Two things shape this list: the high bog plateau in the middle of the county, and the sharp quartzite hills along its eastern edge. Sally Gap sits at the heart of the first, a crossroads at around 500 m on the Old Military Road, with Lough Tay and the Glenmacnass Waterfall on the 26 km drive through. The Wicklow Gap does the same job further south, carrying the R756 at 475 metres between Hollywood and Laragh along part of St Kevin’s Way. Neither has fuel or gritting, so both are worth checking the forecast for.
The eastern hills are the short-outing end of the page. The Great Sugarloaf, west of Kilmacanogue, is a sharp climb from the Red Lane car park ending in a hands-on scramble, with a 360-degree view from Dublin Bay to the Wicklow tops; the Little Sugar Loaf above the N11 is an hour up and down from the lay-by on Bohilla Lane. Both car parks fill by mid-morning on fine weekends, as does the small, paid one at Crone Woods for Maulin.
The big days out are inland. Lugnaquilla at 925 m is a broad grassy plateau rather than a peak, and the shortest line up from the Glen of Imaal crosses a live artillery range. Camaderry gives an 11 km loop from the Lower Lake car park at Glendalough, past the flooded mine adits of the Miner’s Way, with the twin lakes below and none of the Spinc’s crowds.
A crossroads at around 500 m on the Old Military Road, and the 26 km drive through takes in Lough Tay and the Glenmacnass Waterfall.
Barely 501 m, but the near-vertical cone west of Kilmacanogue repays a short scramble with views from Dublin Bay to the Wicklow tops.
Wicklow's highest ground at 925 m, a broad plateau with the North and South Prisons, the two great glacial hollows, cut into its sides.
An 11 km loop up the western arm of the Glendalough horseshoe, following the old Miner's Way to a summit above the twin lakes.
Ireland's oldest railway, running since 1834 past cliffs, market towns and beaches, with summer heritage steam trips still on the line.
17 of 17 shown — tap a pin for the place.
Wicklow Mountains, wicklow
Sally Gap is a crossroads high in the Wicklow Mountains, at around 500 m, on the Old Military Road built to hunt down rebels after 1798. The 26 km drive takes in the black waters of Lough Tay and the Glenmacnass Waterfall. There’s no petrol and no gritting up here – fuel up, check the forecast, and take it slow.
wicklow
The Great Sugarloaf is barely 501m, but the near-vertical cone west of Kilmacanogue gives a disproportionate reward: a short, sharp climb from the Red Lane car park and a 360-degree view from Dublin Bay to the Wicklow tops. The final stretch is a hands-on scramble over loose quartzite, and the car park fills by mid-morning on fine weekends. Two Bronze Age burial cairns sit on the northern shoulder, and paragliders often launch from the top.
Wicklow Mountains, wicklow
Lugnaquilla is Wicklow's highest mountain at 925 m, and the highest ground in Ireland outside Kerry. It is not a peak but a broad grassy plateau, Percy's Table, with two great glacial hollows – the North and South Prisons – cut into its sides. The shortest way up, from the Glen of Imaal, crosses a live-firing artillery range.
Glendalough, wicklow
Camaderry is the 699m mountain forming the western arm of the Glendalough horseshoe, reached on an 11km loop from the Lower Lake car park. The climb follows the old Miner's Way past the flooded adits of a lead-and-silver industry that ran until 1957, and the summit gives a 360° view over the twin lakes and out to the Irish Sea. It draws walkers who want Glendalough's scenery without the crowds on the Spinc.
Dublin Connolly (County Dublin) – Rosslare Europort (County Wexford), dublin
Dating back to 1834, the Dublin-Rosslare line is Ireland’s oldest railway and the world’s first commuter service. Today it carries daily DART and intercity trains past dramatic cliffs, historic market towns, and sunny beaches, while summer heritage steam trips keep its Victorian spirit alive.
Wicklow/Dublin border, wicklow
Kippure is the highest point in County Dublin, 757 m of open bog capped by the oldest television mast in Ireland, first on air on 31 December 1961. Below it sit the two Lough Bray corrie lakes, and the plateau feeds the headwaters of both the Liffey and the Dodder.
Kilmacanogue, wicklow
Little Sugar Loaf is a 342m rocky top above the N11 between Kilmacanogue and Bray, most walkers up and down in about an hour from the lay-by on Bohilla Lane. The last stretch is a scramble over bare Cambrian quartzite, and the summit opens a view east over Dublin Bay and south to the Great Sugar Loaf and the Wicklow Mountains.
wicklow
Maulin is a 570 m Wicklow hill whose draw is the view: from the summit and from Ride Rock on the way up, you look down onto Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland's highest, with the Great Sugar Loaf and Dublin Bay beyond. The Crone Woods loop is 6.6 km with a steep final pull, about 2.5 hours. The catch is parking – the car park is small, fills early and charges a few euro.
Wicklow, wicklow
Mullacor tops out at 661 m on the broad ridge that wraps around the Upper Lake of Glendalough. Few people climb it on its own; it is usually bagged as part of the Spinc and Lugduff horseshoe, or crossed on the Wicklow Way. Expect a boggy summit plateau, a cairn and long views down into Glenmalure.
Wicklow, wicklow
At 849 m, Mullaghcleevaun is County Wicklow's second-highest peak, reached only by blanket bog and a long, exposed ridge. Below the summit sits Cleevaun Lough, the county's highest natural lake, and the mountain connects north to the Sally Gap and south to Tonelagee.
Wicklow Gap, wicklow
Near the top of Turlough Hill sits a blue reservoir that isn't natural: it's the upper half of Ireland's only pumped-storage power station, built into the mountain. The 681 m summit gives long views across the Wicklow Mountains, with the corrie lake of Lough Nahanagan – the scheme's lower reservoir – in the valley below.
Wicklow Gap, wicklow
At 475 metres, the Wicklow Gap is one of the highest paved passes in Ireland, carrying the R756 across the mountains between Hollywood and Laragh. The road follows part of St Kevin’s Way, the old pilgrim route to Glendalough, and the climb from the valley is a Category 3 outing for road cyclists.
Bray, wicklow
Dublin to Wicklow, dublin
Wicklow Mountains, wicklow
Wicklow Mountains, wicklow
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