Wicklow Mountains
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The Wicklow Mountains, a range of granite hills, extend for some 40mi/60km from just south of Dublin, continuing southward through Wicklow county. Their eastern slopes run down towards the Irish Sea, while their western slopes border the plain of the River Barrow.Only two passes, the Sally Gap and the Wicklow Gap, offer a route through the hills from east to west. This is a solitary region of hills flecked brown and purple, dark lakes and conical peaks, often enough shrouded in mist. Until the 18th century the inaccessible high valleys in the hills offered a relatively safe retreat for refugees, outlaws and criminals. After the 1798 Rising, British forces built a strategic highway, the Military Road, to permit better control of the area.Wicklow Mountains National Park is centered around Glendalough and contains 12,700 hectares, including Glenealo Valley and Glendalough Wood Nature Reserves.
Address:
Information Point, Uper Lake, Ireland
Opening hours:
Apr 1 to Apr 30: 10am-6pm; Closed: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
May 1 to Aug 31: 10am-6pm
Sep 1 to Sep 30: 10am-6pm; Closed: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
May 1 to Aug 31: 10am-6pm
Sep 1 to Sep 30: 10am-6pm; Closed: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
Entrance fee:
FREE
Useful tips: Guided walks are arranged at the Information Point.
Guides: Guided tour available as optional extra.
Related Attractions
Wicklow Mountains Excursion
From Rathfarnham, just outside Dublin, the road leads south, climbing steadily. Ahead, to the right, can be seen Kippure, 2,517ft/767m, with its television tower; to the rear there is a fine view of Dublin. Soon afterwards the road to Enniskerry diverges to the left. The R115 then continues south, past two small lakes and over a boggy plateau, the source of Dublin's River Liffey and of the Dargle, which flows east and lower down the valley forms the spectacular Powerscourt Waterfall.At the Sally Gap (1,657ft/505m), the watershed, the R115 joins the R759, which winds its way southwards over bare moorland, crossing a number of streams flowing down from the hills on the right of the road, Gravate (2,396ft/730m), Duff Hill (2,406ft/733m) and Mullaghcleevaun (2,839ft/865m). It then descends the rugged valley of Glenmacnass, passing a waterfall (best seen from the other side of the valley), to Laragh, at the meeting place of a number of valleys (and the roads and rivers which follow them).
Wicklow Gap
From Laragh, in the shade of the Wicklow Mountains, the R756 climbs westward, passing in a side valley on the left the famous monastic site of Glendalough, to the Wicklow Gap (1,595ft/486m), between Tonelagee (2,734ft/833m) to the north and Camaderry (2,337ft/712m) to the south.
Glendalough Forest Park
Camaderry lies within the Glendalough Forest Park (nature reserve), the boundary of which is skirted by the road. 2.5mi/4km beyond the pass a narrow road on the right leads to Glenbridge Youth Hostel, in a lonely valley bottom. In another 4mi/6km another road goes off on the right and runs north to the Lacken Reservoir or Poulaphuca Lake, with an area of 8sq.mi/2,000ha, which contributes to Dublin's water supply and is also harnessed to produce electric power.
Athgreany
From Glendalough Forest Park the R756 runs down to Hollywood. Rather more than 1mi/2km south of the village, at Athgreany, is a large stone circle of uncertain age (National Monument) known as the "Piper's Stones," with an isolated stone, the "Piper," outside the circle.
Russborough House
From Glendalough Forest Park the R756 runs down to Hollywood. 4mi/6km north of Hollywood on the N81, past the reservoir, stands Russborough House, a Palladian mansion by Richard Cassels and Francis Bindon (1740-50), now occupied by the Beit family. The main house, with a flight of steps up to the entrance, is linked by colonnades to two substantial wings. The house has fine plasterwork by Francini and contains Sir Alfred Beit's valuable art collection, including works by Goya, Rubens, Velázquez and Vermeer and a display of Irish silver. From Russborough House it is about 19mi/30km back to Dublin on the N81.
Valley of Glenmalure and Lugnaquilla Mountain
A detour into the valley of Glenmalure leads into a landscape which sometimes seems dark and uncanny. Nevertheless in this isolated region there is impressive scenery. Take the former Military Road south from Laragh and in 1mi/2km the road turns to the right towards the mountains, climbs up 1,267ft/386m and then descends into Glenmalure. At a crossroads in the hamlet of Drumgoff a narrow road branches off on the right, and soon reaches a parking lot, from where Lugnaquilla Mountain, (3,095ft/943m), can be climbed (no signs; total distance 10.5mi/17km).
Laragh (via Wicklow) to Dublin
From Laragh the R755 traverses the exceptionally charming scenery of the Vale of Clara, going southeast along the Avenmore River to Rathdrum. To the south extends the Avondale Forest Park. From the R752 leading to Wicklow we turn onto the N11 and go northwards to Ashford with the extremely charming Mount Usher Gardens. The R764 running inland passes the large Vartry Reservoir. Near the pretty little village of Roundwood the road joins the R755 which is followed northwards.
Great Sugar Loaf
Near the pretty little village of Roundwood the road joins the R755 which is followed northwards. On the right of the road rises the Great Sugar Loaf (1,644ft/501m). It can be climbed in 45 minutes from the large parking lot at the southern foot of the mountain.
Wicklow Way
The long-distance trail known as the Wicklow Way, opened in 1983, runs for 80mi/126km from Marley Park, Dublin county (parking; bus service from Dublin), to Clonegal in Carlow county. Within easy reach of the Way, which is marked by signposts, are convenient parking places, so that it is possible to walk sections of the route.The first section of the Way follows the eastern slopes of the hills, ending near Lough Tay at Luggala, on the R759, between the Sally Gap and Roundwood. The second section makes for Laragh, passing the end of Glenmacnass, and then turns southwest by way of Drumgoff and Aghavannagh to Moyne. The final section runs south, past the Ballycumber Hills and other ranges of hills, by way of Tinahely and Shillelagh to Clonegal. From Clonegal it is possible to continue - outside the Wicklow Mountains area - on the South Leinster Way to Graiguenamanagh, Kilkenny county (25mi/40km).Walkers on the Wicklow and South Leinster Ways will encounter a great variety of wildlife on the hillsides and forest paths - red deer, hares, foxes, grouse and - more rarely - badgers.
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