Church Hill Forest

Forest recreation place

Explorer Tom

Church Hill Forest begins with a church at the trailhead and then seems determined to keep the story going through trees, stone steps and glimpses of Gartan Lough. I thought 'Altar Boy's Path' sounded like a shortcut for a boy late to Mass; the actual climb persuaded me that any latecomer would need good lungs. It is a warm, distinctive Donegal walk with a little more bite than its gentle length suggests. Coillte places this woodland along the eastern shore of Gartan Lough and marks a 2.3-kilometre loop. St Columba's Church stands at the start, with a holy well and the stone steps called the Altar Boy's Path farther along. These are specific features of the route, not decorative names added to make a forest sound ancient. Notice how the path leaves the church setting, takes you into enclosed woodland and then offers breaks towards the lough. That sequence makes a satisfying small journey. If you want the church's services or opening, check the parish separately; a trail listing does not promise access inside a working place of worship. The loop is graded moderate. Coillte warns of steep inclines, uneven steps, exposed roots and rocks, so the distance alone is a poor guide to effort. Wear sturdy footwear and let anyone in the group set a comfortable pace. The Altar Boy's Path deserves its own pause: stone underfoot changes a woodland walk into a physical meeting with an older local route. The holy well is another place to approach respectfully. I have no miracle to certify and no mischievous story to attach to it; the pleasure is that such a small circuit holds nature and local devotion together. Gartan Lough remains the companion view whenever trees open. Stop and look at the water from a safe point rather than leaving the marked route for a photograph. Coillte suggests nearby Ards Forest Park and Laracus Forest for people wanting more walking later, but do not confuse their trails with this shorter Church Hill loop. Here the interest is the changing texture: church, leaves, roots, stone and lough. I tried to count the steps like a stern headmaster and lost count the moment the view appeared. Donegal has a habit of interrupting arithmetic with better things. There is a car park and marked walking trail at Church Hill. The route is open as a public forest walk, but check the operator's current map and any temporary storm or forestry notices before setting out. Keep dogs under control, leave the holy well and church grounds tidy, and give way on narrow steps. This is not a level all-access circuit despite its modest 2.3 kilometres; choose a gentler outing if uneven stone or steep ground would be a problem. Give it unhurried daylight, and Church Hill will return far more than a quick line on a walking list.

What do you know about this place?Tap to add a comment or ask a question

More pictures of this place

The Glenfinnan Monument · Photo: Jim Roberts Gallery · BY-ND 2.0

What is recorded here

Church Hill Forest has a 2.3-kilometre loop by the eastern shore of Gartan Lough. Coillte places St Columba's Church at the trailhead and a holy well and the stone Altar Boy's Path along the route. Although the walk is short, Coillte grades it moderate because of steep sections, uneven steps, roots and rocks. Its current visitor page and trail map are the right places to check before walking.

From Coillte church-hill

Places near here

Photo credits

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Maker not stated on source page, uk.pinterest.com
Maker not stated on source page, www.pinterest.com
Maker not stated on source page, ru.pinterest.com
Dr Neil Clifton, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dr Neil Clifton, Geograph · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0
Malene Thyssen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ross, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Joseph Mischyshyn, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Saint Colmcille's Catholic ChurchChurch/chapel · 71 yd

Explorer Tom Saint Colmcille's Catholic Church was built around 1830, with a porch added around 1850. The inventory records carved…

Gallagher's IsleIslet · 357 yd

Explorer Tom Gallagher's Isle is telling the new development next door that it was here first and has better stories to tell. It’s…

Standing stone in CrockrawStanding stone · 1083 yd

Explorer Tom Standing stone in Crockraw is standing on boggy land like it’s the king of the hill, which is quite cheeky given the…

Man-made underground passage in Church HillMan-made underground passage · 1745 yd

Explorer Tom Man-made underground passage in Church Hill was a drystone box buried beneath the earth, recorded back in 1953. Sadly…

Wilkin's of Church HillPub · 1.0 mi

Explorer Tom Wilkin's of Church Hill in County Donegal sounds like it's guarded by an angel who demands tips for listening to your…

Church Hill Post OfficeHouse · 1.0 mi

Explorer Tom Church Hill Post Office was built around 1830 as part of a nine-bay block. Two bays belonged to the post office and…

Saint Columba's Church (Gartan)Church/chapel · 1.0 mi

Explorer Tom Saint Columba's Church in Gartan bragged about surviving a storm so bad it blew its own roof off, then had to pay for a…

Lough Veagh HouseDemesne walls/gates/railings · 1.3 mi

Explorer Tom Lough Veagh House, erected c.1825, leaves behind a gate where slender cast-iron piers stand beside heavy rubble walls.…

Gartan BridgeBridge · 1.3 mi

Explorer Tom Gartan Bridge, built c.1850, features a 'gunnelled soffit' that looks suspiciously like it is wearing a tiny knitted…

European Beech1.3 mi

Explorer Tom European Beech in County Donegal would cope on a reality show by just standing there while everyone else argues about…

Glebe House and GalleryHeritage attraction · 1.3 mi

Explorer Tom Glebe House and Gallery has an artist's eye at one end and Lough Gartan trying very hard to outshine it at the other. I…

Glebe HouseRectory/glebe/vicarage/curate's house · 1.3 mi

Explorer Tom Glebe House hides a salvaged ornate single-storey cast-iron veranda to its rear. I picture it strutting around the…

More woods, forests and old trees in County Donegal · All of County Donegal

Add to this placeAdd a picture Add a detailed tip Add a story

Explore the map1,095,414 places to discover

Next place · or swipeSaint Colmcille's Catholic Church