Reccommend me a nice hike near Dublin?

NextSteps

I'm planning to pack a picnic and head for the hills for the day at the weekend - it's my birthday. Where (apart from Bray, Howth and the Hellfire Club) would you suggest? I'd like a good 3 or 4 hour walk with nice scenery. If there was a bus going there it would be even better.. could have wine with my lunch! But driving is all right too.

All suggestions welcome, and thanks. Any links?

Evil Phil

Glendalough had some great scenic walks.

Krusty_Clown

Choose a section of the Wicklow Way. Closest would be Johnny Foxes (area) back to Marlay Park (Stage 1 of the Wicklow Way in reverse).

NextSteps

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Choose a section of the Wicklow Way. Closest would be Johnny Foxes (area) back to Marlay Park (Stage 1 of the Wicklow Way in reverse).

That's a good idea. A big breakfast to set us up! Is it scenic along there, is it not too close to Dublin?

Krusty_Clown

UB wrote: »

That's a good idea. A big breakfast to set us up! Is it scenic along there, is it not too close to Dublin?

Not sure if JF's is open at breakfast time! Yes, it is scenic, but not as scenic as later sections of the Wicklow Way. It's all 'away' from Dublin, until you pass under the M50 as you arrive back at Marley.

Alternatively, you could walk in the other direction and have lunch in Johnny Foxes! Busses back from Johnny Foxes are pretty sporadic, but sure if it's a special occasion, you could get a taxi. JF's is about 20 minutes from the Sandyford LUAS by taxi.

dogmatix

Here's a good option: Tibradden.

You follow the wicklow way from Marley park and as you descend towards the glencullen road from the fairy castle you turn right on a well defined trial that runs along the top of tibradden above the military road from glencullen to rockbrook. There are a couple of seculded grassy granite tors further along which are perfect for a sheltered lunch and you have wonderful views out over dublin. You then descend towards the pine forest, follow the main trail out above the general area over Larch hill and make you way back to marley park. About 4-5 hours inculding a long lunch.

Bad points:
1. Some parts of the trail before the tors have become very eroded and waterlogged forcing a diversion into the heather.
2. Coming back towards Marley involves walking for some of the way along the road from rockbrook/edmonstown which has no path.

NextSteps

dogmatix wrote: »

Here's a good option: Tibradden.

You follow the wicklow way from Marley park and as you descend towards the glencullen road from the fairy castle you turn right on a well defined trial that runs along the top of tibradden above the military road from glencullen to rockbrook. There are a couple of seculded grassy granite tors further along which are perfect for a sheltered lunch and you have wonderful views out over dublin. You then descend towards the pine forest, follow the main trail out above the general area over Larch hill and make you way back to marley park. About 4-5 hours inculding a long lunch.

Bad points:
1. Some parts of the trail before the tors have become very eroded and waterlogged forcing a diversion into the heather.
2. Coming back towards Marley involves walking for some of the way along the road from rockbrook/edmonstown which has no path.

Just wanted to say thanks, we did this hike yesterday and it was very nice. The bit along Tibradden was very soggy, and the first walk up from Marlay to Kilmashogue is a bit ruined by the logging, but the views and the peace and quiet further along more than make up for it.

maryo'dee

a great 3-4 hour walk is the djouce mountain.
follow the road to the powerscourt waterfall but pass this by on your lef t. after a few 100 metres you will see the carpark of crone where you parkon your left easy to miss this so look out.
now follow the map on the trail which takes you onto the wicklow way and brings you above the powerscourt waterfall with great views down on it all the way to djouce mountain. on top admire lugnaquilla in the distance as well as the entire range of wicklow.
try mountainviews.ie for more info. and directions but i find this a lovely walk good luck:)

IrlJidel

dogmatix wrote: »

Here's a good option: Tibradden.

You follow the wicklow way from Marley park and as you descend towards the glencullen road from the fairy castle you turn right on a well defined trial that runs along the top of tibradden above the military road from glencullen to rockbrook. There are a couple of seculded grassy granite tors further along which are perfect for a sheltered lunch and you have wonderful views out over dublin. You then descend towards the pine forest, follow the main trail out above the general area over Larch hill and make you way back to marley park. About 4-5 hours inculding a long lunch.

Bad points:
1. Some parts of the trail before the tors have become very eroded and waterlogged forcing a diversion into the heather.
2. Coming back towards Marley involves walking for some of the way along the road from rockbrook/edmonstown which has no path.

I recently added those exact forest/mountain paths using my gpx tracks to openstreetmap:
http://openstreetmap.com/?lat=53.2498&lon=-6.2722&zoom=14&layers=00B0FTF

It is possible to load these maps onto garmin gps units if anyone wants to use this data.
Or better still, edit the map to add any major tracks I missed.

dogmatix

Thats an excellent map IrlJidel - thanks for the link. It's more detailed and useful then the standard OSI 1/50000 map, espcially regarding the forest tracks near the Pine forest showing the right way to get to Tibradden lane.