The Gortin Glen Forest Park has become the most visited tourist attraction in Co Tyrone in recent years.
Investment in facilities at the picturesque park from Fermanagh & Omagh District Council have led to significant increases in people coming to the park.
Mountain bike trails, a new modern play park and improved accessibility are among some of the main draws for locals and visitors alike.
A new cafe is set to open at the park in the coming weeks as well, while a new inclusive play area is currently under construction.
One local volunteer who looks on with pride at the work being done at the Gortin Glen is Sean Harpur, who runs the "Friends of the Glen" volunteer group who help to look after the park.
Sean campaigned for years for increased investment to the area and is proud to see the plans come to fruition.
Sean told MyTyrone: “The first phase was £1million, and that went towards tarmacing the car park and building a state of the art play area, as well as putting in the mountain bike trails.
“With the lockdowns and everything, this place was choc-a-bloc. Now that things are settling down though people are still coming.
“I put forward ideas to the council about various things they can do but they obviously have their own ideas as well.
“So then they put in another £1million for the second phase, which is the new barbecue areas and renovating the cafe, restoring the old classroom and new walking trails up at Mullaghcarn.”
The forest park was officially opened in 1967 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
Siobhan Hanratty, who runs the coffee van in the park, and will take over the cafe when it opens to the public and lives a stone’s throw away from the Gortin Glen.
She said: “The park is booming, and they are coming from all over, Co Down, people from Kerry, they are coming from everywhere.
“I’ve been here with the coffee van for two years now and it has been very busy, especially at the weekends.
“We are moving up to the coffee shop now shortly. I would have had the cafe years ago, but the park just sort of died, but it’s great to see it so busy now.”
2020 saw a massive increase in visitors to the park, with 61,000 counted as going through its entrances, compared to 37,000 in 2019.
Volunteer Sean said it is exciting to see such numbers and praised the council for investing money into the local attraction.
He added: “I think the main thing bringing people here now is the investment of the council, and bringing the play area and fixing up all the trails and listening to the locals.
“A crowd pulls a crowd, so people go away and tell their friends and family they were down at the Gortin Glen Forest Park and it was such an amazing place.
“And then they come and see it for themselves. I think you actually have to come here to love it yourself.
“What I like is coming in to the park and you can hear the birds, and then you hear the children enjoying themselves.
“It just brings you to life. I was a child one time too and now I’m getting old but the next generation are coming through so you’re working for them too.”
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