Days Out NI
Forest Park Draperstown

Iniscarn Forest

Free forest on the slopes of Slieve Gallion, with a proper climb for older kids who like a challenge.

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SeasonalOpen all year, daylight hours
FreeNo charge
DraperstownForest Park
Get directions
5 hoursHow long
Older children and confident walkers; not suitable for toddlers or buggiesBest for
FreeEntry
FreeParking
OutdoorsSetting

Iniscarn Forest — Free forest on the slopes of Slieve Gallion, with a proper climb for older kids who like a challenge.

  • What's there: Forest road and trail climbing toward Slieve Gallion; mature hardwood, moorland edge, wildlife. No play equipment.
  • Best for: Older children and confident walkers; not suitable for toddlers or buggies.
  • Cost: Free.
  • Parking: Free parking at the forest entrance on Iniscarn Road; do not block the gates.
  • Toilets: None on site; nearest in Draperstown or Magherafelt.
  • Dogs: Welcome but must be kept on a lead; sheep graze the uplands.
Plan your visit

A real climb, not a soft play

The trail runs about 2 miles out and back, starting on a wide forest road that ascends steadily through the trees. Higher up it narrows to a track with exposed roots, boulders and uneven steps, so it is graded strenuous and takes most families a couple of hours. It is genuinely too rough for buggies and not one for toddlers; one reviewer's child took a tumble on the rocky ground, so it earns its boots. For older kids with energy to burn, the steady climb, the old ruined house to spot and the open moorland at the top make it an adventure rather than a stroll.

Free Free parking Forest climb to Slieve Gallion Buzzards and hen harriers Sperrins setting Best for older kids
Good to know before you go:

Iniscarn is a quiet Forest Service wood rather than an events venue, but the wider Sperrins and Mid Ulster area run seasonal walks, fun days and outdoor events through the year. Check what's on before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🧥LayersOutdoor play — a coat or spare jumper covers every kind of weather.
  • 💧Water & snacksKeeps the energy up between climbs and runs about.
  • 🧻Wipes & hand gelFor sandy, muddy, ice-cream-covered hands.
  • 🛴Scooter or ballLots of flat path and green space to burn off more energy.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Opening
Open all year, daylight hours
Best for ages
Older children and confident walkers; not suitable for toddlers or buggies
What's there
Forest road and trail climbing toward Slieve Gallion; mature hardwood, moorland edge, wildlife. No play equipment.
Toilets
None on site; nearest in Draperstown or Magherafelt
Parking
Free parking at the forest entrance on Iniscarn Road; do not block the gates
Dogs
Welcome but must be kept on a lead; sheep graze the uplands
Accessibility
Not buggy or wheelchair friendly; steep, narrow, uneven trails with roots and boulders
How long to allow
About 2 to 2.5 hours for the full walk
Address
Iniscarn Road, near Draperstown, Co. Londonderry
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Free
Is there parking?
Free parking at the forest entrance on Iniscarn Road; do not block the gates
Are there toilets?
None on site; nearest in Draperstown or Magherafelt
What ages is it best for?
Older children and confident walkers; not suitable for toddlers or buggies
Can we bring the dog?
Welcome but must be kept on a lead; sheep graze the uplands
Getting there

Iniscarn Forest is at Iniscarn Road, near Draperstown, Co. Londonderry. Free parking at the forest entrance on Iniscarn Road; do not block the gates. Tap below for turn-by-turn directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About the forest

Iniscarn is a Forest Service wood of just over 320 acres on the slopes of Slieve Gallion, the mountain that marks the eastern edge of the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It sits off the A29 between Tobermore and Moneymore, a couple of miles up the Iniscarn Road near Draperstown and Magherafelt.

The forest mixes commercial planting with older hardwood, and the trail climbs past an old house and under pylons toward the open moorland below the summit. The land around the top of Slieve Gallion itself is privately owned and grazed, which is why the waymarked walk turns back at the forest edge.