Overview
The Wicklow Mountains are the largest continuous upland in Ireland, and the national park at their core – almost 23,000 hectares of blanket bog, heath, oakwood and glacial valley – is the biggest of the country’s six national parks. It sits within an hour of Dublin, which is rather the point: this is the capital’s back-garden wilderness, close enough for an afternoon and wild enough to get weather-beaten on. Entry is free. The only regular charge is the car park at Glendalough, at €4 a day.
If you have one day, give it to Glendalough: the monastic ruins by the lower lake and the climb up the Spinc above the upper lake are the park at its best. Come early, though – the Upper Lake car park fills by mid-morning on any fine weekend.
History
People have been in these hills a long time. The earliest known traces are Mesolithic, but it is the Neolithic that left the boldest marks: the passage tombs crowning summits such as Seefin and Seefingan. In the 6th century Saint Kevin founded the monastery at Glendalough, which grew into a major centre of learning and pilgrimage. For centuries afterwards the O’Byrnes and O’Tooles held the mountains as a stronghold, raiding the lowlands and slipping back into ground no army could hold.
That last point is why the Old Military Road exists. After the 1798 Rebellion the British built it – now the R115 – between 1801 and 1809, running south from Rathfarnham to Aghavannagh to open up the rebel country. It is still the spine of the high mountains and the finest drive in the park.
The idea of protecting the landscape took decades to win. Wicklow Mountains National Park was formally established in 1991 under the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and later land purchases pushed the boundary out to take in Kippure, the Glenasmole Valley and Bohernabreena Reservoir. The whole park is now a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area under EU law, and the wildlife service is at work restoring bog that generations of turf-cutting and burning stripped bare.
What to see and do
Glendalough monastic city
Set in a glacial valley, Glendalough is the park’s most visited site, and deservedly. You can walk among the 6th-century monastic ruins, the round tower, St Kevin’s Church and the stone crosses, then follow the lakeshore to the quieter upper lake. The floor of the valley is scattered with the ruins of lead, zinc and silver mines that worked until 1957; the Miners’ Road and the old Miners’ Village trace that industrial chapter. The Glendalough Visitor Centre has the maps, the exhibits and a small shop.
The big peaks and walks
- Lugnaquilla – Ireland’s highest summit outside Kerry, at 925 m. The usual ascent starts in Glenmalure and takes 6–7 hours there and back; it is a serious hill in cloud.
- Great Sugarloaf – A conical hill on the eastern edge, up and down in about an hour, with views over Dublin Bay.
- Djouce Mountain – A two-hour loop on a boardwalk that keeps boots off the fragile bog.
- The Wicklow Way – Ireland’s first waymarked long-distance trail, 130 km end to end, running the length of the park.
Waymarked walks from Glendalough
| Trail (colour) | Length | Approx. time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purple – Miners’ Road Walk | 5 km | 1 h 10 m | Upper Lake, St Kevin’s Bed, miners’ village ruins |
| White – The Spinc & Glenealo Valley | 9.5 km | 4 h | Boardwalk, 380 m climb, lake views |
| Bronze – Poulanass & St Kevin’s Cell | 1 km | 30 m | Poulanass Waterfall, birdlife |
| Green – Green Road Walk | 3 km | 50 m | Flat woodland, Lower Lake wetlands |
| Red – Spinc & Wicklow Way to Glenmalure | 13.5 km | 4 h 30 m | Connects to the long-distance Wicklow Way |
| Pink – Poulanass | 2 km | 40 m | Steep climb, woodland birds |
| Silver – Woodland Road | 4 km | 1 h 15 m | Secluded glens, joins St Kevin’s Way |
The Sally Gap drive
The Sally Gap drive along the Military Road (R115) is the one to do if you’re seeing the park from a car. It climbs from Roundwood past Lough Tay – the ‘Guinness Lake’, dark water and a pale sand beach – and Glenmacnass Waterfall before crossing open blanket bog to the Sally Gap crossroads. It’s about 26 km; allow two hours with stops, more if the light is doing anything interesting.
Wildlife and birdwatching
The park’s deer are hybrids. Sika deer were brought from Japan in 1859–60 and have interbred with the native red deer so thoroughly that pure red deer are now rare here; the mixed herds graze the open grassland and heath, and are easiest to spot at dawn and dusk. Overhead, peregrine falcons and merlins work the ridges, best seen in spring and early summer. The lakes and wetlands draw teal, mallard and the occasional goldeneye – the viewing points near the Upper Lake and along the Spinc are the reliable spots for a quiet look.
Cycling and mountain biking
The quiet mountain roads, chiefly the R115 and R756, make for hard but rewarding road cycling linking Glendalough, the Sally Gap and Roundwood. For off-road riding, head to Ballinastoe MBT on the southern edge of the park, with flowing single-track and technical lines as well as gentler family loops. The Wicklow Way itself is largely walk-only.
Nearby attractions
The park makes an easy base for a run of good day trips:
- Avoca Valley – A wooded river valley with the old hand-weaving mill and riverside walks.
- Blessington and its lakes – Sailing, fishing and lakeside picnics, a short drive to the north-west.
- Avondale Forest Park and House – The former home of Charles Stewart Parnell, set in woodland, now with a treetop walk.
- Camaderry – A peak over Glendalough with a moderate loop and long summit views.
- Aghavannagh – A quiet village at the western foot of the hills.
Getting there
- By car – About 45 minutes south of Dublin via the M50 and R115. The main car parks are at Glendalough (Upper Lake, €4 a day), the Sally Gap turn-off and the base of the Great Sugarloaf. There’s also a free car park in Laragh village, by the Woollen Mills and the GAA pitch, a short walk or drive from Glendalough.
- Public transport – The private St Kevin’s Bus runs daily between Dublin and Glendalough; Local Link routes also serve the wider area. Check current timetables before relying on either.
- Cycling – The R115 and the surrounding lanes are popular with road cyclists; there are bike racks at the Glendalough Visitor Centre.
Practical information
- Opening – The park is open around the clock, year-round. The Glendalough Visitor Centre opens daily, roughly 09:30 to 18:00 from mid-March to mid-October and 09:30 to 17:00 through the winter.
- Facilities – Toilets, picnic areas and marked parking at Glendalough and several trailheads; a café and shop at the visitor centre.
- Safety – Weather on the tops changes fast, so carry waterproofs, a map and a charged phone. The boardwalks protect the bog but get slippery when wet.
- Dogs and litter – Dogs are allowed on most trails but must be kept under close control near sheep and ground-nesting birds. Take your litter home and stay on the marked paths.
Before you set off, call in to the Glendalough Visitor Centre for a proper trail map and the day’s conditions – mountain weather turns quickly, and the right map saves the day.