The present windfarm and walking trails at Raheenleagh welcome visitors and there are 3 different marked trails available
Raheenleagh, formerly known as Forde’s Hill, was farmed by the Forde family from the 1700’s until the 1940’s. Since then Coillte have planted and harvested trees in the Raheenleagh forest while the current crop of eleven turbines was realised in partnership with the ESB.
The windfarm is located in South Wicklow, west of Arklow, between Woodenbridge & Tinahely
This is an ideal family destination where the trails lead up to the wind turbines and offer stunning views over the Wicklow Mountains and the Irish Sea.
Raheenleagh (the small grey rath or fort) windfarm has hosted a range of visitors over the years. The main entrance is known locally as the ‘White Heaps’ due to the cairns of quartz which may have marked prehistoric burial mounds.
Bronze Age graves or cists were also found at Ballinagore Bridge and a decorated burial urn from that period is in the National Museum. More recently (1795), gold nuggets were found in a stream on the northern side of Croghan mountain (Cruachán Chinnsealaigh) and prospectors retrieved over 3,000 ounces of gold. Also in 1798 United Irishmen camped at this entrance on returning from the battle of Vinegar Hill.
Visitors can walk up to the turbines via any of the listed trails