Dublin’s treetop walk offers peace amid scents of rich forests

RATHDRUM (DPA) : Located away from the crowd and the noise of busy Dublin streets, the new wooden path offers visitors a heavenly peace high up over a lush forest canopy at the foot of Ireland’s Wicklow mountain range.

Emerging as a major new tourist landmark for Dublin visitors alongside the Guinness brewery and Jameson distillery, the so-called treetop walk is expected to entice more tourists toward the mountains that can be seen from the center of the capital.

The 1.4-kilometer (nearly 1-mile), barrier-free wooden path of Avondale Forest Park rises 38 meters (125 feet) over local woodland areas, where hiking trails lead in several directions.

Meanwhile, children can test their bravery on suspended tightropes, where looking down from the longest treetop walk in Ireland and Britain can cause instant vertigo.

Best of all is the climax at the end: Visitors walk up a large spiral structure to see panoramic views of the nearby landscape, before gliding back down through a long tunnel slide.

After opening in mid-2022, the treetop walk has quickly become a favorite among local families and tourists, and those hoping to avoid long lines for the slide down should get there early in the day.

Locals know the Avondale estate as the former home of one of Ireland’s most significant historical figures, Charles Stuart Parnell, a 19th-century politician who campaigned for “home rule” and an end to British governance from London.

Trains run from Dublin to the nearby town of Rathdrum, however, as with many of Ireland’s scenic sights outside of cities, explorers have the most options when traveling by car.

After the Avondale treetop walk, avid hikers won’t want to miss the chance to see the nearby Wicklow mountains, where dozens of trails offer stunning views over the surrounding region.