering the park.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 4.3 km (2.7 miles)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Duration
- 1 hr 20 min
- Walk Type
- Lake, Woodland, Historic
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- Moderate
- Livestock Risk
- None
- Facilities
- Grange Coffee House (seasonal), wheelchair-accessible toilets, camping and touring facilities.
- Parking
- Car park at Castlewellan Forest Park (Blue Lagoon entrance), vehicle access charge applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Castlewellan Lake Circular dog friendly?
Castlewellan Lake Circular is a great choice for a day out with your dog, earning a solid 8 out of 10 on our dog friendly rating. The 4km circuit follows flat, well-made paths around the lake with no livestock in the park, and the lake itself gives dogs plenty of chances to wade in and cool off. Mixed woodland provides good shade on warmer days, making it a comfortable walk for most of the year.
Can dogs be off lead at Castlewellan Lake Circular?
There's decent off-lead potential here, particularly on the quieter wooded stretches away from the arboretum, Peace Maze and picnic areas, where dogs can roam more freely. It's worth keeping your dog on the lead in the busier spots around the Annesley Garden and near other visitors, but the quieter sections of the circuit offer good freedom for a run.
What should I know before visiting Castlewellan Lake Circular with my dog?
A vehicle access charge applies when entering Castlewellan Forest Park, so bring payment for the car park at the Blue Lagoon entrance. The Grange Coffee House operates seasonally near the car park if you fancy a post-walk drink, and wheelchair-accessible toilets are available on site. The full circuit is just over 4km on level paths, making it an easy and manageable walk for dogs of most ages and fitness levels.
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