Days Out NI
Worth the drive Forest & woodland Cookstown

Davagh Forest

A remote Sperrin forest with some of the darkest skies on the island — free trails by day, booked stargazing by night.

5 photos
Forest open all yearOM Observatory 11–7 (later Fri & Sat)
Forest freeObservatory tours ticketed
CookstownSperrin Mountains, Co Tyrone
Get directionsOfficial website
Two to three hours for a walk or a ride; a half day if you add the OM observatoryHow long
Forest freeEntry
All agesBest for
On leadsDogs
FreeParking

Davagh Forest — a remote sweep of Sperrin pine and blanket bog under some of the darkest skies on the island, home to the OM Dark Sky Observatory.

  • What you'll do: by day, roam free walking loops through pine, spruce and open bog and ride the well-known Davagh mountain-bike trails — a family-friendly green, a twisty blue and a big 16km red with rock-slab drops — plus a pump track, skills area and bike wash at the trailhead. Meet "The Stargazer", a giant wooden sculpture on the boardwalk. By night, book into the OM Dark Sky Observatory for a guided exhibition and, on clear nights, stargazing under a proper dark sky.
  • How long: two to three hours for a walk or a ride; make it a half day if you add the OM observatory, and it becomes an evening out if you stay for the stars.
  • Come ready: this is genuinely remote — up a mountain road with no shops for miles, so bring what you need. Book the OM observatory ahead (it's ticketed and can sell out), and if you're staying to stargaze, dress properly warm — it gets cold and dark out on the hill.
  • Be trail-aware: the bike trails are shared with walkers and the red climbs to real rock features — keep little ones and dogs clear of riders, and pick the trail to match the legs you've brought.
  • Cost & food: the forest, the trails and the walks are free, with free parking. The OM observatory is a ticketed, pre-booked attraction (guided tour around £6.20 adult, £4 child/over-60, under-2s free; confirm current prices). There's a grab-and-go café at the observatory for tea, coffee and snacks — handy, but not a sit-down meal, so bring a picnic if you want more.
  • When: the forest is open in daylight hours all year; the OM observatory opens 11am–7pm (until 9pm Friday and Saturday), with guided tours through the day and stargazing sessions on clear nights. Booking is essential and the observatory may close in severe weather — check before you set off.
Plan your visit

Two days out in one — trails by day, stars by night

Drive up out of Cookstown into the Sperrin foothills and the world quietens down. Davagh is a big working conifer forest with a proper trail centre at its heart, so most days start at the trailhead: little ones on the pump track and skills area, families rolling out on the green and blue loops, confident riders climbing to the 16km red and its rock slabs. On foot, waymarked walks thread through the pine and spruce and out onto open blanket bog, and the "Stargazer" sculpture kneels on a timber boardwalk trying to catch the Seven Sisters in his spiral. Then, when the light goes, the same sky that makes this such a peaceful spot by day turns into the main event: the OM Dark Sky Observatory just up the road brings the night indoors with an interactive exhibition and a big telescope, and runs stargazing when the clouds clear. Come for one, or make an evening of both.

Free forest, free walking loops and free parking Graded mountain-bike trails — green, blue and a 16km red Pump track, skills area and bike wash at the trailhead OM Dark Sky Observatory — booked tours and stargazing "The Stargazer" giant on the Sperrins Sculpture Trail Beaghmore Stone Circles a short drive away
Good to know before you go:

The OM observatory is ticketed and pre-booking is essential — walk-ins are only taken if there's space, and stargazing depends on a clear sky, so it's worth checking the forecast and the booking page before a long drive. The forest itself is open and free, but access to parts can be restricted during forestry work, so heed any signage. It's a remote, exposed spot on a mountain road — grand in all weathers, just come prepared.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🥾Boots or trail shoesThe walking loops cross forest track and boggy ground — grippy, comfy feet make the day.
  • 🧥Warm layersIt's high, open and exposed; a coat suits every kind of weather, and it's the making of a rainy walk in the pines.
  • 🧣Extra layers for stargazingStanding still under a dark sky gets cold fast — a hat, gloves and a flask turn a clear night into a treat.
  • 💧Water and a picnicThe café is grab-and-go only and there are no shops nearby, so pack what you'll want for the day.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
The forest, walking loops and mountain-bike trails are free to use. The OM Dark Sky Observatory is a separate ticketed attraction — the guided exhibition tour is around £6.20 adult, £4 child (under 16) and over-60, under-2s free; a seasonal outdoor film runs at about £3.90 in winter. Pre-booking is essential. Confirm current prices when you book.
Opening / season
Forest open daylight hours, all year. OM Observatory: Monday–Thursday and Sunday 11am–7pm; Friday and Saturday 11am–9pm. Guided exhibition tours run through the day (around 45 minutes); stargazing sessions run on clear evenings and must be booked. Hours can vary on public holidays and the observatory may close in severe weather — check ahead.
Best for ages
All ages. Toddlers get the pump track and gentle trailhead loops; older children the skills area and green and blue trails; teens and adults the 16km red. The observatory tour and stargazing suit families and older children happy to be out after dark.
What you'll see
Pine and spruce forest, open blanket bog and big Sperrin skies; graded mountain-bike trails, a pump track and skills area; "The Stargazer" wooden giant on its boardwalk; and, at the observatory, an interactive exhibition, a large telescope and — on clear nights — a genuinely dark, star-filled sky. Beaghmore Stone Circles are a short drive away.
Food
There's a grab-and-go café at the OM observatory for tea, coffee, cold drinks and snacks — useful, but not a sit-down meal. There are no shops nearby, so bring a picnic if you want more, and there's a picnic area at the trailhead.
Toilets
Toilets and changing facilities at the trailhead; the observatory has male and female toilets, baby-changing and an accessible Changing Places facility.
Parking
Free. There's parking at the Davagh trailhead and at the OM observatory (42 bays plus disabled and coach spaces), with a second forest car park at Lough Fea.
Dogs
Welcome on the forest trails on a lead; keep them clear of bikes on the shared paths.
Accessibility
The observatory has Blue Badge parking, step-free access, a lowered reception desk, a Changing Places toilet and a lift up to the observatory. Some forest roads are firm and buggy-friendly; the off-road bike trails, skills area and boggier walking ground are not wheelchair or buggy suitable.
How long to allow
Two to three hours for a walk or a ride; a half day with the OM observatory added, or an evening if you stay for the stars.
Address
OM Dark Sky Park & Davagh Forest, 155 Davagh Road, Cookstown, Co Tyrone BT79 8JQ
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
The forest, the walking loops and the mountain-bike trails are free, and so is parking. The OM Dark Sky Observatory is a separate ticketed attraction (around £6.20 adult, £4 child/over-60, under-2s free) and pre-booking is essential.
Do I need to book the observatory?
Yes — pre-booking is essential for the guided exhibition tours and the stargazing sessions. Walk-ins are only taken if there's space, and stargazing only runs on clear nights, so book ahead and check the forecast before a long drive.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a grab-and-go café at the observatory for tea, coffee and snacks, but no sit-down restaurant and no shops nearby. It's remote, so bring a picnic if you want a proper feed — there's a picnic area at the trailhead.
What are the bike trails like?
There's a family-friendly green trail on wide forest road, a twistier blue, and a 16km red with sweeping cross-country riding and some genuine rock-slab drops. There's also a pump track, a skills area and a bike wash at the trailhead. Trails are shared with walkers, so ride considerately.
Can we bring the dog?
Yes — dogs are welcome on the forest trails on a lead. Keep them close and clear of bikes on the shared paths.
Getting there

Davagh Forest and the OM Dark Sky Park are up in the Sperrin foothills, signposted off the A505 Cookstown–Omagh road — around 15 miles from Cookstown and 50 miles from Belfast. The postcode is 155 Davagh Road, Cookstown, Co Tyrone BT79 8JQ. It's a rural mountain road, so allow a little extra time. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map

OM Dark Sky Observatory: 028 8676 0681

Nearby

Make more of the day

Beaghmore Stone CirclesAncient stones a short drive across the bog More days out around CookstownSee what else is close by
The story

The forest that kept its dark

Davagh has always been a working forest — a big spread of pine and spruce in the foothills of the Sperrins, with forest roads, a lake at Lough Fea and blanket bog rolling away toward the tops. What made it special was what it didn't have: streetlights, towns, glow on the horizon. Out here, far from any of that, the night stays properly dark.

Mid Ulster District Council leaned into both sides of the place. On the ground, they built the network of graded mountain-bike and walking trails, the pump track and the skills area that make Davagh a well-known day out for riders and families. And overhead, they turned the darkness into the draw: in 2020 the forest was accredited by DarkSky International, said to be the first International Dark Sky Place in Northern Ireland and one of only two Dark Sky Parks on the island of Ireland. The OM Dark Sky Park & Observatory opened alongside it — a striking timber building where an interactive exhibition and a large telescope bring the night sky indoors, and guided stargazing runs when the clouds part.

The forest sits in old, storied country. On its boardwalk kneels "The Stargazer" — one of Thomas Dambo's giant recycled-wood sculptures on the Sperrins Sculpture Trail, reaching to catch the Seven Sisters. And a short drive off across the bog stand the Beaghmore Stone Circles: seven low circles, cairns and stone rows thought to be around 3,000 to 4,000 years old, laid out by people who, long before any observatory, were already reading meaning into these same dark skies.