5 Things to Do on your next trip to the Russborough House and Parklands
The elegant Russborough House is an 18th stately home located in Co. Wicklow, with spectacular views of the nearby Wicklow Mountains and Blessington Lake, as well as superb surrounding parklands and well-tended gardens.
Explore over 200 glorious acres and discover the secrets of this stunning estate – a havan of natural beauty. There are so many things to see and do at Russborough , but we thought we’d get your started with 5 of our top tips.
1. Explore the Walking Trails
There are several interesting trails to explore at Russborough. Choose from the 2km wildlife trail through the wildlife habitat where it is possible to spot swans, hares, rabbits, badgers and foxes, or the 2km woodland and rhododendron walk where you can discover the beautiful flora. Why not combine the two for a longer walk?
Or enjoy a romantic stroll to Lady’s Island – a beautiful part of the estate surrounded by a moat with a red Japanese bridge required to cross it. The tallest and rarest trees on the estate are plated here including Douglas Fir, Silver Fir and Scots Pine.
2. Tiptoe through the Trees
More wonderful trees abound at Russborough including a sequoia planted in 1861 by the then Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII in the UK. In more recent years there are trees dedicated to Ninette de Valois who was born locally in Blessington and founded the Royal Ballet in London. Irish oaks were planted by each of the last two Presidents of Ireland, President Mary MacAleese during her visit of 2011 and President Michael D. Higgins during his visit of 2015.
3. Pay a Visit to The Birds of Prey Centre
The National Bird of Prey Centre is home to over 40 different Birds of Prey from around the world including golden eagles, white-tailed sea eagles and red kits. Visitors to the centre will be given an expert guides tour and learn all about the different species of birds on display, followed by a handling session with some of the centre’s hand-reared owls. Click here for more information about the Birds of Prey Centre.
4. Get lost in The Maze
Visitors will love the 2000 meter beech hedge maze at Russborough. Wind your way through a series of twists and turns until you reach the statue of Cupid at the centre of the maze. Then find your way back out again! If taking a guided tour of Russborough House first, make sure to take a sneaky glance out one of the upstairs windows where you can see the maze from above and work out your route.
5. Wander through the Walled Garden
The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s Walled Gardens, located at Russborough, were originally established in the 1700s and at that time produced flowers as well as fruit and vegetables for the family and employees residing at Russborough House. In 2011 restoration work began on the gardens to restore them to their former splendour. Tours of the gardens are available. where attendees can also meet with volunteers and learn more about their work. Information about tour times as well as more information about the redevelopment of the walled gardens, can be found on the RHCI website.
Other Useful Information
The parklands at Russborough, including the walking trails are open seven days a week from 10:00am to 6:00pm between January 2nd and December 23rd. Information on guided house tours can be found on the Russborough website.
The RHSI Russborough Garden Show will take place on Sunday the 29th of July 2018 in the grounds of the house and will include tours of the walled garden as well as floral demonstrations and gardening talks from the experts. For information on this and more exciting events at Russborough, visit the events page on their website.
You might also enjoy:
Explore and more at Ballyfin Demesne