FAMILY Walks

Here are just a few of our suggestions for family walks in Wicklow.

Remember to pack the rain gear, a camera and sun-cream - it is Ireland after all! It’s always great to get out in the fresh air at the weekend and the exercise does all of us the good. A family day out in the great outdoors is easier than ever thanks to well-maintained walkways.

The Glen Beach Cliff Walk

The Glen Turn Cliff Walk was officially reopened to the public again in July 2019, having been initially closed back in 2003.

The Grade 4 marked walk begins at Glen Beach and continues south to Lime Kiln Bay, on towards the lighthouse road before doubling back in a loop, with a total distance of 4 km.

The walk includes a wonderful variety of habitats including grassland, coastal heath, rock outcrops, and wet springs, each of which support key plant species. Sightings of individual grey seas swimming among the rocky shore are common from the trail, while the very observant may be rewarded with glimpses of porpoise and dolphins further offshore.

‘The trail traverses a landscape of rich cultural interest. The main archaeological sites occur on the southern section of this walk. There is a rock shelter where prehistoric flints were found, the remains of a lime kiln, which gives the bay its name, the ruins of a small church which local lore records as dating from penal times and a holly well ‘Tobar Bride’. Local tradition maintains that fishermen would drink from this well in the belief that it could protect them whilst at sea. There is also evidence of a 19th century rifle range on the walk.’

‘The opening of this cliff walk opens up yet another natural and recreational amenity to the people of Wicklow and giving the visitor another reason to visit and stay longer in Wicklow town.

THE DEVIL’S GLEN

The Devil’s Glen boasts a dramatic landscape that was fashioned at the end of the Ice Age when the melt waters of the ice sheet created the valley.

The resultant gorge affords a swift decent for the Vartry River as it makes its way from the Vartry Reservoir to nearby Ashford village. The site hosts a mixture of broad leaf and conifer forest with fine stands of beech, Spanish chestnut and ash. The steep rock face of the gorge has been colonised by various species of plant life: lichens, mosses and the polypody fern.

THE WOOD has 2 looped walks these trails are waymarked. The Seamus Heaney Walk (4kms, 2hrs, moderate) named in honour of the poet and Nobel Prize winner this is a lovely walk through the high forest; The Waterfall Walk (5kms, 2hrs, moderate) The waterfall is one of the main highlights of the walk. The waterfall marks the spot where the Vartry enters the Devil’s Glen en route to the sea.

TWO CAR-PARKS service the Devils Glen. One of these car parks is located at the County road close to the start of the Seamus Heaney way this car-park has a capacity of 5 cars and is always accessible. A second car-park with a capacity of 25 cars and a coach-park are located at the start of the Waterfall Walk, access to these parking areas is limited to 9am to 5pm daily the opening hours of the barrier to the Devils Glen’.

DIRECTIONS: At the roundabout in Ashford. Take the R764 exit signposted Roundwood. After approximately 0.5km take a left on to the R763 signposted Glendalough. Continue for another 3 km the entrance to the site is on your right.