3-5 Day Wicklow Guided Walking Tour
| Highlights: Glendalough – Enniskerry – Powerscourt Gardens – Johnny Foxes - Sugarloaf - the Wicklow Way - Djouce - Lough Tay – Vale of Clara and Avoca. | Dates 2013: |
||
| Please Specify date while booking. | April 12th | ||
| May 24th | |||
Price: 3 Day Tour €345, 5 Day Tour €565 |
June 7th |
||
July 19th |
|||
| Aug 9th | |||
| Aug 30th | |||
Sept 6th |
|||
Includes: |
|||
County Wicklow also known as "the garden of Ireland" it is just 1 hrs drive from Dublin's busy city centre. The Dublin/Wicklow mountains are renowned for there diversity and splendid beauty and are the perfect surroundings for wonderful walks.
The Mountains are saturated with a patch work of forests, glens, lakes and waterfalls and whether your doing the 3 or 5 day tour we will set the walks to suit your pace and needs.
Wicklow has always been and still remains a place of great inspiration to poets and writers alike. It is also steeped in its history of Irish resurrection and in the heart of the Glendalough there are the remains of the 6th Century Monastery of St. Kevin. It is also obvious when you visit Glendalough that St. Kevin’s choice of settlement is not by chance.
Day 1 : Pickup from Dublin @ 10:00 (Glendalough)
Glendalough and it's beautiful valleys.
Your tour starts with a pickup from Dublin and a drive deep into the heart of the Wicklow Mountain National to Glendalough where we will be staying for two nights. We will be staying in the Trooperstown Lodge, which provides excellent accommodation with great facilities. After we arrive and you have settled into your accommodation we will bring you on a walk in the area over looking the beautiful valley and lakes that Glendalough is known for. We will pass through one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland; Glendalough. This is a fantastic location to start this tour and I'm sure you will agree when you see it.
The Spinc Walk: (Moderate)
Starting from the upper lake in Glendalough, this is one of the most beautiful walks in the area. This is a looped walk which overlooks the whole of Glendalough and it's two lakes. The walk is approx 4hrs at an easy pace with plenty of stops along the way to take in the views. This walks passes through an old mining village, an ancient Celtic Kings cemetery, a wonderful waterfall and some forested area.
After the walk you can return to the accommodation to relax for a while and in the evening enjoy a meal in the Wicklow Heather restaurant.
There are many local pubs that you can unwind and listen to some traditional music.
Day 2:The Wicklow Way, Glenmalure or Clara
Wicklow Way Walk approx 4hrs, ascent: 500m (moderate)
or Vale of Clara 3hrs (easy /moderate)
Today you will have a choice of walk depending on the group. We can along part of the Wicklow Way towards Glenmalure, through some forested track and out onto some open mountains before descending into the valley of Glenmalure. Glenmalure was the stronghold of the last Celtic Chief in this region Fiach Mc Hugh O'Byrne.
Or a Walk in the Vale of Clara which offers incredible forested walks. Clara is known as the smallest village or hamlet in Ireland, two houses and the ubiquitous church. I found this area one day while out staying in Laragh and it’s an absolute gem. There is a choice of walks here from 3 different loops all of which are easy going and through a wonderful forested area.
Day 3: Enniskerry and the Powerscourt Gardens.
We will leave Glendalough today and drive to Enniskerry where we will visit The Powerscourt Garden's. We will be staying here for the next two nights in the Summer Hill House Hotel.
This picturesque village is famous for the Powerscourt Garden's in County Wicklow and it’s also the film location of Celia Ahern's “P.S. I love you" and the Hollywood Block buster “Leap here”.
For those on the 3 day tour we say goodbye to Wicklow and take the scenic drive through Glencree back to Dublin.
Today is your day for those on the 5 day tour to enjoy Enniskerry.
You can visit the Powerscourt Gardens in the morning and then enjoy your Spa treatment in the afternoon. Spa treatments are for a half hour Swedish Back massage followed by an Eye Reviver Treatment suitable for both men and women, and relax and enjoy 1 hours use of the spa thermal suite. Treatment time is 45 minutes. Extra Treaments can be organised. Afterwards you can enjoy an evening meal in the Summerhill House Hotel.
Although Enniskerry is a small village it has many great restaurants, lively pubs and quaint coffee shops to relax in.
We can also organise some other activities for you in the area. Such as.
- Horse Riding - experience some horse riding over looking some great country side.
- Mounatin Biking - On a purpose built track with great guides.
- Cycling
- Golf - Selection of great golf courses in this area.
These can be arranged for you by your guide on the tour.
Day 4: The Wicklow Way or the Sugarloaf Mountain
Wicklow Way Walk approx 4hrs, ascent: 500m (moderate)
Sugarloaf Walk approx 1.5hrs, ascent: 100m (easy)
Today you will have a choice of walk either a walk over Djouce along the Wicklow Way or an easy guided walk on the sugarloaf. The walk over Djouce starts at Crone woods and follows the Wicklow way trail which brings you through a wooded area with beautiful views across to the sugarloaf and along the east coast of Ireland. The path goes along a trail over looking Powerscourt waterfall, the highest waterfall in Ireland. The trail will finish at Lough Tay below Luggala Mountain.
The Sugarloaf walk we will drive to the base of the Sugarloaf named due to the Quartzite stone on top of it. This is an excellent easy walk which also provides wonderful views along Ireland’s east coast and on a clear day you can see the mountains of mourne or even Snowdonia in Wales.
In the evening you can visit the famous pub of Johnny Foxes for dinner and some great live Irish music. (This is optional and not included in cost but can be organised for you)
Day 5: Short walk and drop back to Dublin.
Short Coastal Walk 1 -2 hrs
After breakfast we will drive to the small town of Greystones on the Wicklow Coastline. Here you can enjoy a self guided coastal walk to Bray, the walk is only 1.5hrs and a perfect finish to a great stay in Ireland and Wicklow. We will then make our way back to Dublin along Dublin's Sea front.
About the walks and fitness levels:
The walks on this tour are generally of a moderate level with
the option on most days for an easier type walk.
All the walks are taken at a pace to suit the group.
The groups can range from 6 to 12 in size with a mixed level of fitness and age usually.
Here is a short list of extras you will need to bring along for this walking holiday.
N.B. Ireland’s climate is of a moderate type and suited to walking all year round. Although it is quite changeable so starting a walk on a fine 
clear morning may not be the case for the afternoon.
- Hill walking Boots / shoes / Trainers.
- Waterproofs (Just in Case)
- Socks Leggings / tracksuit bottoms
- Thermal top / T-shirt
- Sun Cream