Evening Bat Walks at Johnstown Castle

What to Expect

Johnstown Castle runs guided bat walks across its estate on summer evenings, taking groups out after dusk to find and identify the bat species foraging over the lakes, walled gardens and woodland. The estate is good ground for it: ornamental lakes, mature parkland trees and old outbuildings give bats both roosting sites and insect-rich hunting routes, and the two hours are timed to catch the emergence and the peak of feeding activity.

The 2026 series runs from 25 June to 27 August, so 27 August is the last walk of the season. Walks last two hours, from 8pm to 10pm, and members of the estate get a discounted rate. Bring a torch, wear shoes suited to grass and gravel paths after dark, and dress warmer than the daytime temperature suggests, because standing still beside a lake at ten at night in Wexford is colder than it sounds. Johnstown Castle itself is a nineteenth-century Gothic Revival house with 120 acres of grounds, the Irish Agricultural Museum in the old farmyard and three lakes, so there is plenty to fill the hours before the walk starts.

Good to Know

• Final walk of the 2026 series on Thursday 27 August, 8pm to 10pm
• Series ran from 25 June 2026
• Johnstown Castle Estate, Y35 HP22, near Murrintown, Co. Wexford
• Discounted rate for estate members; contact the estate for current ticket prices
• Booking recommended, numbers on guided walks are limited
• Contact 053 918 4671 or info@johnstowncastle.ie
• Bring a torch and warm layers; the walk is outdoors in all but the worst weather

Getting There

Johnstown Castle is about 6km southwest of Wexford town, signposted off the N25 Wexford to Rosslare road near Murrintown. There is a large car park at the entrance. It is a ten-minute drive from Wexford town centre; there is no regular public transport to the gate, so drive or take a taxi. The car park and estate paths are unlit at night, which is another reason to carry a torch back to the car.