Ireland can be simply spectacular in the autumn. While many other countries lay claim to the beauty of the ‘fall’, here are some of Ireland’s most beautiful spots to witness the turning of the leaves:

Celebrate Nature in National Park in Cork 



Gougane Barra National Park was Ireland’s first National Park and remains very popular. The 1,000 acre park opened back in the 1960s and is the site where the River Lee rises. There is a beautiful small lake connected to the shore by a causeway and this is where the patron saint of Cork, St. Finbarr, founded his early Christian monastery. It’s especially beautiful during Autumn with 350 acres of natural forestry and cultivated forestry with drives and walks to enjoy all around the area.

Glorious Glendalough



Golden glorious Glendalough – this is a simply unmissable destination at autumn and perfect for walks, with great cosy pubs and restaurants around Wicklow to stop off in and to enjoy. Many of the broad leaved deciduous trees in the area are hundreds of years old and it’s particularly evocative to enjoy the beauty of nature around a 6th century monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin.

Killarney in the Autumn



Killarney is more often associated with summer holidays but also comes to life in the autumn. Killarney National Park, which is the site of Muckross House, was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1981 by the United Nations, recognizing its network of both natural and wild areas. There are some native oak-woods and yew trees that are of national and international importance and the native red deer here are completely unique to Ireland.

Magic of Mount Usher Gardens



Mount Usher Gardens are only one of 3 Irish gardens with a top rating from the UK’s The Good Gardens Guide. They are a world-class example of a Robinsonian garden with a relaxed informality and natural layout. Mount Usher bursts in to color in the autumn. The Maple Walk is particularly sensational with Japanese Maples and the Golden Larch ablaze with color. Various mushrooms start making their appearance and the Toad Stool is one of the most interesting and attractive here at this time of year. The leaves are just perfect to photograph or instagram as the oranges, reds and purples have to be seen to be believed.

Tree Trails across Dublin
Dublin City Council has taken a great initiative and developed Native Tree Trails across the parks in the city. There are now 7 in all and they include Herbert Park in Ballsbridge; Markievicz Park, Ballyfermot; Lansdowne Valley Park, Inchicore and Bushy Park, Inchicore. The tree trails across the city include Albert College Park, Glasnevin where you can also pop in to the Botanic Gardens nearby plus Poppintree Park, Ballymun and Johnstown Park, Finglas. They are the perfect place to enjoy the rich shades of yellow, gold and orange at this time of year.

Mourne Mountains at Autumn
The Mourne Mountains offer a walk on the wild side and are simply a sight to behold during autumn. Castlewellan covers 460 hectares and Tollymore Forest Park in Co. Down covers 630 hectares of natural beauty with diverse and beautiful woodland. The colors are stunning at autumn time. Northern Ireland has a vast choice when it comes to forests and woods and a great resource is the Forest Service website for ideas on where best to see the turning of the leaves.

The beauty of Ireland is that it is home to over 7,500 different tree species. Native to Ireland are oak, hazel, ash, birch, Scots pine, willow and rowan. Trees that were later brought to Ireland and still flourish are sycamore, horse chestnut, beech, larch, fir and spruce – all of which look simply magnificent during the autumn months.