Wicklow Way Questions

Cróga

I want to walk the Wicklow Way starting from Marlay Park finishing at Glendalough. I've never been before and have a couple of questions:

Did you or other people ever do it alone? Camping overnight etc.
How clear is the trail? Is there directions, walkways?
Would I need a map/ compass? If so, where can i get a map of the area?
Does the trail be busy?
Is there shops/pubs along the trail?
How many km's a day is reasonable for someone who is moderately fit?
Is there any buses going from Glendalough back to Dublin?

Thanks

Dionysus

Cróga wrote: »

I want to walk the Wicklow Way starting from Marlay Park finishing at Glendalough. I've never been before and have a couple of questions:

Did you or other people ever do it alone? Camping overnight etc.
How clear is the trail? Is there directions, walkways?
Would I need a map/ compass? If so, where can i get a map of the area?
Does the trail be busy?
Is there shops/pubs along the trail?
How many km's a day is reasonable for someone who is moderately fit?
Is there any buses going from Glendalough back to Dublin?

Thanks

I walked from Marley to Clonegal last week - I started on Sunday afternoon and finished on Thursday about 2pm.

1. I walked on my own (although a friend was meant to start with me). It's much better to go entirely at your own pace until your fitness is improved.

2. I stayed in the following hostels: Knockree (cost @ €22 - superb, new hostel); Glendalough (@€;22/very good); Lugnaquilla (€20/excellent); Ashfield House B&B/Hostel (this is the newest hostel on the Wicklow Way so does not appear on the vast majority of guides/€20 per night)

3. The waymarking is about a 5/10. Keep your eyes peeled for the little yellow signs. I missed several of them and in other places you might not get a sign for 5km or so. In my view, the lack of clear and regular markers undermines the Way.

4. It was dead quiet when I travelled last week. I was the only person in my hostel room (of 6 people) on each night.

5. There are very few shops/pubs along the way. It's not like the Camino de Santiago.

6. Make sure you bring enough water. Along with waymarking, the distinct absence of water pumps is a serious impediment to the growth of the Wicklow Way. I met tourists who were parched with the thirst and were asking me was there water ahead. I could only tell them that I didn't see any pumps over the past 15km. Really, really bad form from the respective local authorities.

7. I walked 21km on the first day. Start off at 20km and you can go up by 5km each day. Don't do too much too soon or your body will be in shock/suffer.

8. Yes, the Bunclody to Dublin bus leaves from Kildavin, which is a few km from Clonegal. I hitched into Bunclody and got the bus from there as I was hungry and the two pubs in Clonegal was closed when I arrived there. So check the Bus Éireann website for this bus.

9. I didn't bring any map with me, and I've never tried to use a compass. It probably would have been a good idea to bring it. Fortunately, I found people after a while who put me right. I am now going to buy a phone with GPS though before my next walk. This will also be useful to report the illegal dumping I see along the way.



Bain taithneamh as/ Enjoy!

Cookie_Monster

OSI maps 1:50,000 numbers 50, 56 and 62 cover the WW.
You probably wouldn't need 50 as only a smaller amount on it. Compass not needed but recommended.

I think the signage is pretty good overall.

Dist of 20-25 a day is realistic

hmmm

A map will save you some head scratching.

The St Kevins bus service runs from Glendalough to Dublin.
http://www.glendaloughbus.com/

Alun

Definitely get a map, and I'd say get EastWest Mappings's Wicklow Way Guide. Much more detailed and easier to read than the OSi maps.

http://eastwestmapping.ie/wicklowway.html

Snickers Man

Cróga wrote: »

I want to walk the Wicklow Way starting from Marlay Park finishing at Glendalough. I've never been before and have a couple of questions:

Did you or other people ever do it alone? Camping overnight etc.
How clear is the trail? Is there directions, walkways?
Would I need a map/ compass? If so, where can i get a map of the area?
Does the trail be busy?
Is there shops/pubs along the trail?
How many km's a day is reasonable for someone who is moderately fit?
Is there any buses going from Glendalough back to Dublin?

Thanks

I did it recently, starting from Bunclody and heading north to Glendalough. (Did the other half coming south from Dublin a year ago).

I'd go along with much of what Dionysus said. But maybe he/she didn't say it loudly enough. It is a STUPENDOUS walk. Marvellous scenery and despite the comments about illegal dumping, and DO report the bastards if you see any, it is largely unspoilt. Couldn't recommend it highly enough.

My friend and I did the southern half, slightly more than half actually in three and a half days. First day we did between 24 and 30ks (major discrepancies between the map and the GPS software we had) and were totally shattered. But then we're both nearly 50. You young chaps should do better. Second and fourth days were much shorter but trip from Glenmalure (Irish for heaven on earth, obviously) to Glendalough was very steep.

There is NOTHING in the way of shops or food outlets anywhere on the trail between the major stopping points. You really are in the wilderness. Take a good packed lunch (most of the B&Bs along the way will offer to make you one) and don't skimp on the water.

We had five minutes of drizzle on one day only, the rest of the time the weather ranged from warm to scorching. Bring at least 2l of water. I only had one and it was not enough.

Knockree youth hostel is fantastic and great value. It has self catering but not a great shop. Bring your provisions with you.

Many of the villages along the way don't cater well for evening meals. Pubs stop serving food at about 6 or 7. Only outlet in Shillelagh, for instance, after that time is a very greasy chipper.

Wild camping is permitted and there are a few, actually only a very few, cabins along the way which you can occupy on a first come, first served basis. If you use them PLEASE leave no trace as the signs say. Don't depend on getting one of these, though. They are very few and far between.

A map is essential. The trail is regularly signposted but it is quite easy to miss them. Even the more obvious ones, especially if you're chatting. You need a map to make sure.

Amazingly, we met very few people on the trail. Most of them Germans. For most of the time you have the mountain to yourself. Lap it up. It's amazing that we have such breathtaking scenery so close to a capital city.

Enjoy.

Tom Fiat

This is excellent - great intel guys!

Slogger Jogger

I know the south part of the Wicklow way from running. You scarcely see a soul here and they are fairly isolated as the previous poster says so come prepared.

2 B&Bs worth considering on the south Wicklow way. Near Moyne there is jigsaw cottage B&B and Kyle B&B. The latter is adjacent to the Kyle loop a new waymarked trail (part of a series of Tinahely looped walks) that runs alongside part of the Wicklow way and is worth a diversion in its own right to do. Its circa 15k in a loop and given the right conditions it offers fab views of the surrounding area.

Alun

There's a good list of accommodation to be found at various places along the way on http://www.wicklowway.com.

Disclaimer: the website is run by a good friend of mine

AIR-AUSSIE

Here is GPS of the route. I have seen this posted before I think - GPS Wicklow Way

I have also started to use this map which I think is very handy although it does not specifically mark out the Wicklow Way -OpenCycle Maps

IrlJidel

AIR-AUSSIE wrote: »

I have also started to use this map which I think is very handy although it does not specifically mark out the Wicklow Way -OpenCycle Maps

OpenCycle Maps is a specific render of Openstreetmap (OSM) data geared for cyclists.

The Wicklow Way route is mapped in Openstreetmap, you can look at a hiking-orientated OSM here:

http://osm.lonvia.de/world_hiking.html?zoom=10&lat=52.98857&lon=-6.40203&layers=FTBT

AIR-AUSSIE

The one good thing about the Cyclemap though is that it has gradient marked, is there a way to have gradient on the hiking map rather than just the mountain shade?

IrlJidel

AIR-AUSSIE wrote: »

The one good thing about the Cyclemap though is that it has gradient marked, is there a way to have gradient on the hiking map rather than just the mountain shade?

I don't see a hiking map that shows both contours and walking routes. They do show all the tracks and paths, but I was looking for ones that would show the routes for a particular hiking route.

There's another nice hiking map here that shows contours and colored relief but doesn't show hiking routes.

However, we can cheat as we know the Wicklow Way route relation id (which is a collection of all the roads, tracks and paths that comprise Wicklow Way) and superimpose it onto the cycle map.

http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.0581&lon=-6.283&zoom=12&layers=C&relation=2740

EDIT: this worked a few minutes ago - must be something up right now with OSM site as it is not showing the relation.