event
Habitat Walk - Peatland & Bog
DATE: 24 Aug, 2025TIME: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
all times are in Irish time unless noted otherwise
Join Wilderland for a habitat walk to learn all about peatlands and the Atlantic blanket bog - the predominant habitat in Wild Nephin National Park.
This walk is part of the ‘Home to Erris’ rambling house event and will start at the old herd’s cottage at Tarsaghaun at 2pm. We’ll be guided along the Tarsaghaun River into the Owenduff bog, for an introduction to the native plant species that can be found here, and we'll hear about the importance of these unique habitats in helping to support biodiversity and mitigate climate change.
Owenduff bog is one of the best, largest and last intact active blanket bog systems in Ireland and Western Europe. The range and quality of habitats present here is excellent, and a number of rare and protected plant and animal species occur. Healthy peatlands act as long-term sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide, are important for water security, and also help mitigate droughts and flooding events, in addition to being biodiversity hotspots.
During this walk we’ll find out about the peatlands conservation and restoration work being carried out by the NPWS and we will also be identifying and gathering native plants for artists Clare Breen and Kasia Kaminska's year-long collaborative plant collection project Flower Féilire, to produce a large-scale cyanotype artwork and calendar of Mayo's indigenous plant life.
All welcome.
FREE event, no booking required.
Transport is by bus only, leaving from:
- Bangor Erris National School at 11.30am
- Ballycroy Visitor Centre at 12.00pm
Please note:
- this walk takes place during the ‘Home to Erris’ rambling house event - an afternoon of stories, songs and celebration with our local communities. Join us for the afternoon!
- there is no parking on site, participants must use the buses provided
- from the bus, participants will walk approximately 5km on forest trail and 500m on track from the forest to the cottage for the rambling house event
- a smaller bus will be provided to bring those with mobility needs down the forest path
- the guided bog walk departs at 2pm from the Tarsaghaun old herd's cottage and will last 1 hour
- participants should be able to walk 2km over uneven ground for the bog walk
- please wear suitable footwear and dress for the weather
This walk is the eighth in a series of plant walks taking place over the year as part of the Flower Féilire project. The walks follow the Celtic Calendar and coincide with the four cross quarter fire festivals - Imbolc, Bealtaine, Lúnasa and Samhain - the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes and the Winter and Summer Solstices. Each walk focuses on the different native plant life and habitats found in Wild Nephin National Park and surrounding areas.
Find out more about the Flower Féilire project.
This walk is just one of our Heritage Week creative workshops and events celebrating our natural landscape, cultural heritage and craft traditions, you can find them all on our events page.
event artist(s):
related project(s) / collaboration(s):
event location:
Old Herd's Cottage, Tarsaghaun, Wild Nephin National Park, Co. Mayo
