Walking in Wicklow

Take a walk on the wild side in Wicklow.

Fresh air in the lungs, surrounded by nature, wrapped up warm, a brisk wind running through your hair – there’s nothing quite like a long walk in the Irish countryside!

Walking in Ireland is something many tourists enjoy. Only minutes away from large towns and cities you will find some amazing scenic routes that will take your breath away, both in the metaphorical and literal sense (they can be long!).

The Garden County, Wicklow, certainly fits this bill. Home to the imposing Wicklow mountains and the beautiful area around Glendalough, Wicklow is very close to Dublin city centre and a veritable mecca for walkers coming to the east coast.

A patchwork of mountainous areas, lush green fields, spectacular uplands and clear lakes, Wicklow has numerous routes for walking enthusiasts. The Wicklow Way is probably the best known. A network of 132km of unspoilt trails, this starts in South Dublin and meanders its way through Wicklow towards the tiny village of Clonegal in Co. Carlow. The walk is extensive – you’ll traverse roads, fields, parkland, forests and mountains. It’s certainly a demanding hike and one for the experienced walker, but it’s also well signposted, frequented by others and very rewarding too, so don’t let the distance put you off. There are seven sections of the trail in all should you want to take a smaller bite of Wicklow.

The St Kevin’s Way trail follows the path of St Kevin, through the hills of Wicklow and towards the beautiful village of Glendalough, where he spent his life in prayer and contemplation. After St Kevin’s death around 600 AD, the area nearby was turned into a large monastic site, some of which still exists today. Follow in his footsteps, beginning at Hollywood and traversing the spectacular Wicklow Gap, into the valley of Glendalough, and gaze at the inaccessible St Kevin’s Bed area.

The Devil’s Glen, near Ashford, is the final walk we recommend. Cut out of glacial meltwater, the glen is owned by Coillte and is fully accessible to the public, with car parking, picnic facilities and a variety of forest walks. Consisting of natural woodland, you may also stumble upon the Sculpture in Woodland collection, a series of sculpture works located within the glen.

The glen is open daily from 9 to 9. A beautiful waterfall is located within. It also offers beautiful views across the Vartry River. The “Seamus Heaney Walk” is very popular, and is named after the famous Irish poet, who has a second home in the area, and a huge love for it.

Co. Wicklow is an explorer’s paradise with many wilderness trails. If you are an outdoors type, we’d certainly recommend a visit to the county.

It’s well served by transport links from Dublin, and there are numerous great accommodation options nearby too, to rest those weary feet.