Day 8 Enniskerry to Marlay Park

We felt quite sad when Jeff dropped us off the next morning, as this was to be our last day's walking. It was another glorious day and we climbed up to the highest point of the day before descending all the way to Dublin. We did a short detour to a popular spot, Fairy Castle, from where you could see Dublin Bay.

Marlay Park is a great place to end the walk, meandering through woods and past lakes to end up by the courtyard where there was a variety of stalls selling food and crafts. Families were spread out across the grass, enjoying the unexpected sunshine. There is a courtyard cafe with a good selection of freshly cooked food and a regency walled garden.

It was lovely to finally meet Teresa from Wicklow Way Baggage in Marlay Park to hand over our cases. One walker had told us we were cheating by having our bags carried. We disagreed politely; we were not carrying out some kind of endurance challenge, just having a holiday! It was great to have the confidence that our clean clothes and books would be waiting for us each evening and we were able to bring more than we would have done had we been carrying it ourselves. An excellent service. 

We felt we had earned a taxi ride into the centre and the driver Jack was very helpful, recommending O'Neills for our night out in Dublin and giving us advice about our time in Dublin.

I had chosen our B and B in Dublin for convenience for the city centre and was delighted with my choice, the Portobello Guest House, South Circular Road. The area reminded me of Hackney, near where I work, so I felt quite at home there. It was on the bus route into town and to the airport. The house was decorated with the owners' individual style which I loved; uncluttered, it seemed like every picture and artefact had a story.

We wandered around Dublin for a while in the evening and watched Ireland v Montenegro at O'Neills. The food there is very reasonable and popular; get there early. It's very busy with locals and there is live Irish music which, unfortunately we could not stay for. Another time ...

We only had time for one visit so chose Kilmainham Gaol, a prison for 128 years up to 1924, housing many political prisoners and the site of executions, including the leaders of the 1916 uprisings. Tours are one hour long and we emerged into the sunlight shocked and disturbed by the Gaol's history, brought to life by our guide. Volunteers helped renovate the prison as a museum and I would recommend it.

Paul had kindly allowed us to leave our bags at the guest house, so we just had to pick them up and catch the bus opposite to the airport. If you are pushed for time, you can change by Trinity College and catch the bus which goes direct to the airport from there.

We had an amazing time in Ireland and felt very welcome. We will definitely be back before long.

Day 7 Roundwood to Enniskerry

In the morning we enjoyed our breakfast in the conservatory where we were joined by a geologist. He explained the work which was being done to help protect the soil from walkers, evidence of which we had already seen. Catherine dropped us back at the trail and we carried on our route.

We were soon climbing up above Varty Reservoir which serves Dublin and seeing some great views. We met quite a few walkers today, as this part of the route is in easy reach of Dublin.These mountains are beautiful and we had out first glimpse of the coast. We didn't take much persuading to take a short diversion to climb Djouse and got amazing views of Sugarloaf and the surrounding area.

Mary from Brook Cottage came and picked us up from the road near the youth hostel at Enniskerry and took us to their lovely home. I was very impressed with how easily Sadie, the three legged greyhound tackled the steep stairs! 


Mary and Jeff moved from the United States to run the Bed and Breakfast and it is very popular. Jeff gave six of us a lift to the village for supper and back and we ate at the Bistro. One pub is being renovated but there were at least two other choices so there was something for everyone.

Day 6 Glendalough to Roundwood

After a delicious breakfast, which included porridge and pancakes, Ann described a good route back to where we had to continue our walk. As we had a shorter day today, we chose to take the longer route down to Glendalough, through the woods and started climbing out of the Glendalough valley at 11.30!

All was well until we took our one and only wrong turn of the whole route. The map we had was not detailed enough for us to realise that we needed to take a very narrow path into the woods after a crossroads. It was not until we reached the road in Laragh that we realised we'd gone wrong and had to retrace our steps. We probably did an extra mile. We went back to where we last saw a sign and got out the book describing the route from north to south. From the description and with the help of a compass, we managed to find the small turning and then found the signpost, back from the path on the right. Walking from the north it is very clear but not easy to spot from the other direction. As we had been walking on wide tracks for nearly the whole route it was not surprising we missed it.

With no more mishaps we enjoyed the rest of the day's walking in temperatures in the 20s. Our next night's accommodation was near Roundwood. We weren't sure exactly where our accommodation was so I phoned Catherine at Ashlawn when we were at the first crossroads near the village. Catherine said to walk down to the village and she would pick us up. We were just about to set off when a land rover stopped and Greg asked if we needed any help. He then offered us a lift! As it was so hot, we readily accepted and hopped in. The lift via Greg's daughter Estelle's football training was very welcome and we were soon at Ashlawn. 

 Catherine made us coffee which we drank in the lovely garden. She kindly gave us a lift to Roundwood village for our supper. We had a wander round and decided to give our custom to both pubs, having supper at the Coach House and dessert and coffee at the Roundwood Inn, a traditional pub. 

Day 5 Glenmalure to Glendalough

Before we set off next morning we had a chat with our fellow residents, the first we'd met on our trip! There was a guy from Italy and couples from Switzerland, Germany and Holland. One of the best parts of travelling is meeting people. 


Ann said the weather was 'soft' which meant rain but you could hardly tell. She suggested a route which deviated from the Wicklow Way to get to Glendalough; this would give us better views of the Glendalough lakes but was not recommended unless the weather was clear.

We set off into the forest, climbing steadily. I could feel the rain on my face but my hands were dry, weird. More deer crossed our path as we climbed a steep section up onto open moorland. We decided to check out the alternative route even though the visibility was not good but agreed that the path was not well enough marked to risk it in the mist and re-traced our steps. More woodland walking took us down to the valley of Glendalough. 

There are two lakes and many paths so some people choose to spend an extra day here. It was very busy and came a quite a culture shock to us but, although there were lots of people, they weren't intrusive and it was still a peaceful, beautiful spot. There is a small cafe and nature centre by the lakes and when you have passed the monastic city, a visitor centre, hotel and souvenir stands by the village of Glendalough where we arranged to be collected.

We finished the day in glorious sunshine. Kiera, our hosts' daughter picked us up from the hotel and drove us the short distance to our night's accommodation.Our b and b, Bramble Rock, was in a very quiet situation, on the outskirts of Laragh. Kiera served us with coffee and cake and we were shown our well appointed room. Everything here was of an exceptionally high standard. 


We had our evening meal at the Wicklow Heather, a short walk down the road. It is deservedly a very popular choice for locals and tourists and I would advise booking to avoid disappointment. Don't miss the atmospheric Writers' Room with photos and first editions from Irish writers, as well as one of the best selections of Irish whiskey in the country. The food was delicious and the hotel offers a shuttle service to the local accommodation. 

Day 4 Moyne to Glenmalure

Breakfast was delicious with a large choice and a beautiful fruit selection, as well as porridge.

Into the rain once more we quickly got back on the trail and started climbing early. Today's route took us through a lot of conifer woodland and we had some very steep climbs. The tracks were well made and one had been very recently banked up. We saw several deer in the woods, including one faun and also met up with a German who was having boot problems; unfortunately he had to finish his walk that day. 

Soon after turning onto the military road for the first time I nearly missed a small signpost which takes you on a very narrow track parallel with the road before turning left down to the wood. We had only walked on wide forest and farm tracks and roads up to this point so were not expecting such a dramatic change. 

On one section of the Way, climbing through the woods, a board walk had been created. We thought that this was to help walkers in boggy sections but, actually, it is part of a group of measures being put in, mostly by volunteers, to protect the land from tramping feet. This day was also when we encountered our muddiest section when the path and stream seems to follow the same route in Glenmalure Forest. 

Glenmalure Lodge is set by the river in a very historic area; the Battle of Glenmalure of 1580 is commemorated in the song 'Follow me up to Carlow' and the ruined barracks of 

Drumgoff remind you of the area's unsettled past. After starting the day in rain it was great to finish it in sun and sit outside the pub with a well-earned drink. This was our first inn overnight and it seemed very odd to see so many people when we'd hardly seen a soul up to this point! Our room looked out to the river and hills opposite and the shower was amazing! We had a nice, very filling meal in the pub and sat and played cards. We also met the dog who went for a clip and ended up with a shave.

Day 3 - Shillelagh to Moyne

For our packed lunch the next day we chose from the well stocked village shop. This was the last shop we were to see for three days! In Shillelagh people went out of their way to be friendly, helpful and always had time for a chat. 

We felt very privileged to be shown Liam's workshop. Liam has researched the origins of the Shillelagh stick and showed us how they were made, taking three years. It was fascinating to listen to his in-depth knowledge about this traditional craft.

Another showery start to the day.  Liam dropped us off back by the Dying Cow and it wasn't long before we were off the road and heading up a farm track. We soon climbed up to a moorland area where we had great views. Surrounded by sheep, we were soon able to discard our cagouls and relax into our walking. 

We met our first walker, travelling north to south, whilst eating our picnic lunch. Passing a memorial on the hill to a doctor killed in a shooting accident, we followed the well marked track down to the valley, and spotted the first footpath signs we'd seen. 

When we reached the part where we had to leave the Way 'Kyle Farmhouse' was well signposted and we set off up the hill to find our night's accommodation. We were welcomed with a cheery wave by the farmer bringing the cows in for milking. We later found out this was Hugh Coogan, our host. It seemed a long way, that last stretch, after a day's walking but the setting and welcome cup of tea made us forget about that. 

Hugh and Margaret Coogan are keen walkers and Hugh has negotiated with local farmers to created three circular walks in the area. The Kyle loop which crosses Hugh's land is newly published in a book 'Walking in Ireland' by Christopher Somerville.  We enjoyed a relaxed supper, cooked by Margaret and had a good chat with Hugh by the fire. 

Day 2 - Clonegal to Shillelagh

The next day, refreshed after a good night's sleep, we were eager to set off on our adventure. Dressed in our wet weather gear, we were driven by Darina to Clonegal for the start of our walk. 

Some visitors won't be able to walk the whole way but, if you can, you do get a tremendous sense of achievement. The southernmost stretch of the Way certainly has more road walking but you can cover distances a lot quicker on tarmac. This enabled us to get most of the roads out of the way on the first day.  

The scenery between Clonegal and Shillelagh is very attractive with small fields of cows and sheep, wild flowers and shrubs in hedgerows and small farms. A certificate is available from Osborne's Bar in Clonegal on completion of the Wicklow Way. As we were beginning from there Darina offered to fetch our certificates for us if we let her know when we've completed the walk.

We had three choices of where to stop at the end of our first day's walking. As the sun had now come out we decided to walk to the furthest one so we would be well set for the next day and it also meant we finished the day at a pub where we could enjoy a welcome drink. The pub known as The Dying Cow is so called after the grandmother of the current licensee was in trouble with the Garda for serving drinks out of hours. She told them she was only giving drinks to people who were helping with her dying cow. An amazingly old pub, it holds a traditional music night every other Thursday so plan your trip to be there then if you can.

Liam, our host for that night, picked us up from the trail and drove us down into the village. We were staying at the Old Shillelagh and our accommodation for that night was in one of the farm's outbuildings which had been renovated to a high standard and had the bonus of a fridge. We had a look round the village and ate a well priced meal at the village restaurant. We then went on the the village pub and learnt a bit about the sports of hurling and gaelic football. 

Day 1 - Arrival

We arrived at Dublin airport after the usual delay and caught the 747 to Connolly station from stop 1. From there it was just a short walk to the bus station. The 748 goes direct if you can catch that one. You need to buy your ticket from the machine by the bus stop.

The 3 is the bus to Tullow and you buy your ticket at the bus station. Quickly out of Dublin, it is a relaxing way to travel and very comfortable. We drove down quiet roads, through villages and past farms, stopping at a few places on the way. The 1 3/4 hour journey passed very quickly and we were soon deposited in Tullow square, early! We didn't wait long before our hostess, Darina arrived to pick us up. We couldn't have hoped for a better Irish welcome; having emailed each other it was like we were friends already. 

We chatted on the way to the farm for our first b and b and were then shown our comfortable room. A welcome cup of tea was ready for us in the sitting room where Darina's mum, Norrie, had laid a fire. Supper was soon ready and very welcome after our long journey. The highlight was home-made tart with fruits from the garden. 

Darina moved to Ballinavortha House sixteen years ago with her mum, husband, sister and nephew. Four years was spent renovating the house before  they could accept their first guests. The house has been lovingly restored and decorated with style. The garden complements it all very well. 

Challenge - The Wicklow Way, South to North

The idea


We had never really been to Ireland, as a day trip to Dublin doesn't really count, so we thought that walking a long distance path would be a good way to meet some people and get a proper feel for the country. To show how little I knew I was surprised to find Ireland is in the same time zone as England, drives on the left and uses the same type of electric plug!

After some thought we chose the Wicklow Way. We liked the idea of walking in the mountains and it seemed a good length. We discarded the idea of using a company to organise the whole holiday, mainly due to cost, but I also fancied planning the whole thing myself.


The Wicklow Way website was a mine of useful information, from maps to accommodation and I sent off for the Wicklow Way guidebook to help me with planning. This book gave several excellent reasons why it might be better to begin at the southern section and walk north but then concluded with describing the route north to south!



As this was the way it was described I booked my flights and then accommodation using the very helpful website which gave details of a selection of places to stay and made it simple to send messages to all my preferred choices. All the B and Bs emailed me back straight away. 



Following discussions with Darina at Ballinavortha House which is near Clonegal, I decided it would be more sensible to get a bus to Tullow from Dublin and walk south to north. This would avoid possible problems catching a country bus on a bank holiday weekend. Of course this meant I needed to change all my accommodation options! Luckily this was not a problem as I was booking well in advance.



I was a little concerned that we might get lost as we would now be doing the trail in reverse and the guide book I had purchased had instructions for the other way! More of this later.