Sopwell and Scohaboy Bog

Sopwell Wood comprises of over 147 hectares of conifer and broadleaf forest and a 70 ha section, approximately, of Scohaboy Bog to the south west of the property. The lands once formed a small portion of the substantial Sadleir estate that covered over 10,000 ha in counties Tipperary, Clare and Galway. Members of the Sadleir family would have resided in nearby Sopwell Hall. There are some features from these bygone days within the woods including a lime avenue guarding the main access road to the wood and an ornamental arch in the north west of the property. Sopwell is well serviced by a network of forest roads for those who like to explore.
For those with an interest in all things ecological, Scohaboy Bog forms part of the Natural Heritage Area (NHA) 393. It is a raised bog. Raised bogs are domed masses of peat that build up slowly, over thousands of years, in former lake basins or shallow depressions. They are nutrient-poor, ombrotrophic wetland ecosystems – i.e. they are fed by rainwater only, with no groundwater input. Scohaboy Bog supports a good diversity of raised bog microhabitats, including extensive hummock/hollow complexes. It is also one of the more southerly raised bogs in the country, adding to its ecological value.
As part of a LIFE-Nature conservation project – LIFE09 NAT/IE/000222, Scohaboy is one of 17 project sites or 636 ha of raised bog habitat that are owned by Coillte that are being restored. Works that have been carried out to date include; felling and removal of non-native tree species, blocking of drains, monitoring of vegetation change and recording of water levels. Visitors can access the bog and see the conservation works for themselves via a 400m bog bridge that leads to a raised viewing platform. From here there are uninterrupted views.

Opening / closing hours
Restricted to Daylight hours