Start : The walk starts at the entrance to the Whyte Estate (Loughrickland House) at the junction of Scarva Street and the Old Newry Road, Loughbrickland. (BT32 3YP)
(S/E) The walk starts to the right of the avenue – just past the gate lodge. You will see a wooden fingerpost indicating the start of the walk. Enter the estate avenue on foot from the Scarva Street (B3) entrance. A short distance along the avenue a fingerpost marks the start of the walk to the right of the avenue, just beyond the gate lodge. This section of the route runs parallel to the Old Newry Road.
The walk travels through a woodland strip with glimpses of the parkland to the left. The surface can be uneven, look out for the sections of concrete – vestiges of an army training camp of up to 2000 troops which was based here during World War II.
(1) At the junction of the path – ignore the entrance to the Boundary Trail for now and follow the Woodland Trail up the hill (North-East) through the ash plantation and climb 2 sets of steps to Coolnacran Fort (A), a scheduled historic monument. Just beyond the steps you will be pass the original entrance to this ringfort or rath on the eastern downhill side of a drumlin. (B)
(2) Take time to explore the interior of the fort before following the yellow way mark posts out of the wood to an avenue and turn left (South-West) and walk towards a set of gates. Go through the gap beside the gates turn right onto the back avenue, away from the house and gardens which are strictly private. Walk towards the Coolnacran Road gates at the back entrance to the estate.
There is a choice of routes here with the turn to the left (way marked yellow) you can complete the Woodland Trail and leading back to the Scarva Street entrance after 800 m or so.
"Otherwise, the path to the right is the Boundary Trail (C) and follows an old ride that runs around the perimeter of the estate. As you approach Johnston’s Fort , the second scheduled historic monument along the trail, you will see the ‘Boundary Trail’ interpretative board to the right. Johnston’s Fort, a raised rath, with its elevated position, affords views down to Loughbrickland village and across the fields to the much larger Coolnacran Fort to the south west. This marks the mid-way point of the Boundary Trail. Steps have to be climbed to enter and leave the fort. On leaving Johnston’s Fort the trail drops down to run parallel with the Old Newry Road. Often the banks along the trail have good displays of primroses and dog violets in spring. This section, from the fort to the first gate off the Old Newry Road was improved in autumn 2014 with investment from the Down Rural Area Partnership under the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. As the trail re-enters the woodland stay on the upper path and look out for the veteran oak on the left estimated from its girth to be about 350 years old. On re-joining the Woodland Trail retrace your steps to Coolnacran Fort and follow the way markers to the back gates of the estate.''
(3) Walk along Scarva Street then take the Woodland Trail to the left and follow the way marked path to return to the starting point. (S/E)