Drum Manor Forest Park

What You'll Find

Drum Manor Forest Park is a lovely spot just outside Cookstown, with a fantastic playground, beautiful gardens, woodland walks and plenty of little things to discover along the way.

The park sits within the grounds of an old manor house, and although the house itself is now in ruins, there are still lots of interesting features to explore throughout the grounds.

The play park here is wonderful! It's enclosed and gated, with a great mix of equipment for younger and older children. You'll find wooden climbing towers, bridges, slides, a trampoline and a balance bridge. It's a lovely playground surrounded by trees, with plenty of space for the wee ones to explore.

But there's so much more to Drum Manor than just the playground.

There are several waymarked walking trails of different lengths, taking you through the woodlands, around the gardens and past some of the park's lovely old features. You don't have to go far to find something interesting, which is always handy when exploring with younger children.

One of my favourite parts is the beautiful lake. It's such a peaceful spot, with plenty of opportunities to look out for ducks and other wildlife around the water.

The woodland is lovely to explore too, with lots of different species of trees throughout the park and arboretum. Keep an eye out for the monkey puzzle tree, one of my favourites!

You'll also discover the butterfly garden, Japanese garden and the unusual inside-out garden, with its collection of stone columns and spikes.

And don't miss the beautiful walled garden!

With its old stone archways, iron gates and colourful flowers, it's a lovely little spot to wander through or stop for a picnic. The remains of the old manor house add something a little different to the walk too.

There's plenty of open space around the park, so it's easy to spend a few hours here between the playground, gardens and woodland trails.

During weekends and holiday periods, you may also find refreshments available, including coffee, ice cream and waffles, which always go down well after a walk!

Drum Manor also has camping and caravan facilities, making it a lovely option for families wanting to stay a little longer.

Wee Ones Will Love...

• ✓Exploring the enclosed playground with wooden towers, bridges, slides and trampoline
• ✓Looking out for ducks and wildlife around the peaceful lake
• ✓Following the woodland trails and discovering different trees, including the monkey puzzle tree
• ✓Exploring the old manor ruins, stone archways and unusual gardens
• ✓Finding a little picnic spot in the beautiful walled garden

Before You Visit

There are several waymarked walking trails of varying lengths, so you can choose a shorter wander with younger children or explore further if everyone is up for it.

Some of the main paths are manageable with a pram, although the woodland trails can be uneven and muddy after rain.

The lake and ponds are open water, so keep younger children close when exploring around them.

Coffee, ice cream and waffles may be available during weekends and school holidays, but it's worth bringing your own snacks and drinks outside these times.

There are camping and caravan facilities within the forest park if you're planning an overnight stay.

⭐ Wee Adventurers Top Tips

• ⭐The enclosed playground is a great place to start, especially with younger children, before heading off to explore the rest of the park.
• ⭐Don't miss the walled garden! It's one of my favourite little spots, with beautiful stone archways, iron gates and plenty of flowers.
• ⭐Keep an eye out for the monkey puzzle tree as you explore the woodland and arboretum.
• ⭐Take a wander around the lake and see what wildlife the wee ones can spot along the way.
• ⭐Pack a picnic and make time to explore the different gardens. There's much more to Drum Manor than you might expect from a forest park!