Hidden gem

spindizzy

I suppose to locals it's not really a "hidden" gem but I only recently moved to Limerick and had a browse online etc to find things to do with kids etc.

Took a drive today and found the cratloe forest park. Real nice up there and onl 10 mins from city. Playground and forest walks are real nice there.

CiaranMT

spindizzy wrote: »

I suppose to locals it's not really a "hidden" gem but I only recently moved to Limerick and had a browse online etc to find THUGS to do with kids etc.

Took a drive today and found the cratloe forest park. Real nice up there and onl 10 mins from city. Playground and forest walks are real nice there.

Bit of an unfortunate typo, that

It is a lovely spot. Haven't been there in years but I always loved wandering between the trees when I was younger.

spindizzy

CiaranMT wrote: »

[

Bit of an unfortunate typo, that

It is a lovely spot. Haven't been there in years but I always loved wandering between the trees when I was younger.

Ha, yea, wasn't intended message alright!!

Melion

They need to sort out a bigger car park now. It was a joke today, there must have been over 100 cars there, with the majority parked on the road, which was bad enough before they opened the playground.

Berty

Albeit Co Clare I get your point.

I haven't been there in years. They should never have closed Cratloe to traffic. Massive car park up the top.

ZombieBride

You should venture out to the Clare Glens, that is my favourite spot for roaming. The Limerick side for a clean stroll, and the Tipp side for if you want to get a bit dirty. With plenty of parking.

rainbowdash

They will definately need to look at the parking issue. Even if they reopened it just down to the lake there is plenty of parking down there without having to spend any money.

kiersm

Is playground open long?

highlydebased

Beer Baron wrote: »

Albeit Co Clare I get your point.

I haven't been there in years. They should never have closed Cratloe to traffic. Massive car park up the top.

Sadly that would have opened the whole "park and ride" phrase to other interpretations, even during the day....

thesimpsons

playground only brand new - still in construction when I was there in Sept. heard its great.

peckerhead

You should check out Curraghchase forest park if you've young kids; mine were half reared there...

Costs a fiver to get past the barrier a couple of miles out from the carpark, but a lot of people just park outside and stroll in. An annual pass only costs €30, anyway. They've a nice little lake with swans, a good playground and picnic area, lots of walking/cycling trails, room to knock around a football...

langdang

peckerhead wrote: »

You should check out Curraghchase forest park if you've young kids; mine were half reared there...

Costs a fiver to get past the barrier a couple of miles out from the carpark, but a lot of people just park outside and stroll in. An annual pass only costs €30, anyway. They've a nice little lake with swans, a good playground and picnic area, lots of walking/cycling trails, room to knock around a football...

I believe the 30yoyo pass also gets you into Gougane Barra in Cork, and about 95% certain it also works for the Ballyhoura coillte car park.
Bargain!

seachto7

Carrigogunnel, just up past Clarina church. There's a nice walk up to it, you walk up a dirt road right up into it.

It's usually quiet up there, it's not much to look at, but has some nice views across the SHannon on a fine day, and you can get some peace and quiet for a few hours if you want.

nin2010

langdang wrote: »

I believe the 30yoyo pass also gets you into Gougane Barra in Cork, and about 95% certain it also works for the Ballyhoura coillte car park.
Bargain!

It works for all of the Coillte parks throughout Ireland including Ballyhoura.

You can find info on Coillte walking/cycling trails here:

http://www.coillteoutdoors.ie/

cplayg

Hi All

Thanks for the lovely comments about Cratloe Playground. I only just came across this now. Yes it is a fantastic facility! And all for free.
We know the parking was a huge issue there soon after the opening in early October but with the longer evenings the issue seems to have become a thing of the past! And we all hope it stays that way! The main problem happens when people park on the road and the road then becomes impassable and very dangerous.
Cratloe Playground is run on a volunteer basis by the local community. Everyone is always welcome, as with all playgrounds. We would ask though that people take away their rubbish with them and always watch what children do with papers, etc. We have a group of 30 volunteers who check the playground on a daily basis and take away any rubbish. So please make their life easier!
Cratloe Community Playground

celticcrash

What the hell is happening up there, it was once a beautifull place where a person could go for a walk to get away from the stresses of life.
Now parts of it looks like armageddon, 100s of arces just butchered.
It looks like Coillte changed their mind about it being a park for people to enjoy. Its a shame what Coillte has done to the land.

phog

celticcrash wrote: »

What the hell is happening up there, it was once a beautifull place where a person could go for a walk to get away from the stresses of life.
Now parts of it looks like armageddon, 100s of arces just butchered.
It looks like Coillte changed their mind about it being a park for people to enjoy. Its a shame what Coillte has done to the land.

The reason for the wood is to grow trees for commercial use, that means at some stage these trees need to be cut and in time a new crop will be planted in their place.

celticcrash

Yes they gave a playground which is used in the evenings by groups of youths. I had to call my young children out of it because the bad language shouted around. Not the first time. Than to go for a walk into the forest to find it butchered. One of the only natural beauty spots around and Coillte goes and destroys it. Take a walk into the forest itself and you will find campfires and rubbish thrown around.
The two seating areas at the lake are usually taken up by people setting up camp and fishing for the day. This should not be allowed at the only public seating area.
This was a natural beauty spot, Than Coillte destroyed it.

Tefral

My advice would be to go up the woodcock hill way and turn into the car park there

+52° 42' 8.86", -8° 42' 52.73"

Lovely walk into the back of the wood

CiaranMT

celticcrash wrote: »

Yes they gave a playground which is used in the evenings by groups of youths. I had to call my young children out of it because the bad language shouted around. Not the first time. Than to go for a walk into the forest to find it butchered. One of the only natural beauty spots around and Coillte goes and destroys it. Take a walk into the forest itself and you will find campfires and rubbish thrown around.
The two seating areas at the lake are usually taken up by people setting up camp and fishing for the day. This should not be allowed at the only public seating area.
This was a natural beauty spot, Than Coillte destroyed it.

Pretty sure Coillte own it. It's a money-making exercise for them, what else did you expect them to do?

Also, a predominantly coniferous forest on an island historically abundant in deciduous trees is not exactly a 'natural' beauty.

langdang

CiaranMT wrote: »

Also, a predominantly coniferous forest on an island historically abundant in deciduous trees is not exactly a 'natural' beauty.

Agree 100% - whether they're chopped or standing makes no difference to the scenery for me.
Can't see any real problem with the place only the parking.

The BBQ thing could be improved with some BBQ "stands" like Currahchase, but you can't stop people being ignorant yokes and not taking their rubbish away.

Maybe they could have a fella with a whistle a la Father Ted controlling the swear words? Unless it was actually Coillte employees running around the playground cursing when celticrash was there

phog

celticcrash wrote: »

Yes they gave a playground which is used in the evenings by groups of youths. I had to call my young children out of it because the bad language shouted around. Not the first time. Than to go for a walk into the forest to find it butchered. One of the only natural beauty spots around and Coillte goes and destroys it. Take a walk into the forest itself and you will find campfires and rubbish thrown around.
The two seating areas at the lake are usually taken up by people setting up camp and fishing for the day. This should not be allowed at the only public seating area.
This was a natural beauty spot, Than Coillte destroyed it.

Coilte aren't using the bad language, lighting the fires or dumping the rubbish.

As you say it's an amenity, but it's not there soley for you. Others are entitled to use it, I know no one should abuse it but that seems to be part of everyday life now.

Raiser

celticcrash wrote: »

Yes they gave a playground which is used in the evenings by groups of youths. I had to call my young children out of it because the bad language shouted around. Not the first time. Than to go for a walk into the forest to find it butchered. One of the only natural beauty spots around and Coillte goes and destroys it. Take a walk into the forest itself and you will find campfires and rubbish thrown around.
The two seating areas at the lake are usually taken up by people setting up camp and fishing for the day. This should not be allowed at the only public seating area.
This was a natural beauty spot, Than Coillte destroyed it.

Coillte are not breeding 'youths' and then stationing them in public places them to annoy you.

Did you ask them to clear off/cut out the inappropriate language etc?

Coillte harvests its trees every so often then replants, might as well ask a farmer not to milk his cows.....

Anywhere beautiful you can think of visiting will have hosted Scum at sometime beforehand - Was in another Coillte forest park recently and an entire BBQ leftovers was in a clearing under some trees, down to the ketchup bottle, beans tins and empty beer bottles - Its sickening but not Coilltes fault......

As for the fishermen obviously much the same as above etc....

rainbowdash

celticcrash wrote: »

Yes they gave a playground which is used in the evenings by groups of youths. I had to call my young children out of it because the bad language shouted around. Not the first time. Than to go for a walk into the forest to find it butchered. One of the only natural beauty spots around and Coillte goes and destroys it. Take a walk into the forest itself and you will find campfires and rubbish thrown around.
The two seating areas at the lake are usually taken up by people setting up camp and fishing for the day. This should not be allowed at the only public seating area.
This was a natural beauty spot, Than Coillte destroyed it.

The lake is man made for starters, made by Coillte in fact.

The rest of it was private boggy fields before Coillte came along.

celticcrash

P104014P1040153.jpg8.jpg
Langdang quote ; Agree 100% - whether they're chopped or standing makes no difference to the scenery for me.
What I think is sadder is people who are desensitized to this.
CiaranMT quote; Also, a predominantly coniferous forest on an island historically abundant in deciduous trees is not exactly a 'natural' beauty.
Maybe not to you but I think a lot of people would think differently.
And yes people are right about the litter bugs and Co I just went off on a bit of a rant there.
It justs makes me mad, that in all the forests that are in Coilltes hands they chop down arces where a lot of people
Walk, jog, cycle.

Raiser

Best way to get your own back on the bench-squatting fishermen is to borrow two labradors and start firing in lots and lots of sticks.........

langdang

celticcrash wrote: »

What I think is sadder is people who are desensitized to this.

They're not native trees, and they're not great for the environment (make streams more acidic?)

BUT, it is a commercial venture, not an actual park for the sake of a park, and they are the only thing of commercial value that will grow on the bad soil.

I'm all for deciduous trees, but man made, uniform, closely packed coniferous trees are about as visually appealing as O'Connell street.

phog

rainbowdash wrote: »

The lake is man made for starters, made by Coillte in fact.

I don't think the lake is man made, it may have been altered but from what I can recall I think I saw the lake in one of the older versions of the OS Maps.