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Moderate 10 Days / 7 Nights Walking

Wicklow Way Full Trail Walking Holiday — 10 Days (Moderate)

Starting From €1225 per person

10 Days on the Wicklow Way — Clonegal to Marlay Park

This is the full official Wicklow Way walked the way the trail builders mapped it: south-to-north from Clonegal to Marlay Park, ending at the southern gates of Dublin. Ten days, seven walking days, a built-in rest day at Laragh / Glendalough, and a gentle arrival in Bunclody the night before the trail begins.

You start in the soft rolling country of south Carlow and Wicklow — sheep pasture, oak woodland, river crossings — then climb steadily into the granite uplands of the Wicklow Mountains National Park. The middle days take you through the dramatic glaciated landscapes around Glenmalure and Glendalough (the 6th-century monastic city of St Kevin), past the corrie lakes of Lugnaquilla's shoulder, and into the heart of the Park's deer-and-eagle country.

The final stretch is the most cinematic — Lough Tay (Guinness Lake), the J.B. Malone memorial, the high boardwalks on the eastern shoulder of Djouce, Powerscourt Estate, the descent through Crone Wood into Enniskerry, and the final day across Glencree to Marlay Park at the southern edge of Dublin. Ten days, ~130 km of trail, and one of the great walking experiences in Ireland.

Highlights

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The Complete Trail, End to End

Every kilometre of the official Wicklow Way walked at a relaxed pace. South Carlow farmland to Dublin's suburbs, with no transfers across any of the trail.

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Rest Day at Glendalough

A full day off in Laragh / Glendalough — Ireland's most photographed monastic city, with two lakes, an early-medieval round tower and a network of forest trails for a gentle local loop if you want one.

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The Boardwalks and Lough Tay

The famous Djouce boardwalk and the J.B. Malone memorial overlooking Lough Tay (Guinness Lake) — one of the most photographed landscapes in Ireland.

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Glenmalure & Lugnaquilla

The remote glaciated valley of Glenmalure, walked at the foot of Lugnaquilla — Wicklow's highest mountain at 925 m and one of Ireland's great rewilded landscapes.

Who Is This For?

Regular walkers

This tour is for regular walkers comfortable with 16–24 km on rolling-to-mountain terrain over seven walking days, with one full rest day mid-trip. You should be happy on uneven ground, in open country without waymarked pavement, and on sustained climbs and descents.

Walkers who want the complete trail

No shortcuts, no transfers across the trail, every kilometre of the official Wicklow Way walked end-to-end. The 10-day pace is the most relaxed way to do it.

First-time Ireland walkers

Wicklow is the easiest of Ireland's long-distance trails to reach — a 30-minute taxi from Dublin Airport to the trail's northern terminus. The landscape compresses everything from soft farmland to high mountain into a single week of walking.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Bunclody

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Arrive into Bunclody, a quiet market town in south Carlow at the foot of Mount Leinster, just a few kilometres from the Wicklow Way's southern terminus at Clonegal. Settle into your B&B; gentle evening, dinner in a local pub.

Day 2

Clonegal to Shillelagh

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Short morning transfer to Clonegal, the official southern terminus of the Wicklow Way. The first walk follows quiet country lanes and forest tracks north through the rolling farmland of south Carlow into the Coollattin Estate woods, finishing in the village of Shillelagh — a name famous worldwide for the blackthorn walking stick.

Day 3

Shillelagh to Moyne

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A short morning transfer from your Shillelagh accommodation up to Tallons Pub at Mucklagh, where you rejoin the Wicklow Way. From there the trail climbs through open farmland and forestry on the high ground above the Derry River, finishing at the tiny crossroads village of Moyne. A quieter, gentler day than the southern stages — sweeping rural views, very few other walkers, and a working farm B&B at the end.

Day 4

Moyne to Glenmalure

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The trail climbs into the Wicklow Mountains proper. Up over Ballycurragh Hill and across the high open ground of Slieve Maan, then a long descent into the dramatic glaciated valley of Glenmalure — at the foot of Lugnaquilla, Wicklow's highest mountain. Tonight at the historic Glenmalure Lodge, walkers' base since the 18th century.

Day 5

Glenmalure to Glendalough / Laragh

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Up the eastern flank of Mullacor (657 m) with views back into Glenmalure, then a gradual descent through forest to the famous Glendalough Valley — the 6th-century monastic city founded by St Kevin, with its round tower, ruined cathedral and two glacial lakes. Walk on into Laragh village, your base for two nights.

Day 6

Rest Day — Glendalough & Laragh

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A full rest day in one of the most beautiful places in Ireland. Walk the Glendalough monastic city site (free), follow the Upper Lake trail to the Miners' Village at the head of the valley, climb the Spinc boardwalks for the postcard view down over both lakes (~9 km loop), or simply rest. Dinner in Laragh — the Glendalough Hotel or Lynham's of Laragh.

Day 7

Glendalough to Roundwood

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Out of Laragh, climbing through the Brockagh forest above the village, then onto open mountain track with views back over Glendalough. Long, gentle descent past Lough Dan into Roundwood — at 238 m above sea level, the highest village in Ireland.

Day 8

Roundwood to Enniskerry

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One of the most cinematic stages on any Irish trail. The path climbs onto open mountainside on the famous Wicklow Way boardwalk along the eastern flank of Djouce Mountain, passing the J.B. Malone memorial overlooking Lough Tay (Guinness Lake). Then over White Hill, past the Powerscourt Estate with views of Ireland's highest waterfall, and down through the towering pines of Crone Wood to the welcoming village of Enniskerry.

Day 9

Enniskerry to Marlay Park

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The final day. Climb out of Enniskerry across the Glencree Valley with views back over the Sugar Loaf and the Irish Sea, then over Prince William's Seat and onto the long descent across Kilmashogue Wood. The trail ends at Marlay Park on the southern edge of Dublin — a fitting finish for the 132 km journey from Clonegal.

Day 10

Departure

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After breakfast, easy transfer from Marlay Park area to Dublin Airport (~30 min taxi) or onward travel. Safe travels home — and please come back for the rest of Ireland.

Accommodation

B&B / Guesthouse
Accommodation

Nine nights in handpicked B&Bs and guesthouses along the trail: Bunclody, Shillelagh, Moyne, Glenmalure, Glendalough/Laragh (two nights for the rest day), Roundwood, Enniskerry, and a final night near Marlay Park. These are family-run properties used to walkers' needs — early breakfasts, drying rooms, packed lunches on request.

  • Bunclody — comfortable arrival night, a few km south of the trailhead at Clonegal
  • Shillelagh — village pub-and-stay (Tallons / Osborne's)
  • Moyne — Kyle Farmhouse or similar (working farm B&B in the trail corridor)
  • Glenmalure — Glenmalure Lodge, the historic walker's pub-hotel at the head of the valley
  • Glendalough / Laragh — two nights at Madeline's, the Glendalough Hotel, or similar
  • Roundwood — Roundwood Inn or local B&B
  • Enniskerry — village B&B or hotel
  • Marlay Park area — final night near the trail end, an easy taxi to Dublin Airport the next morning

What's Included

check_circle What's Included

  • doneAccommodation: 9 nights in handpicked B&Bs and guesthouses (not the cheapest available)
  • doneBreakfast: Full Irish or continental breakfast every morning
  • doneLuggage transfer to each night's accommodation on every walking day
  • doneNavigation: Digital route guide, GPX files, and offline maps
  • doneWelcome pack: Wicklow Mountains National Park information, restaurant guide, local tips
  • donePhone support: 24/7 local Irish support line — direct to Cliff
  • doneNo booking fees, no hidden extras

block Not Included

  • closeInternational flights and travel to Bunclody / from Marlay Park
  • closeLunches and evening meals
  • closeOptional taxis to / from trail crossings
  • closePersonal travel insurance
  • closeAnything of a personal nature

Best Time to Visit

May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep

The walking season runs April to October. May and June are our top picks, long evenings, wildflowers on the moorland and lighter trail traffic make these months hard to beat.

September brings golden light, quieter trails and easier accommodation booking. July and August are the warmest months, but Glendalough gets busy. Book accommodation well ahead if you are travelling in peak summer.

Time your visit with a festival. Many trails host walking festivals throughout the season — see our complete 2026 walking festivals calendar to plan around one.

From

€1225 per person

Based on 2 sharing

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Book at least 20 days in advance

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Cliff & Louise Waijenberg — Founders of Walking Holiday Ireland

Cliff & Louise

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