Vandeleur Walled Garden - Family Day Out in Kilrush

What to Expect

Vandeleur Walled Garden sits about 1km outside Kilrush on the Killimer road, in what was once the demesne of the Vandeleur family. The walled garden itself has been restored and replanted, and because it is enclosed and sheltered from the Atlantic wind coming up the Shannon Estuary it supports plants that would not otherwise survive this exposed a corner of west Clare. For children the draws are the large hedge maze, the triangular labyrinth, the giant outdoor chess set and the play area, all of which are inside the paid section of the garden.

Around the walled garden are the Kilrush Woods, roughly 170 hectares of mixed woodland threaded with waymarked trails. The woodland walks are free to access and are gentle enough for buggies and older walkers on the main paths. There is a visitor centre with interpretive displays on the estate and the history of the Vandeleur family in west Clare, and the Brambles Woodland Cafe for lunch and coffee. The site is run as a Clare County Council visitor attraction and stays open through the autumn, with a Halloween programme in the garden at the end of October in most years. It works well as a half-day out paired with Kilrush town, the marina or the Scattery Island ferry.

Good to Know

• Open daily; the garden and visitor centre typically open from 10:00am.
• Admission to the walled garden and visitor centre: around €7 for adults and €5 for children over 5, with under-5s free. Check the garden’s site for the current rate before travelling.
• The woodland trails around the garden are free to walk.
• Brambles Woodland Cafe is on site for lunches and snacks.
• Vandeleur parkrun, a free timed 5km, runs in the woods here every Saturday at 9:30am.
• A Halloween programme runs in the garden in late October; dates are published on the garden’s website each autumn.

Getting There

Vandeleur Walled Garden is about 1km east of Kilrush town centre on the Killimer road, signposted from the N67 and N68. There is free parking at the entrance. Kilrush is roughly 45 minutes from Ennis and about an hour and a quarter from Limerick, and Bus Eireann route 336 serves the town. The Killimer to Tarbert car ferry crosses the Shannon Estuary from north Kerry in about 20 minutes and lands 10 minutes from the garden.