Christmas at DonadeaApart from being a great place for a hearty walk, Donadea Forest Park puts on a good show in the run up to Christmas. Santa will be arriving in Donadea today at 2pm and will be there until December 24th at 1pm when he has to leave to do some very important work. On week days he will be there from 2pm to 5pm, and at the weekends from 11am to 5pm. Bring a torch if you are coming in the late afternoon. Admission: €4 (exact change required). Tel: Pamela Doran at 087-6725320.
Glenveagh National ParkGuided walks here next Sunday at 10am are graded easy, moderate and strenuous. All walks leave from the visitor centre and cost €5 per adult (children free). Walkers should be suitably equipped. Meal costs an extra €10 per person.
Also, there is a “Winter Walk, Lunch and Stories by the Fire” event next Saturday and Sunday at 11am. For unguided walkers, a park bus will leave the visitor centre at 11am on Sunday, dropping walkers off at Lough Inshagh Gate and the head of the glen. This service is free of charge. All options require advance booking. Tel: 074-9137090 (ext 3609) or visit glenveaghnationalpark.ie.
Dublin Mountains WayEastWest Mapping in conjunction with Dublin Mountains Partnership has produced a new, detailed map of the Dublin hills featuring the newly opened Dublin Mountains Way walking trail, lands in public ownership, carparks and public access points. This is a large scale map (1:25,000) with 10-metre contouring and is water and tear-resistant. Cost: €9 (eastwestmapping.ie) or from tourist information offices.