Wicklow Way Advice

4wardpass

Hi all,

I'm hoping to do a short part of the Wicklow Way heading out from Bray and wild-camping just one night. The thing is, how safe is it? Particularly the middle section I'll be on? I'll be camping on my own as I just can't get anybody to go with me. I home a lot but never camped and just don't want hassle etc from any yobs and such! Any insights are much appreciated :-)

Regards,

Paul

gaiscioch

4wardpass wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm hoping to do a short part of the Wicklow Way heading out from Bray and wild-camping just one night. The thing is, how safe is it? Particularly the middle section I'll be on? I'll be camping on my own as I just can't get anybody to go with me. I home a lot but never camped and just don't want hassle etc from any yobs and such! Any insights are much appreciated :-)

Regards,

Paul

I didn't camp, nor did I start from Bray. I stayed in hostels and started from Marley, walking to Clonegal in Carlow in 4 days (staying in Knockree, Lugnaquilla, Glendalough and Tinahely - never mind the seven days timeframe on this excellent website). It was very safe throughout and I would have no hesitation in bringing a lightweight pop-up tent (Halfords have a 1.5kg one for €30, which would be perfect).

I went in the summer and it was, to my surprise, still very isolated. As it is badly serviced by water pumps (I don't recall seeing one), do pace your use of water and fill up whenever you can. I had assumed that even if there were no pumps I could knock on somebody's door and ask, but there were no houses at all in large stretches of the Way. Additionally, I would advise you to bring a gps or map of some sort as the signs can let you down badly.

recedite

Its mostly out of reach for the yobs, but to avoid them and the midges its best to camp on high ground, ie not beside a river in a forest near a road.
Camping is technically illegal in the National Park areas, which would most likely be enforced in the Glendalough area.

Carawaystick

recedite wrote: »

Camping is technically illegal in the National Park areas, which would most likely be enforced in the Glendalough area.

This is not correct
Camping in th enational park in Glendalough is not allowed, but There's a load of Coillte land in Glendalough, not in the national park for starters.

http://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/WildCamping.html

recedite

Carawaystick wrote: »

This is not correct
Camping in th enational park in Glendalough is not allowed, but There's a load of Coillte land in Glendalough, not in the national park for starters.

http://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/WildCamping.html

Try reading your own link.

Please Note: Camping is not permitted, at all, in the valley of Glendalough. This rule is vigorously enforced, and campers will be moved on. Visitors arriving in Glendalough with a tent should be aware that they will need to walk for at least 3 hours before they can find a site that complies with the Wild Camping code.

Carawaystick

recedite wrote: »

Try reading your own link.

But the NPWS are lying. You can camp in Coillte land in Glendalough. You can camp in Glendassan which is only a few minutes walk from Glendalough.
You can camp in the Glenealo valley, just above Glendalough, maybe an hour's walk.