A Guide to Fernhill House And Gardens: Dublin’s Newest Public Park

The beautiful Fernhill Gardens in Stepaside is one of the newest parks in Dublin, and it’s well worth a visit.

Set on a very large estate that was established in 1723, Fernhill House and Gardens is now home to one of our favourite, very short walks in Dublin.

Boasting beautifully kept gardens that include a stream, mature rhododendrons, some huge sequoias and redwoods and ancient oak trees, this really is a great place to spend an hour.

Some quick need-to-knows about Fernhill Park and Gardens

Although a visit to Fernhill House and Gardens in Dublin is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

1. Location

You’ll find Fernhill Gardens finely plonked upon 34 hectares of land in Stepaside, a stone’s throw from the Dublin Mountains and a short spin from Sandyford.

2. Opening hours

The car park at Fernhill Park & Gardens opens daily from 8:15am. Park closing times vary by season:

• November – January: 9:00 – 17:00
• February – March: 9:00 – 18:00
• April: 9:00 – 21:00
• May – August: 9:00 – 22:00
• September: 9:00 – 20:00
• October: 9:00 – 18:00

3. Parking

Phase 2 of the park’s development includes new car parking facilities for those visiting Fernhill Park and Gardens. Once completed there will be 3 car parks serving the park. They are clearly signposted from the main road (here’s one on Google maps). 

4. Dublin’s newest public park   

Fernhill Park and Gardens was saved from becoming a housing development. Instead, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council purchased the land in 2014 in order to develop it as a regional public park.

5. The house is currently closed

Plans for Fernhill House and Gardens include two phases of work to conserve and restore the historic house and gardens, install paths and provide visitor facilities. Phase 2 was recently completed and included car parking, a traffic signal junction, a sports pitch, seating, lighting and ground cover.

About Fernhill House and Gardens

Fernhill House was originally a country estate established in 1723 at Stepaside. It included a family residence, outbuildings, gardens and 34 hectares of park and woodland.

Currently, under development as a public park, it preserves a historic landscape on the outskirts of Dublin City. While still in the development process, the park now has landscaping, footpaths, ponds, a play area, sports pitch, 400m running track, 3 car parks, woodland walks, a sports court and more.

The original coach house will be developed as tearooms with a new tower building providing toilets and staff facilities.

What to expect from a walk around Fernhill Gardens

Fernhill House and Gardens was owned by the Darley family back in 1723. They laid out the grounds in the natural landscaping style of Lancelot “Capability” Brown, as was the fashion at that time. 

The existing mature rhododendrons, huge sequoia/redwoods and oak trees date back to that time. The estate passed to the Walker family who continued to develop the garden plan. The green-fingered matriarch, Sally Walker, lived there until she was well in her 90s.

The paths were deliberately wide to accommodate three ladies walking side-by-side without crushing their hooped skirts! Small flights of steps and hidden nooks create a sense of a hidden garden in this Arts and Crafts-style estate.

The stream adds to the charm of the gardens with a bridge, pools, waterfalls and ferns lining the banks. Fernhill is home to a unique plant collection of acid-loving plants, including established rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias.

The perfect time to see these showy plants at their best is in late spring/early summer along with carpets of snowdrops and spring flowering bulbs. In short, it’s a little taste of rural paradise a stone’s throw from the city!

Things to do near Fernhill Gardens

One of the reasons that a trip out to Fernhill Gardens is one of our favourite day trips from Dublin City is due to the endless nearby walks.

Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Fernhill Park (plus places to eat and where to grab a post-adventure pint!).

1. Ticknock Forest (5-minute drive) 

Head southeast from Fernhill Park to tackle the Ticknock walk. It’s a lovely place for a hike with superb views of Dublin City, Bray and Wicklow. Start from the car park and follow the forest road leading to Three Rocks Mountain. Continue on to Fairy Castle, an ancient passage tomb at the highest point in the Dublin Mountains. 

2. Carrickgollogan Forest (10-minute drive)

Located in the southeast corner of County Dublin, Carrickgollogan Forest offers 8km of scenic walks on forest roads. Head through woodlands of established pine, larch, birch and beech trees to the viewing rock on top of the hill. The woods also hide an ancient dolmen, a Rath Memorial to Dr. Alcock, and the chimney from a disused lead mine. 

3. Cruagh Wood (15-minute drive)

Cruagh Wood is 10km southeast of Fernhill Park. You’ll find several way-marked trails through the woods, at times overlapping with the Dublin Mountains Way. The Slí na Sláinte loop forest road provides a very pleasant walk with access to Cruagh summit. At 522m elevation, you can be sure of stunning views of Dublin on a clear day. 

4. Tibradden Wood (15-minute drive)

Head south from Fernhill to Tibradden Wood (Teach Bruadain in Irish). It’s a beautiful shady wood mainly of Scots pine, larch, spruce and deciduous native trees tucked between the Cruagh and Kilmashogue Mountains. Highlights include an open cairn and ancient kist burial site at this National Monument along with breathtaking views.