What are the most essential items to pack for a walking holiday in Ireland?

The most important items are: a quality waterproof jacket and trousers (essential in Irish weather), well-fitted and broken-in hiking boots, merino wool or synthetic base layers (avoid cotton), a comfortable daypack, paper maps and compass, a GPS device or smartphone with offline maps, sun protection, and a fully charged power bank. Trekking poles are optional but helpful for longer descents.

What kind of boots should I wear?

Well-fitted, waterproof hiking boots are essential. Begin breaking them in 8-10 weeks before your trip, gradually increasing your walking distances in them. By departure, they should feel familiar and comfortable. Test them in wet and uneven conditions similar to Irish terrain. Many experienced walkers also carry blister treatment just in case.

Are the trails well-marked?

Ireland's waymarked long-distance trails are generally well-signed. However, some mountain areas have less consistent waymarking, so it is important to carry a paper map and compass as backup. Our route notes highlight any sections that require extra attention.

What is the most popular route?

The Dingle Way is our most popular route, closely followed by the Wicklow Way. The Dingle Way offers dramatic Wild Atlantic coastline, ancient history at Slea Head, and charming villages like Annascaul and Dingle town.

Glendalough Walks Guide: 5 Trails (Wicklow, Ireland)

A practical Glendalough walks guide from a team that has been putting independent walkers onto Wicklow trails for fifteen years — five marked loops, when to go, and where each one starts.

Glendalough — the Glen of the Two Lakes — sits in the heart of Wicklow Mountains National Park, just over an hour south of Dublin. It is the busiest day-walking spot in the country for a reason: the glacial valley, the round tower of Saint Kevin's monastic city, and the loop trails climbing straight off the valley floor are some of the finest short walks in Ireland.

This Glendalough walks guide covers the five waymarked loops that leave the National Park visitor centre and the Upper Lake car park. They range from a thirty-minute monastic stroll to a serious half-day mountain walk on the Spinc ridge. Pick the one that matches your time, fitness and weather — and treat the colour-coded arrows as the second source of truth, after this guide.

The Upper Lake at Glendalough, framed by the steep slopes of the Spinc and Camaderry, on a bright spring morning. — The Upper Lake at Glendalough — the heart of every walk in this guide.

1. The Spinc & Glenealo Valley (White Route, 9 km)

If you only have one day in Wicklow and you read this Glendalough walks guide for one trail, this is it. The Spinc (from An Spinc, "the pointed hill") is the boardwalked ridge that runs along the south side of the Upper Lake, 380 metres above the water.

From the Upper Lake car park, follow the white arrows up through woodland and onto the railway-sleeper boardwalk. The climb is brisk — about six hundred steps — and once you crest the trees the view straight down on the Upper Lake opens out. The boardwalk continues along the ridge, then drops west into the wild upper Glenealo Valley with its waterfalls and old miners' tracks. You return along the lake shore.

Allow three to four hours. The boardwalk is narrow in places and slippery when wet — a good pair of walking boots is non-negotiable. In strong wind on the ridge, turn back; the view will still be there next time.

A waterfall tumbling beside the Spinc trail above the Upper Lake at Glendalough. — One of the Glenealo Valley waterfalls along the white-route descent.

2. Poulanass Waterfall (Yellow Route, 1.7 km)

The shortest loop in this Glendalough walks guide, but a beautiful one. From the Upper Lake car park, the yellow arrows lead you up beside the Poulanass River — Poll an Eas, "hole of the waterfall" — through dense oak woodland and up to a pretty cascade. From the top of the falls you double back through the National Park forester's tracks to the car park.

Forty-five minutes at a gentle pace, with one short uphill section. It's perfect with children, or as a leg-stretch after the drive from Dublin. In autumn the woodland turns the trail gold and copper.

3. Derrybawn Woodland (Blue Route, 6 km)

Quieter than the Spinc by some margin, the Derrybawn loop climbs through a stand of mature beech and oak south of the Lower Lake. The blue arrows take you up to the open shoulder of Derrybawn Mountain (474 metres), where you get a clean side-on view of the whole Glendalough valley with the round tower miniature in the distance.

Two and a half to three hours. The descent through the woodland is one of the most underrated paths in the National Park — almost no one walks it on a busy weekend.

Forest trail through the woodland above the Lower Lake at Glendalough, Wicklow Mountains National Park. — Woodland walking above the Lower Lake — the Derrybawn loop sees a fraction of the Spinc's traffic.

4. Miners' Road & Upper Lake (Green Route, 4 km)

The flat option in this Glendalough walks guide, and the right call on a heavy weather day or when you're walking with anyone who'd rather not climb. The green route hugs the north shore of the Upper Lake on the old Miners' Road, the track laid down to bring lead and zinc out of the upper valley in the nineteenth century.

Pass the ruins of the old mining village at the western end of the lake before turning back. The whole loop takes about an hour, longer if you stop to sit on the lake shore. Look up at the Spinc boardwalk above you and you'll have a quiet smile about choosing the easy day.

5. The Long Spinc & Lugduff (Red Route, 11 km)

For experienced hill walkers only — the advanced loop in this Glendalough walks guide. The red route extends the white Spinc loop south-west over the open mountain to Lugduff (652 metres) and along the high ridge before descending into Glenealo and back to the car park. Five to six hours, weather-exposed and with no shelter on the ridge.

Map and compass essential — the boardwalk ends and you're navigating across open blanket bog, frequently in poor visibility. Save this one for a settled day in May or September. On the right day it is the finest of the Wicklow loop walks.

Planning your visit — what this Glendalough walks guide doesn't tell you on the trail signs

Where to start

There are two car parks. The Upper Lake car park is paid (around €4 for the day) and has the best access to all five loops. The Visitor Centre car park down at the monastic city is free but adds 1.5 km of walking each way. On bank holidays both fill by 11 a.m. Take the St Kevin's Bus from Dublin if you're coming from the city — it drops you at the Visitor Centre.

When to come

May, June and September are the best months: long evenings, the bluebells and rhododendrons in flower, and a chance of dry rock on the Spinc boardwalk. Weekdays in the shoulder season are blissfully quiet. July and August are busy, but if you start at 8 a.m. you'll have the white route to yourself for the first hour.

What to bring

Proper walking boots with ankle support — runners on the Spinc are how people sprain ankles. A waterproof jacket regardless of the forecast. Two to three litres of water in summer (no taps on the trails). A simple map of the National Park is sold at the visitor centre for €3; pick one up if you're attempting the red route.

Where to stay

Laragh village, ten minutes' walk from the visitor centre, has a small cluster of guesthouses and pubs. Booking ahead from May to September is sensible. If you want to walk Glendalough as part of a longer Wicklow trip, our 5-day Wicklow Way walking holiday takes you over the Spinc and Glenealo on day three, with luggage moved between guesthouses.

Walk Glendalough as part of a Wicklow Way holiday

The Spinc, Glenealo Valley and the monastic city are day three of our self-guided Wicklow Way trips. We pre-book the guesthouses, transfer your bags between stops, and give you the route notes — you walk. It's the easiest way to do Glendalough properly without renting a car.

See our Wicklow Way 5-Day tour →

FAQs — the questions we get asked most about our Glendalough walks guide

Which Glendalough walk has the best view?

The white-route Spinc & Glenealo Valley loop. The boardwalk along the ridge gives you the iconic top-down view of the Upper Lake that you'll have seen on every postcard of Wicklow. The Derrybawn blue route is a close second for the side-on view of the whole glen.

How long does it take to walk the Spinc at Glendalough?

Three to four hours for the full 9 km white loop, including the descent through the Glenealo Valley. Allow longer if it's wet — the boardwalk steps are slow going in the rain. Most walkers leave the car park around 10 a.m. and are back by lunch.

Are the walks at Glendalough suitable for children?

The yellow Poulanass loop and the green Miners' Road are both family-friendly with steady children of seven or older. The white Spinc has a long, steep climb and a narrow boardwalk that can be intimidating for younger kids. The red Lugduff loop is for fit hill walkers only.

Do I need to book to walk in Glendalough?

No — the trails are free and open year-round. The Visitor Centre and the upper car park are pay-as-you-go. If you're driving from Dublin on a summer weekend, arrive before 10 a.m. or take the St Kevin's Bus to avoid being turned away when the car parks are full.

Can I walk Glendalough in winter?

Yes, and on a clear winter day it's superb. Daylight is short (sunset around 4.30 p.m. in December), the boardwalk can be icy, and the open mountain on the red route is a serious undertaking. Stick to the green and yellow loops if conditions look hard.

Is there food and water on the trails?

No taps and no shop on the trails themselves. Carry your water from the visitor centre. The Wicklow Heather restaurant in Laragh and the Glendalough Hotel both do good lunches before or after a walk.