Ireland Guide
Around Dublin: Wicklow, Kildare and Meath
The Wicklow Mountains
Website: www.wicklowway.com
Address: South of Dublin
The Wicklow Mountains, so close to the capital that they're often called the Dublin Mountains – by Dubliners, at any rate – rise only to 924m at their highest point, Lugnaquillia. Nevertheless, this granite mass, which forms the largest area of continuous upland in Ireland, is wild, desolate and sparsely populated at its centre, and, despite the influx of outdoorsy city-dwellers at weekends, never feels crowded. The range has been heavily glaciated to form attractive valleys, lakes and corries, while an extensive covering of peat supports purple heather and yellow gorse in abundance. To protect this huge natural playground on Dublin's doorstep, part of the massif has been designated as a national park, and walkers are signposted onto the Wicklow Way, a managed, long-distance trail that bisects the mountains from north to south.
Finding accommodation is not usually a problem, and some B&Bs will collect you from, or deliver you to, parts of the route, or ferry your bags to your next resting place, if given prior notice. Three An Óige hostels line the route – at Knockree, Glendalough and Glenmalure.