Randalstown Forest

Randalstown forest which extends to 172ha (430 acres) was acquired by the Forest Service from Shanes Castle Estate in 1934. Its previous use was as the estate deer park enclosing a herd of fallow deer roaming through open parkland and large broadleaved trees.
Between 1935-40 a new commercial forest was created. The main conifer trees planted were Norway Spruce, Sitka Spruce and European Larch interspersed with small groups of Oak, Elm and Ash. This first rotation of trees has now been clearfelled and replaced, again with conifers, but with more extensive areas of broadleaves on suitable soils.

Visitors cars are not permitted within the forest. The distance from the car park to the shore of Lough Neagh is one mile.

Because wild deer are difficult to see, especially by large groups of people, a small, 10ha (23 acre), deer park has been constructed. Within the park 20-25 fallow deer are retained along with a few red deer for comparison. Many of these deer are very tame and provide an excellent opportunity to quietly observe them from a raised wooden platform overlooking the park. A characteristic of fallow deer is their wide colour variations ranging from black, through chestnut/fawn with prominent white spots to completely white. These colour variations are represented in this park herd. Notice the flat palmate antlers of the fallow bucks.

This southern end of the forest extends to the edge of Lough Neagh. Over the past one hundred and fifty years the water level has been adjusted to improve drainage and provide more agricultural land. A major lowering of approximately 1.0m took place in the earyl 1930’s followed by a further decrease in 1958 of 0.5m.

The very steep bank at the edge of the forest demarcates the old shoreline of the lough. Below the bank the exposed land has been naturally colonised by vegetation which is now gradually changing from an Alder wood to Ash as the land further dries out. Nearer the waters edge younger woodland dominated by Willow and Alder illustrates the colonisation of land exposed only thirty years ago. The National Nature Reserve was designated to protect this dynamic naturally changing woodland. Please stay on the path leading through the Reserve to the shore.

Lough Neagh is an internationally important location for breeding and wintering wildfowl. A major refuge area has been established in the north-east corner of the lough to protect these birds. Farrs Bay and the lagoons bordered by the forest form a vital part of this refuge. A large hide has been constructed which overlooks this core area. From this secluded location tremendous numbers of diving duck – tufted, golden eye and scaup can be seen in winter. In the shallows mallard, teal and gadwall dabble for food. In summer the lagoons hold a variety of breeding wildfowl. Perhaps the most spectacular are the great crested grebe and the large brightly plumaged shelduck. A series of wallcharts are displayed in the hide to aid in identification of the birds.

Considerable emphasis has been placed on developing the forest for educational purposes. The subjects for outdoor study are endless – comparative vegetation studies within the forest and on the lough shore; basic surveying, soil sampling, deer and wildfowl. Single and/or initial visits by schools or other organised groups can be conducted by a Forest Guide. A complete tour on foot will take approximately two hours covering 2½ miles. The services of a guide must be booked in advance. Details of how to arrange a educational visit are given below.

Entrance is off Staffordstown Road one mile west of Randalstown.