Parklands At Birr Castle Demesne
The parklands at Birr Castle Demense stretch over 120 acres, (50 Hectare) and within this space you will find a wonderful collection of rare plants and trees set in a landscape of a lake, 2 rivers and waterfalls. A total of 10Km of walking tracks are allow you explore the demesne to its fullest.
The landscape you see here today was due to great changes that took plan at the beginning of the 19th century which saw the development of a small landscape park as a setting for the house (Castle) which at that time was transformed to a gothic style structure. A perimeter of trees were planted, and an extensive lawn created in front of the castle, this is also around the time the lake was formed.
Wildlife
The demesne is a very special place for biodiversity, it is its own little world of protected habitats, ecosystems, flora and fauna and is walled in on most sides and well monitored and protected from invasive species.
The occasional shy otter can be seen in the larger river, the Little Brosna – sometimes their ‘slides’, where they slip into the river, are obvious to the trained eye. Kingfishers nest in the holes in the bank – again, they are shy but you may be lucky to see a flash of blue speed across the river. The chocolate brown birds with white bibs, Dippers, can be seen bobbing at the river’s edge seeking out food beneath the water. The red squirrel is our great success story as they are now back in good numbers and can often be seen throughout the Demesne.
Both of these rivers contain brown trout and the Camcor is known for its own special fish, the Croneen. They comes up the river in late August to spawn. If you get the timing right, you can see the fish jumping at the waterfall near the suspension bridge.
Forest Bathing
Forest Bathing within the Parkland, a fallen tree near the fernery, with sunlight coming through the branches, birdsong and flowing water sounds in the background awaits you.
This is just one area in Birr Castle Demesne in which you can try your hand at the Japanese spiritual practice of shinrin-yoku or Forest Bathing, which literally means taking in the forest through our senses.
Over the past year, many of us have become aware that spending mindful time in the woods is beneficial for both the body and the soul. The practice of shinrin-yoku, literally, forest bath, is understood in Japanese culture to be a critical factor in the fight against diseases of the mind and body, boosting the immune system, lowering blood pressure, and aiding sleep.
Visit Birr Castle Demesne today and try the practice of Forest Bathing. Forest Bathing is included with General Admission tickets.
Giants Grove
On the occasion of Lord Rosse’s 80th birthday, Birr Castle and Crann Trees for Ireland are delighted to announce ambitious plans to create, through public participation, a grove of giant redwoods within the historic grounds of Birr Castle Demesne.
Giants Grove will be a legacy project for Lord Rosse and the Birr Castle Estate, having allocated the land to the project. Lord Rosse said “This project is very close to my heart. Our grandchildren, their grandchildren of Birr, Ireland and the world will benefit from this magnificent forest. These will be the biggest trees in Ireland.