Glendalough Valley, in Wicklow Mountains National Park, is one of Ireland’s standout natural attractions, and busy with visitors during summer months. Fortunately there are nine signed walking trails here, all offering different ways of exploring the outstanding scenery and history.

This route is perhaps the best, and is marked by white arrows. From Upper Lake car park, the trail climbs onto a wooded slope, soon passing Poulanass Waterfall. Zig-zag along a series of forest paths and tracks, climbing steadily to a wonderful viewpoint, as you suddenly emerge onto a cliff high above Upper Lake.  

A stretch of wooden boardwalk skirts along the top of the cliffs, before descending through blanket bog into wild Glenealo Valley. Join a rough, riverside track, and follow this down to an old mining settlement on the shore of Upper Lake. A final stretch along the Miner’s Road carries you back along the lake shore to the car park.

- Helen Fairbairn
 

Don’t Miss

The large herd of deer who live in the Glenealo Valley

The ruined miner’s village and rusty extraction equipment at the west end of Upper Lake

Practical Information

The name Spinc means 'pointed hill' in Irish

Wear boots – the varied terrain includes rocks, forest paths and boardwalk

Glendalough village has several restaurants and cafés for post-hike refreshments