Pilot programme set to boost visitor experience at Kildare forest

AN exciting new pilot programme in partnership with Irish start-up HiiKER will offer a new and innovative way for local and visiting outdoor enthusiasts to experience a Coillte forest in Co Kildare. Walkers and hikers will be provided with real-time forest and walking trail insights before and during their visits.

Launching this summer, the pilot programme will introduce advanced features to HiiKER’s ‘Parks and Recreation’ functionality. New enhancements include trail distances, accessibility reports and difficulty levels. Users will also benefit from real-time updates on trail busyness, parking availability, food options and toilet facilities.

The HiiKer app will, for the first time, give visitors a real sense of the various activities available in Coillte’s forests and improve the overall visitor experience.

This new technology will be piloted in Donadea Forest Park in Kildare. Other forests throughout the country include Cruagh Woods, Ticknock, and Tibradden Woods in Dublin, Portumna Forest Park in Galway, Farran Forest Park in Cork and Dromore Forest in Kerry. Visitors to these forests will be the first to experience the enhanced capabilities offered by HiiKER.

Daithi de Forge, Head of Recreation at Coillte, explained that Coillte forests attract an average of 18 million visits annually.

“We are delighted to partner with HiiKER on this pilot which aims to enhance the walking and hiking experience across several of our beautiful forests. This innovative programme supports our commitment to enhancing the recreational, social and wellbeing benefits from our forests and to making them more accessible and enjoyable for all,” he said. “By integrating Coillte’s extensive knowledge of the natural environment with HiiKER’s cutting-edge technology, we aim to provide visitors with an enriched, informed and seamless experience when they visit our forests.

HiiKER is an Irish start-up founded by Paul Finlay in Co Meath. The app has helped over one million hikers to plan and navigate their hiking adventures all around the world. The app curates the best hikes on the planet, along with important points of interest to help users to plan the perfect hike. Most importantly, it works with the most notable map developers and cartographers to bring a wealth of verified route information to the public.

Coillte and HiiKER will pilot the technology over a six-month period. The collaboration will yield valuable insights into forest and trail usage, allowing Coillte to make data-driven decisions to further enhance the visitor experience for all.

Mr Finlay said they are excited to join forces with Coillte to launch this innovative pilot programme that will transform the way people explore Ireland's forests.

“Our new HiiKER Parks and Recreation functionality and Coillte's extensive database of recreational maps and data, enables the public to explore Coillte forests like never before,” he said. “We’re encouraging everyone to download the app for free and start exploring these forests today.”

Donadea Forest Park, which includes Donadea Castle and estate (the former home of the Aylmer family until 1935), is a great place for a summer stroll. Here you’ll find historical features like the remains of the castle and walled gardens, St Peter’s church, an ice house and a boat house. It’s also home to a 9/11 memorial, a scaled replica of the Twin Towers carved in limestone. There are three looped walking trails in the forest park that cater for all abilities – The Lake Walk (0.8km, 30 minutes), The Nature Trail (1.6km, 1 hour) and The Aylmer Walk (5.7km, 1.5 hours).

Download HiiKER from the App Store or Google Play Store and search for one of the pilot forests.