- self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking, luggage transported
- outstanding scenery, with far-reaching views
- visit Glendalough’s 6th-century monastery
- convivial guesthouses offering exceptional hospitality
Characterised by rounded peaks, deep valleys, open expanses of heather and grassland, granite boulders, peat-coloured streams, serene lakes, and pine woods inhabited by red squirrels, the Wicklow Mountains possess a wild and untamed beauty. They rise just south of Dublin, yet feel a world away from the bustle of the country’s animated capital.
Given how easy they are to get to – the train journey from Dublin to the starting point of our walk only takes an hour and a quarter or so – I was struck on my first visit by how wild and remote-feeling these mountains are. If you’re looking to get away from it all without travelling too far from the UK, this holiday is ideal.
Emily Bailey, Product Manager for Ireland
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the brooding splendour of the scenery, it was here that Ireland’s first long-distance path, the Wicklow Way, was established, winding through lush glens and over panoramic summits, and offering far-reaching views which often stretch far across the Irish Sea. Well-known as it is, part of the joy of exploring the trail and the paths that branch from it is the tranquillity – you will rarely see that many walkers here.
Starting barely 35 miles from the heart of Dublin and leading north, our holiday explores the northern, grander half of Wicklow County, taking in highlights of the Wicklow Way such as Lough Dan, and the lakes and 6th-century monastery of Glendalough. Along the way, we have found authentic, intimate guesthouses, the conviviality of which makes them very special places in which to stay, while the traditional food you enjoy will surprise you with its simple sophistication.