Explore the highs of Wicklow, a refreshing break from the norm
Wicklow offers a wealth of popular walks and trails, woodland paths and mountain treks. Pictures: Eoghan O'Sullivan
For visitors to Dublin — as well as city dwellers themselves — Wicklow offers the promise of beaches and easy getaways, with direct access from the city centre via the DART. Bonus points for the stunning views, rolling through Monkstown and Dún Laoghaire before reaching Bray and then tunnelling through the mountain to Greystones at the end of the line.
That's as good a place as any to start. Many Irish people know the town as home to the Happy Pear. What began in 2004 as a vegetarian restaurant run by twins David and Stephen Flynn survived the financial crash and has grown into a wider business of podcasts and cookbooks. They even won the 2021 celebrity edition of Ireland’s Fittest Family. Treat yourself to a delish bake and coffee and let's get ready to set off.
You could once round off a day trip with the classic cliff walk between Greystones and Bray (where you might even have run into the Flynn twins on a barefoot run). Alas, that path has been closed for several years after repeated landslides and erosion made sections unstable. Wicklow County Council has kept it fenced off, much to the chagrin of locals and visitors alike. While work continues behind the scenes, it remains off-limits for the foreseeable future.
The good news is that the Bray Head Loop still delivers much of the same drama. Hop on the DART back from Greystones and make your way up to the dramatic stone cross, erected in 1950 to mark the Catholic jubilee and Holy Year. From there the view opens out across Bray, north-east Wicklow and the full sweep of Dublin Bay. On a clear day you can pick out the Great and Little Sugar Loaf, and Carrickgollogan, known locally as Kathy Gallagher.
The distinctive conical shape of the Great Sugar Loaf can indeed be seen from almost every angle in Wicklow. At 501m, it ranks only 404th among Irish peaks, which on paper sounds almost modest. Don’t be fooled. Whether you’re shaking off winter cobwebs or ready to sweat in high summer, the final push over loose rock is incredibly steep and often rickety. It will leave you feeling on top of the world though.
Glendalough is the place most people picture when they think of Wicklow. The valley of the two lakes boasts a round tower and scattering of early Christian ruins and feels surprisingly peaceful even on a busy day — though you’ll want to get there early, especially on a Sunday, to beat the traffic. There are nine marked walks ranging from 1.5km to 11.5km.
The most popular is the Spinc and Glenealo Valley circuit, just shy of 10km. An Spinc translates as “pointed hill", and the trail lives up to it. It climbs steeply beside Poulanass Waterfall before joining the long wooden boardwalk. More than 600 steps lead to a viewing point that looks straight down onto the Upper Lake. From there the path skirts the top of the cliffs before dropping through blanket bog and heath into Glenealo Valley. A rough track then brings you back down into the main valley. Treat yourself to a cosy pint in nearby Laragh afterwards.
Other popular walks include the trails around Poulaphouca Reservoir near Blessington, the woodland paths and waterfall route within the Powerscourt Estate (which got the seal of approval from Dua Lipa when she visited while on tour in 2022), and the more open mountain tracks that lead towards Djouce or along sections of the Wicklow Way.
Powerscourt also makes a good base for two-wheeled adventurers. The county mixes quiet back roads, dramatic mountain passes, and a growing number of dedicated trails, depending on how ready your thighs are for the push. The Blessington Greenway offers a gentle, family-friendly loop around the reservoir, while stronger legs can take on the climbs of the Military Road or the Sally Gap for those big, open vistas. Again the DART is there for easy getaways along the coast if dead legs hit.
For those who really want a challenge, they could follow the 180km route the Tour de France took when it came to Ireland in 1998. Starting in Dundrum on the southside of Dublin, climb up Kilmacud Road then down through Bray and the Glen of the Downs before continuing all the way to Arklow. Then, simply turn inland and head for Phoenix Park. Good luck!
For a different kind of high, Wicklow is also home to various music festivals. Though it’s been finished up for a few years, Knockanstockan holds a special place in the grizzled festival veteran’s heart. Taking place on farmland overlooking Blessington Lakes, it was surely the best camping spot for hungover heads.
A very different type of festival calls Blessington home nowadays. Kaleidoscope at Russborough House is a fully-fledged festival experience that families can share together. Alongside the music, there are treehouse building workshops from Dermot Bannon, science experiments with Mark the Science Guy, workshops with the Gaiety School of Acting, and the Circus Factory.
One of the defining festivals of the summer is Beyond the Pale — tagline: “Time does not exist here” — which takes place in mid-June among the wild woodlands of Glendalough Estate. Whether the weekend brings rain or unbroken sunshine, the main stage, set against rising trees, is genuinely stunning. Recent headliners included Caribou, Father John Misty and Primal Scream.
You'll be screaming your head off at the festival, but Wicklow can take your breath away in so many ways.
