Glenveagh National Park, encompassing over 16,000 hectares of mountains, lakes, and woodlands in County Donegal, is one of Ireland’s most significant natural and heritage attractions. As a primary destination for thousands of annual visitors, the park required strategic infrastructure enhancements to manage the flow of pedestrians, cyclists, and shuttle services between the main car park and Glenveagh Castle, located 3km to the southwest.
Jennings O’Donovan provided a suite of civil engineering and environmental solutions to resolve significant congestion and safety hazards on the primary access route. Prior to these works, the restricted 3-meter-wide road width created conflict between mini-buses, pedestrians, and cyclists. Our scope included the design and extension of a dedicated walk and cycle path, providing a safer, segregated access route to the castle. This involved ground enhancement works, the installation of additional rest areas, and the resurfacing of the castle grounds to improve accessibility for all users, including the elderly and those with limited mobility.
A key structural component of the project was the construction of a new footbridge crossing the river through a sensitive wooded area, requiring careful integration with the park’s protected natural environment. Beyond transport infrastructure, Jennings O’Donovan addressed critical environmental services by upgrading the existing wastewater treatment facilities. This included the modernization of the treatment works serving the administration buildings and the high-capacity visitor car park toilets to ensure compliance with modern environmental standards.
Our ongoing involvement at Glenveagh highlights our ability to deliver technical engineering solutions within environmentally sensitive and topographically challenging landscapes, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Ireland’s national heritage sites.