Hiking Trails in Dublin/Wicklow Mtns?

mack1

Hi All,

Planning on going for a hike this weekend if the weather allows - not sure where to go tho! Nothing to crazy, just 2-4 hrs worth would be ideal, but not sure where to look.

Are there any websites that have trails etc that I can look at? I've heard of people going to somewhere in wicklow where you can a short or long walk map and head off yourselves.

Any suggestions?

BeardyGit

Where have you been hillwalking before?

mack1

Nowhere really! well not in a long time, been once or twice down around Galway about 5 yrs ago!

I'd be reasonably fit - cycle a fair bit etc, but still want a shortish one for the start - couple of hrs on a defined path sorta thing...

BeardyGit

Well, try Marlay Park as your start on the Wicklow Way. Go as far as Glencullen, which is where you come down off the hills onto a tarmac road. Walk back to Jonny Fox's and have a pint while you wait for a taxi/bus back to civilisation.... Nice walk and reasonably safe if you're not 100% on where you're going etc. Bring proper raingear and some spare food and water, not just the stuff you'll eat and drink on the walk anyway.

Make sure someone's expecting you back by a certain time so they'll call for help if you get into trouble - Your mobile may or may not work.

Just an FYI for everyone - Some of the folks on your friendly volunteer run mountain rescue teams (see www.mountainrescue.ie to find out more about them) will be distracted with the Reek Sunday walk down on Croagh Patrick this weekend, so try not to get into any bother if you can help it - It's a long drive back! Just kidding - Be safe though!

DublinDilbert

Gil_Dub wrote:

Well, try Marlay Park as your start on the Wicklow Way. Go as far as Glencullen, which is where you come down off the hills onto a tarmac road. Walk back to Jonny Fox's and have a pint while you wait for a taxi/bus back to civilisation.... Nice walk and reasonably safe if you're not 100% on where you're going etc. Bring proper raingear and some spare food and water, not just the stuff you'll eat and drink on the walk anyway.

Make sure someone's expecting you back by a certain time so they'll call for help if you get into trouble - Your mobile may or may not work.

Just an FYI for everyone - Some of the folks on your friendly volunteer run mountain rescue teams (see www.mountainrescue.ie to find out more about them) will be distracted with the Reek Sunday walk down on Croagh Patrick this weekend, so try not to get into any bother if you can help it - It's a long drive back! Just kidding - Be safe though!

kinda along the lines of Gil, I'm partial to walking from "killmashogue" to "3 rock" mountain... i think its about 4km over and 4Km back.... it follows the route of the wicklow way for most of the walk...

There's quite a good view of Dublin for most of the walk, they've cut down alot of trees in the past 12 months...

"killmashogue" is behind marley park, up past St. Columbus College.
"3 rock" well you can't really miss it with all of the Aerials!

Are you driving or getting the bus??

If you have a GPS i think i can upload the "trail" from mine....

mack1

Nope - no GPS!

Will be driving there too - so would prefer something that can start and end at the car!

Will have a look for whats around the Marlay Pk/3 Rock area!

johnp

Gil_Dub wrote:

Well, try Marlay Park as your start on the Wicklow Way. Go as far as Glencullen, which is where you come down off the hills onto a tarmac road. Walk back to Jonny Fox's and have a pint while you wait for a taxi/bus back to civilisation.... Nice walk and reasonably safe if you're not 100% on where you're going etc. Bring proper raingear and some spare food and water, not just the stuff you'll eat and drink on the walk anyway.

Make sure someone's expecting you back by a certain time so they'll call for help if you get into trouble - Your mobile may or may not work.

Just an FYI for everyone - Some of the folks on your friendly volunteer run mountain rescue teams (see www.mountainrescue.ie to find out more about them) will be distracted with the Reek Sunday walk down on Croagh Patrick this weekend, so try not to get into any bother if you can help it - It's a long drive back! Just kidding - Be safe though!

Complete newby here!
I had thought about doing this walk, so cheers for the advice.
Might be a stupid question, but is the Wicklow Way clearly marked along the way? Or are there any decent maps? (I looked at their website, but the maps aren't very detailed).

Evil Phil

Get an Ordinance Survey map, it should be marked on that.

Discovery series number 56 should cover you (I think )

Link.

johnp

Evil Phil wrote:

Get an Ordinance Survey map, it should be marked on that.

Discovery series number 56 should cover you (I think )

Link.

Cheers!

Evil Phil

I don't think it covers the wicklow way before Eniskerry so you may have to buy two.

dogmatix

Maps 50 (Dublin and the start of the wicklow way) and 56 (mainly wicklow - and the bulk of the way).

The way itself is marked with wooden posts showing a walking figure and an arrow indicating direction.

Easy to follow - but it is possible to take a wrong path as the trail is not well marked between glencullen and knockree.

Krusty_Clown

Here's one I made from a previous GPS track: Wicklow Way - Part 1
Should follow the route pretty closely (though the bit in Marlay Park is a little off due to the tree cover!

johnp

Krusty_Clown wrote:

Here's one I made from a previous GPS track: Wicklow Way - Part 1
Should follow the route pretty closely (though the bit in Marlay Park is a little off due to the tree cover!

Wow! That's superb!

If I get to Marlay, I'm sorted, kinda know my way around.

Krusty_Clown

Just remember that the trails can change somewhat, as those nice forestry folk sometimes need to cut down the trees, and adjust the trails..

but, most of all, enjoy!

josephiny

If you have a car Glendalough is only half an hours drive from the M50 with loads of great walks. There are routes ranging from 1 mile up to about 15 miles. All of them are colour signposted along the way, and the visitor centre sells maps for just a couple of euro. You can even park for free, although the car park does get full so its worth arriving before midday.

The walks are great becasue they have a good mix of mountains lakes, and forests.

My problem is my friends aren't big walkers and I don't like going alone. Does anyone know of any walking groups around Dublin?

dogmatix

Agree with josephiny - Glendalough has plenty of options from easy to hard. there are two car parks - a pay one further up and the free one at the visitor centre. However a before-midday arrival for free spots is a bit optimistic - I know from experience that you should be aiming to get there not later then 11am on a weekend if you want to find a space. Can get crowded on the trails too but the green road-derrybawn trail is usually very quiet.

mountaingoat

josephinny: check out http://www.mountaineering.ie/mci/info/clubWebsiteList.htm

There's lots of walking around Dublin and usually very friendly people

johnp

Ended up doing the Johnny Foxes to Marlay on Saturday. Well, I didn't actually go to Marlay, just went straight home!
Bear in mind I'd never done one of these before, so wasn't sure what to expect.
The signposts was excellent, you can't go wrong........ cue breaking news of missing person on Dublin Mountains :eek: What I mean is they're all in the appropriate places, and even I found it easy.
I'm not the fittest person in the world (play football a couple of times a week), but I was absolutely shattered when I got home, and my calf's were still aching until last night. I figure it was the downhill that done it to me.
Anyhow, enjoyed it, and will be back to do more.

btw, what the heck are people doing running and cycling up that mountain? Fruitcakes the lot of them.

NoQuarter

a mountain run can be lovely, just take it easy goin up! if your lookin for somewhere nice i found djouce mountain to have one of the best views(the whole wicklow mountains!) ya can even see lugnaquilla from it! u can park at the car park, walk up the big boardwalks to the top and then come back to the cars! easy peasy with excellent views!!

Evil Phil

Get some walking poles - they can save up to 20 tonnes off your knees on a days walk.

dogmatix

A lot of fruitcakes around the three rock - me included. A jog from ballinteer up the kellystown road to the top of the three rock late on a sunny summer afternoon is a beautiful thing indeed. And exciting too, dodging the moron's on their motocross bikers...

Incidentally the three rock has loads of walk options if you just want to leave your car parked in marley or at the coillte car park in ticknok. It's a wonderful resource for the whole of south dublin - they should really declare that whole area a park or something.

johnp

dogmatix wrote:

A lot of fruitcakes around the three rock - me included. A jog from ballinteer up the kellystown road to the top of the three rock late on a sunny summer afternoon is a beautiful thing indeed. And exciting too, dodging the moron's on their motocross bikers...

Incidentally the three rock has loads of walk options if you just want to leave your car parked in marley or at the coillte car park in ticknok. It's a wonderful resource for the whole of south dublin - they should really declare that whole area a park or something.

Sorry mate, was just kidding :cool: