The plan was to go to Glendalough for a hike, but at the last minute we decided to climb the Sugar…read moreLoaf instead and we were so glad we did. It was a clear cool day, with blue skies. Perfect for a climb of the Sugar Loaf. When the incline became steeper, we had to unzip our raincoats. Close to the top it becomes a bit of a scramble, with loose scree under foot. So you need to be sure you can cope with these conditions before attempting the last part of the climb. But if you can make, it will be worth it, the views were smashing. The clear conditions of this day probably made for near perfect views, although we couldn't quite see Wales :) One other thing to note was the drop in temperature when we neared the top, so we zipped up our jackets and put on our woolly hats again. The car park at the foot of it had ample space when we arrived at midday, but by the time we got back it was full. Maybe a early start is advised, but that said cars were coming and going all the same.

The sugar loaf mountains are absolutely beautiful, it just so happened we got a perfect day for it…read more The climb up the mountain isn't very tough and there was lots of different ages of people doing it, from small children to older people. The view from the top is breathtaking!! I'd recommend wearing comfortable gym clothes and good runners. OHHH and don't forget your water!!

A lovely place. Great scenery on top with nice rocks. You can see the whole Dublin…read more Coming here mostly with a road bike. A good challenge to get up there. You may park at the bottom and walk up. Be prepared to sweat a little bit. There're at least two ways. I tried the other one and it was all gravel. No good for road bike. But nice walking experience.

Ticknock has up to 10 km of mountain and forest walks catering to seasoned hikers, mountain bikers,…read moreskateboarders, mountain runners, Sunday strollers and everyone in between with fantastic views from Dublin City to Bray Head. The forest has an extensive network of forest trails managed by Coillte and Ticknock is part of the Dublin Mountains Partnership which aims to improve the recreational use of the Dublin Mountains. The area comprises Two Rock, Three Rock, Kilmashogue and Tibradden Mountains. There are two trails specific to just Ticknock with the addition of the Wicklow Way Trail. The first trail 'Mountain Access Route' starts and finishes at the Ticknock Forest carpark. It meanders through the woodland paths before going straight up to the summit of Two Rock at Fairy Castle. This trail comes back down the same way. It's an 800m walk which takes about 20 mins. It's marked by Coillte and the Dublin Mountain Partnership as moderate and it seems to be used by runners a lot for training, as well as the occasional skateboarder on the lower part of the trail where it is tarmacadamed (I know this isn't a word, but you get what I mean!). I tend not to do this trail as it's a bit too short. The ground is partially forest walk, partially forest road and partially uneven mountain trails. It's a nice short, steep walk to the great views from Fairy Castle. The second trail 'The Fairy Castle Loop' starts and finishes at the same point but covers 5.5km and takes an estimated 1hr 45mins although as we took the wrong path for a little while on Sunday it took us closer to two hours, but hey, it was a lovely sunny day so no harm done The trail is also considered moderate. It's grand, a little uneven in places and some parts are a little on the steep side, but if you have any level of fitness you should be fine. This trail loops past Fairy Castle at the summit and passes Three Rock on the way back down (or up if you go in the opposite direction). Another thing to note is that the Dublin/Wicklow Way also runs through this part of the mountains, and so there are often other walkers coming from further afield. You can also extend your walk by heading along the Wicklow Way to either Tibradden Wood and joining the 'Tibradden Mountain Trail' or to Kilmashogue Forest which is another lovely walk. The Coillte and Dublin Mountains Partnership websites both have handy downloadable free maps which I would recommend taking if you're unsure of the trails and you don't want to bring an OSI map with you. The trails are well marked in places but not at every possible diverging fork. There is quite a lot of parking available at Ticknock as it is a very well used part of the mountains. Apparently the 44B is the closest public transport but I've had a look and it seems the closest stop might be at Lamb Doyle's.

Do you think it looks like a pint of Guinness? The Guinness…read morefamily owned this lake so that's how it got its name. The brown water coming off from the Wicklow Mountains fills this lake up. You can even hunt in the area & stay in the lodge down below. If you're looking the lake from the top, I recommend you do not wear a hat because it was pretty windy, also don't get too close because the wind will blow you over! Be careful. Beautiful lake with beautiful views!

Guinness Lake - also know as Lough Tay. Peep the lake that looks like a Guinness Beer with the head…read moreand dark waters. This is included on a beautiful drive through the Wicklow Mountains.

Bray Head and its views are breath-taking. It's so peaceful and calming…read more The coastal views are nothing short of stunning. We decided to do the cliff walk from the promenade up to the head. At the very top is the infamous cross. The last time we were there much of the cliff walk was closed due to mudslides. We decide to soldier on and made it almost to the top. We were ill-prepared for the mud and walk rounds. While we were wearing good walking shoes, we should have been wearing hiking boots. The experience of the climb is one that you won't forget. When all open and no mudslides it's not a very difficult walk at all. Depending on how far you want to go, the walk can last 1-3 hours. A shorter walk around the summit is just about an hour. The loop to Greystones is longer but absolutely worth it.

Good little hike, even if not especially demanding or challenging. Also an ideal way to spend half…read morea day outdoors away from Dublin using only the train and/or bus. We went up from the Bray side - basically, walk the sea promenade, start going up and then keep to the right - and diverged from the main route midway to merge with the Cliff Walk heading to Greystones. The marked path is a loop walk but we wanted to avoid going back towards Bray. I don't think you need to be specially fit to get to the top, there are a couple of short but steep inclines, but I believe most people can do it if they take their time - or stop for a lot of photos. You'll see plenty of families climbing it :) I just wouldn't recommend it on or right after a very rainy day, as parts of the track can get muddy and slippery. The views along the way are very rewarding, and it's good exercise too. The loop walk alone should take you 1.5/2 hours if you are relatively fit and make few stops. You can spend a good 2.5 hours if you continue your hike towards Greystones. And as if the green landscape descending into the sea wasn't enough to sell this hike, there's also some nice places both in Greystones and Bray where you can rest up and treat your tired self to some nice food and drink - for the ultimate feel-good experience, I'd recommend the Happy Pear :)

If you are in Dublin, do the side trip to Howth. It is about 30 minute bus or train ride from the…read morecenter of Dublin. Check to see if a festival is happening as it affects travel times. A Seafood Festival was happening when we were there so it was crowded. If you take the city bus m, it drops you at the top of the cliff walk and you can walk back down. We ended up walking up and catching the bus back to Dublin at the top. The trail we did was the easy one. It went through residential areas for the first half. As we got further up, we could see some of the views. When you get to the top, the view are amazing. You can see a lighthouse and the Eye of Ireland island. The trail was moderately strenuous. A restaurant/bar is about 5 minutes from the top. A parking lot is at the top. You can walk down on different trails. Some trails are along the sea. A small convenience store is across from The bus stop. We waited about 10 minutes for the bis.

The seaside cliff hike was absolutely breathtaking and one of the highlights of our trip. The trail…read moreis about 5K (around 3 miles) and offers stunning ocean views the entire way. The scenery was gorgeous, with lush green foliage surrounding the path and beautiful purple and yellow flowers blooming throughout the hike. The trail was well maintained and easy to enjoy at a relaxed pace while taking in the incredible coastal views. There were so many perfect spots to stop for photos and simply appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and fresh ocean air. If you enjoy nature, scenic walks, and beautiful seaside landscapes, I would definitely recommend this hike. It was such a memorable experience and a perfect way to spend a day outdoors.

The Wicklow Mountains are a stunning expanse of nature. Everything is so green and due to the low…read moretemperature, it stays all green. There are so many outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, birdwatching, and scenic driving. A hike or walk here will ensure you some nature backed peace and calmness. the park is close to Dublin making for an easy 1/2 day or day trip. In my brain, mountains are supposed to be rock with no greenery: The Wicklow Mountains, however, are unlike many traditional mountain ranges and have lush greenery all over them. We did the Glendalough Lake upper and lower lakes hike.

If you have a few days to spend in Dublin, don't skip out on a visit to Wicklow…read more You'll need to rent a car or book a tour to get up here (about 40min from Dublin City Centre) but it was worth the trek. I had a friend drive me here and it was such an incredible experience. If you're visiting during the winter months, layer up. It gets cold and windy up there, but it's 100% worth it.

The Ha'penny Bridge was constructed over the River Liffey which permits pedestrian traffic across…read more Standing on the bridge peering into the river it was breezy and a cool 60 degrees. The river runs through the center of Dublin extending from the north to the south. Residences and eateries are plentiful on both sides of the river. Basically, this was a hotspot for our guided tour itinerary, but the experience was not too entertaining - see it once and done.

Beautiful closer to the Dublin Bay but not so much as you get further inland. The River Liffey is…read morethe heart of Dublin, splitting it from north side to south side. There are a bunch of bridges, some are for cars, some for pedestrians only, some only for trains. Early in the morning when the river is still and reflective, there are some amazing photographs available. Ha'Penny Bridge, Custom House, the Cathedral and more. I was up by Heuston Station where there are e-bikes and shopping trolleys in the riverbed. They're covered up as the tide comes in. Check the tide charts before you schedule a kayak tour! [Review 1811 of 2024 - 72 in Republic of Ireland - 22833 overall]

Just like so many other memorials and tributes, this one is dedicated to victims of battle-people…read morefighting for their rights and freedom. No matter the culture, this seems to be a prevailing characteristic of humanity-we like to fight each other. It's a lovely little garden with a water feature in the center. There's a large sculpture at the end which depicts four children who were transformed into swans and will turn back into humans after 900 years, according to the legend of the Children of Lir.

One of the must see free gardens and parks in Dublin. We met our tour guide here as he deemed it…read morethe "staple of the city center" and talked about the significance of the Garden of Remembrance. If you've taken any time to study Irish history - you'll know the Irish fought for their land and freedoms for centuries and often times, they were not the victors. In the few years spent traveling to Ireland you'll hear a lot of the Irish people's plight for freedom and it was never an easy battle. Essentially this garden of remembrance signifies the Irish people and their contributions towards fighting for their freedoms. What I found interesting is that Our tour guide called himself a "blue blood" which in simpler terms he referred to him being a true Dublin local and that these garden means a lot to his people and those working in the city. He taught us a lot about the grounds, the fountains and statues. We toured the grounds with him and they were very nice and well kept. While looking over the fountain statues we were introduced to one of the groundskeepers as well. As lovely as it is it's also a somber place. We were told the story of what the children and swan statue represents, an Irish folklore. All interesting stuff and while the garden is free, I'd highly recommend hiring a local guide as there is so much we wouldn't have learned had we not had someone to tell us the history and stories of what we were looking at on the grounds.