Saturday 23rd April 2011 Glendalough, Co Wicklow, Ireland

This was a 6 mile walk done with Lynda over the Easter weekend while I was in Ireland. The walk took us 3 hours and says more about the rough terrain than our fitness or ability to cover ground quickly.


We drove from Foxrock, a suburb of Dublin and headed south on the N11 before making for Roundwood and Gendalough itself, passing lots of walkers and other tourists as we got closer to the lakes. Remarkably we were in the car park between the two loughs by 10:30 and started walking soon afterwards. While Lynda bought coffee and scone, I got my boots on and prepared for the rigours ahead. For more info on Glendalough, please see:


Glendalough, Wicklow

We left the car park and followed the upper lake path on the north shore, quickly leaving the road and continuing on the stony track with few other walkers at this time of day. The weather was beautiful, clear skies and bright sunshine. We continued on the track with the lake on our left, eventually reaching what is known as the Miners' Village, a collection of ruined cottages. The abandoned Miners' Village at the western end of the Upper Lake sits on a geological divide between granite and mica schist bedrock. Veins of metals formed between the two rock types, principally lead. The mines were in operation on and off for over 150 years before the last one eventually closed in 1965. The remains of many buildings still stand and the spoil heaps descending from the disused mines are clearly visible. 

We passed the derelict village and started climbing gradually following the zigzag track, pausing to look behind at the view down the valley over the lakes. This was a steady climb on a very rough stony surface with a fair bit of scrambling over rocks and ledges until we saw the bridge over the stream that feeds into the lake by way of a number of waterfalls. We stopped for a short break, sheltering from the increasing wind and admired the view down the valley. The path up to this point had been very well marked out and despite the very rough terrain, was easy to follow. The path ahead skirted the south side of the lake and railway sleepers had been extensively used to aid the walker. We followed the sleeper track, still climbing and as we got closer to the lake we met lots of walkers and day trippers coming in the opposite direction, may asking how long it would take to do the full circuit! Once we levelled out at the top, again stopping to admire the views, we began to descend very rapidly, passing many (unfit?) folks puffing and panting up the steep ascent - and some clearly very fit ones. I would have liked to try the walk from the opposite direction i.e. starting with a steep ascent of one hour and then leisurely completing the circuit but time was not available. So, we continued down and found our way past the falls and into the car park which by now was packed with visitors out for the day, enjoying the sunshine.


We left the hordes and headed back to Roundwood to the traditional watering hole at the Roundwood Inn where Lynda enjoyed overpriced Chicken & chips in a basket and I had a modest overpriced cheese & ham sandwich - with Guinness of course. Food is not what it was at the Roundwood but the Guinness is wonderful!


Roundwood Inn, Roundwood, Co Wicklow

An OS view of the walk is below in three sections, courtesy of QUO digital mapping/OS of Ireland