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!!

Djouce wood is an extensive area of forest managed by Coillte and bordered to the south west by…read moreDjouce mountain close to Dublin in the Wicklow mountains. The wood is a mix of forest roads, trails and paths laid out and useable by walkers and mountain bikers alike. The area was once part of the Powerscourt Estate. The trails in the forest offer excellent views over the River Dargle valley to the Powersourt Waterfall which is the highest waterfall in Ireland and to Djouce Mountain (725m). The area has many other great walking trails including accessing the mountain area of Djouce, War Hill, White Hill and Maulin. It also gives access to the Wicklow way heading north through Crone and Lackan or south to Ballinastoe. There are two specific trails in Djouce wood, the red (Deerpark) and the blue trail. The red trail is approximately 3 hours long and deemed a moderate level walk. It's along mostly forest paths and a few forest roads. It can be quite wet, muddy, and open to the elements so this trail is best approached with appropriate wet gear and walking shoes or boots. The blue trail at one and a half hours is an easier route on drier woodland trails which wouldn't require the same level of dressing for the weather and environment. The carpark is well maintained and at the moment is open until 4pm in the afternoon. Coillte's website www.coillteoutdoors.ie provides driving directions and maps of the trails available in this wood.

This is just such a gorgeous spot! On sunny days, it actually feels like somewhere far away from…read moreIreland. You could nearly be on the coast of France or Spain! It's a bit of a walk down but so worth it. Bring a little picnic and chiiiilllllll time. Now all we need is a little bitta sun...

Beautiful beach . . . a bit of a hike down all the millions of steps but always worthwhile.read more

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.

My new favourite walking spot ! On the site of what was the Massey Mansion and estate. Although…read morethe house is no longer standing there is lots to discover. There is a beautiful river that snakes in and out of the woodland path. There is a great array of trees and a nature trail for kids. I already can't wait to go back with my camera You can park across the road in the car park of the hell fire club or on the road. This web site has lots of info and photos - https://estatesandhousesireland.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/masseys-wood-dublin/

Just 20 minutes from Dublin, you can easily get to a lot of way-marked walks through the mountains…read moreoffering gorgeous views of the city and coastline. Carrickgollogan offers some of the best vantage points, for the perfect photo op and a comfortable hike through the woods. Carrickgollogan is easy to get to from the city on the N11 but be wanted there are some tight country roads before reaching the car park. The only negative about this spot is the car park closes at 4pm so make it an early start - the walk is approx 2km but there's lots of detours to take so it's easy to spend a few hours wandering around. If you think you're going to be later than 4pm, you can park in front of the car park on the side of the road but it's pretty tight so not recommended if you drive a wide car.

Venturing down a woodland trail puts things into perspective. Trees join limbs before the sky and…read moresunshine filters down in golden patches. Bees land on wild flowers and the sound of birdsong is powerful. All of a sudden, the softest blanket of purple haze shimmers before me. A shock of bluebells huddle together, their heads downcast. The astonishing splendour of nature has awoken me and I feel like telling the bluebells to look up. Look up and appreciate the beauty around you. The magnificence of yourselves.

Went for a lovely walk here recently. It's a bit out of my way but I wouldn't mind coming back,…read moreespecially in Spring when the bluebells and wild garlic are in full bloom. Seemingly there are walks to the extend of 10km and well sign posted. Some of the ways we walked are lovely small. Just pure nature. A nice suurounding to unwind.

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.

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.

This is one of the most beautiful gardens my eyes have ever seen in my entire lifetime- and that is…read moresaying a lot! We actually found these by accident as we were looking for the waterfall that is in the area. We went into these gardens with no prior knowledge or expectations. After we purchased the tickets and went through the door and were instantly greeted with a view worth millions. Fantastic stone work, statues, manicured grounds and flowers are all around. The trails were beautiful and did I mention the VIEW!!!!!! It is one of those rare places where the pictures don't do any justice. I loved all of the bee and butterfly friendly flowers. I also was seeing some of these types of flowers for the first time which was really brilliant. This place is so beautiful. Take a look at some of my pictures. I really hope that people consider coming here especially if you enjoy nature and gardens. Highly recommended.

Superb country estate and gardens within a thirty minute driving distance from our B&B in Dun…read moreLaoghaire. Arriving on a bright sunny morning, we were enjoying a tour of the manor, but then realized the real treasure lay outdoors - in the gardens. These are breathtaking and words don't do them justice, so I'm posting a few pictures. In addition to the ornate English and Italian gardens which are near the manor, we also visited the extensive (and hilly) Japanese gardens which are much further away, and made sure we stopped by the quaint pet cemetery. Truth be told, we could easily have spent 2-3 more hours at Powerscourt, because there was so much more to see. But it started raining (not unusual in Ireland!), so we reluctantly tore ourselves away and made our way to Enniskerry (with the famous scene from the movie Leap Year) and then to Glendalough via the Wicklow Mountains. Parking was easy, and there is an excellent (but expensive) restaurant and cafe on the premises, so we could renew ourselves with coffee and sugary snacks. Will be back for sure!