Avondale Forest Park - River Walk
Walking Trail · Wicklow
Avondale Forest Park - River Walk is a 5.2 km moderate waymarked loop in Wicklow, starting near Rathdrum.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 2.5 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Avondale House, near Rathdrum.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.91464, -6.22501
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 62
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
About the trail
The River Walk, starting from the car park near Avondale House and including some steep descents and climbs, is the longest and hardest of the walks at Avondale. It passes a variety of tree species, goes along beside the river, under the Dublin to Rosslare railway line and past the deer pen and there is also an option to detour into Lover's Leap. There are magnificent river views.
Before you go
A great walk to enjoy all different species of trees including maple, beech, oak, Douglas and Silver fir, pines, cedars and larches. It is the hardest trail of Avondale with steep desecnts and climbs so strong footwear is recommened.
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
Coillte North and East
Coillte, NTMK, Dublin Road, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow. Tel: 1890 367378 Fax: ++ 353 1 2011199
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Elsewhere
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Avondale Forest Park - Centenary Trail 188 m away · 2.5 km trail
- Avondale Forest Park - Family Cycle Trail 355 m away · 1.7 km trail
- Rathdrum - Jubilee Loop 2.3 km away · 4.9 km trail
- Ballygannon - Green Walk 3.3 km away · 0.9 km trail
- Ballygannon - Red Walk 3.3 km away · 2 km trail
- Kilmagig Graveyard Trail 6.2 km away · 2.75 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Avondale Forest Park - River Walk?
5.2 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 300 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 2.5 hours.
How hard is the Avondale Forest Park - River Walk?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Avondale Forest Park - River Walk start?
Starts at Avondale House, near Rathdrum. The trailhead is at 52.91464, -6.22501.
Can you bring a dog on the Avondale Forest Park - River Walk?
Yes. The register records dogs as allowed. Much of the Irish trail network crosses working farmland, so keep a dog under close control near livestock.
Who manages the Avondale Forest Park - River Walk?
Coillte North and East. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Wicklow
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.