This guide is for you if you want a day out of Dublin without a long drive, and Wicklow is on your shortlist. It covers what to decide before you book: the month and the day of the week, how to use the morning at Glendalough, what is and is not open at Powerscourt, and whether the bus could take you instead.
When to go
Wicklow works in every month, but each season gives you a different day.
Spring and summer give the longest light and the easiest walking. They also bring the most people. The national park says Glendalough is the most visited place in the park, and that traffic and parking are at their worst in sunny weather, especially at weekends. If you can choose, a weekday is the quieter option. The 07:00 start puts you at the Sally Gap at 08:00 and in the valley at about 09:15, early in the day.
Autumn is the season for deer. The park has a large herd of wild deer, and the rut, their breeding season, is when they are most impressive. During the rut, park staff set up telescopes on the Spinc trail above the Upper Lake between 11:00 and 16:00.
Winter is short and can be cold on the high road. Snow can close both roads through the Sally Gap, and drivers have had to be taken from stranded cars on the Old Military Road. That is what our tour page means when it says we change the route on the day rather than cancel. Two closures to note if you travel in December: Powerscourt Waterfall is shut from 11 to 25 December, and the Glendalough visitor centre is closed from 23 to 29 December. The valley and its ruins stay open.
Using the morning at Glendalough
Glendalough is the long stop, and how you spend it is up to you. A few things help you choose.
The monastic site itself, with its churches, crosses and graveyard, is free to walk. The round tower stands about 30 metres high and dates from the eleventh century, long after Saint Kevin founded his monastery here in the sixth. Separate from the ruins, the Office of Public Works runs a visitor centre with an exhibition on monastic life and a short film. It charges for entry and opens at 09:30, so if you want to see it, do the ruins first and the exhibition after. Hours change with the season; check the official site before you go.
The park has nine waymarked trails in the valley, from short strolls to hillwalks. Two notes before you set out:
- The Spinc and Glenealo Valley route, the White Trail, can be disrupted by repair works, especially on the stretch known as the White Zig Zags. Check the park's site before you set out.
- Swimming is a bad idea. The park has no lifeguards and no approved safe swimming spots, however inviting the lakes look on a warm day.
The flat path to the Upper Lake is the easy choice and fits comfortably in the time. If you want something steeper, tell your guide when you are collected so the morning can be planned around it.
On access: the visitor centre is fully accessible, but the walkways on the monastic site are uneven and the graveyard is very difficult for wheelchair users.
Lough Tay and Powerscourt: what you can and cannot do
Lough Tay sits on private land. The whole lake belongs to the Guinness family's Luggala estate, and there is no public path down to the shore. You see it from the viewpoints along the mountain road above it, which is also where the photograph everyone takes is taken.
Powerscourt is two places, not one. The house and formal gardens are on the main estate, and the waterfall is about six kilometres away, with its own car park and its own hours. Entry to either is not included in the tour, and your guide will tell you on the day which is worth your time. Some opening details from the estate:
- The gardens open every day except 25 and 26 December, and close at dusk in winter.
- The waterfall opens later than the gardens for most of the year, at 10:30 outside the summer months. Your midday arrival is well inside its hours.
- From May to August the waterfall stays open into the evening, which suits a day when you want to change the order.
Check the times on the estate's own site before you go, because they change by month.
By bus, or with a driver
You can reach Glendalough by public transport. St Kevin's Bus runs a daily service, route 181, from St Stephen's Green through Bray and Roundwood to Laragh and Glendalough. There are only a few departures a day in each direction, so check the timetable, and the journey takes about an hour and a half. The operator says you get over three and a half hours in the valley.
That is a good day if Glendalough is all you want. What the bus does not give you is the rest of this route. It does not cross the Sally Gap, stop above Lough Tay or go to Powerscourt, and the times are fixed. A private day joins all four, from your hotel door, and lets you add a stop such as Avoca, Kilruddery or the coast road through Greystones. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to bring
- Shoes you can walk in on wet paths. The park asks visitors to wear walking boots or suitable footwear.
- A waterproof and a warm layer. The Sally Gap is open bog, with nothing to stop the wind.
- Money or a card for lunch, and for Powerscourt if you decide to go in. Neither is included.
- Binoculars in autumn, for the deer.
For what the weather does month by month, read our guide to packing for Ireland year-round.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits anyone with one free day and no wish to spend most of it in a car. It is our shortest Irish day, back in Dublin by about 14:00, so it leaves the afternoon free for something else in the city.
- Families with young children. Short drives between stops and as much or as little walking as you like.
- Travellers who want the coast and the big cliffs. Think twice: Wicklow is mountains, lakes and ruins. For the Atlantic, look at the Cliffs of Moher and Galway day instead.
- Groups of more than 16. Two vehicles travel together on one booking. Message us for a price.
For a quick picture of the four stops, our article on Wicklow and Glendalough as the shortest day out of Dublin covers them. To compare all our days out, see the guide to day trips from Dublin.
Questions people ask
Can we go down to the beach at Lough Tay?
No. The lake and its shore are private land. The view from the road is the view.
Is there time to see Powerscourt gardens and the waterfall?
They are six kilometres apart, so usually one or the other. Ask your guide in the morning which suits the weather.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. The details are on our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick a weekday if you can, check the December closures if you are travelling then, and tell us if anyone in the group wants a longer walk. Everything else is on the Wicklow and Glendalough private tour page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
