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By Kieran Flood, IWT CEO
First published online: 21 January 2026
Twisted boughs of Oak overhang the Avonmore River.
In this new series of articles, we will share recommendations of nature reserves and wild areas where you can go to connect with nature. Spending time outdoors in wild, functioning ecosystems allows us to strengthen our relationship with the natural world, of which we are part. Modern human lifestyles force us to live disconnected from nature in sterile environments, often spending large amounts of time indoors, interacting with computers and other in-organic devices. Nature is made up of messy and complex systems; by spending time outdoors among the beautifully diverse and inter-related species found in a healthy ecosystem, you may find that you develop a sense of awe and wonder as you tune into the natural world. This reconnecting with nature can benefit your wellbeing and develop your understanding of your local landscape.
At the IWT we want to support our community to spend more time outdoors in nature and we hope this series of articles will inspire you to get out and reconnect.
Our Autumn Recommendation
We’ll cover all four provinces in this series, and we begin with a recommendation of a native woodland on the east coast – the Vale of Clara Nature Reserve, Co Wicklow. Clara Vale is a state-owned nature reserve established in 1983 and is described by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as “a large area of fragmented oak-wood. It contains the largest area of semi-natural woodland in Co. Wicklow and is potentially one of the largest stands of native hardwoods in the country. The area has been at least partially under woodland since the Ice Age. The oak-woods are also of high scenic value.”
Clara Vale nature reserve is nestled in a wooded valley along the banks of the Avonmore River. The woodland stretches from just outside Rathdrum village north-west toward Clara Bridge. Within the nature reserve you can walk along the banks of a flowing river, under giant, awe inspiring oaks that tower above, clad in mosses, ferns and lichen. While some monoculture planting still remains, the site has large areas of old oak woodland, as well as younger emerging woodland and wet woodland. The main path follows the course of the Avonmore, allowing you to take in the sights and sounds of the river as well as the woodland. Species such as Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and Jays (Garrulus glandarius) can be seen in the woodlands, Dippers (Cinclus cinclus) forage in the river, while rarer species such as Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) have been recorded here.
Fraocháns, oak galls and fungi are all easily visible here. Fraocháns are wild blueberries that often grow in the understory of oak woodlands on the east coast. Oak galls are growths found on oak leaves and are the product of gall wasps that rely on oak trees to complete their lifecycle. The gall wasp larvae live inside the gall protected by its growth. Fungi, found through the woods, feed on and break down deadwood, releasing its nutrients and allowing for new plant growth.
To visit the nature reserve in autumn is a beautiful experience – the mix of trees turn warm golds and reds and the smell of fallen leaves fills the air, while mushrooms can be seen popping up as symbols of the dynamic process at play under your feet. On a recent visit I encountered quite a number of oak seedlings pushing through the ground. Hopefully some will evade grazers and saws alike, to become the next generation of this woodland keystone species, supporting whole networks of life among their towering, twisting boughs.
Planning your trip
New footbridge at the southern end of the Nature Reserve
Thanks to a new footbridge on the Avonmore Way, near Ballygannon Woods, the nature reserve can now be easily accessed either by parking at Ballygannon Woods carpark or by walking the Avonmore Way directly from Rathdrum itself. There is also limited parking at the Clara Bridge end of the reserve. The nature reserve has a network of paths throughout. You can walk all the way from the new footbridge to the old Clara Bridge and back (8.5km) or cover more ground by looping up into the higher paths. With a train station in Rathdrum village, this walk is accessible by public transport on the Rosslare-Dublin line.
So, leave the dog at home, turn off the phone and allow yourself time to explore and connect with the natural world.
Your Recommendations
If you have a recommendation of a favourite place to connect with nature, please let us know? We do not want to put pressure on sensitive habitats, so we ask that you share places that have an existing path network. If you’d like to get involved please send the info listed below to editor@iwt.ie with the subject: Connecting with Nature.