Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [123]
Alternatively, you can walk up the Spink (from the Irish for ‘pointed hill’; 380m), the steep ridge with vertical cliffs running along the southern flanks of the Upper Lake. You can go part of the way and turn back, or complete a circuit of the Upper Lake by following the top of the cliff, eventually coming down by the mine workings and going back along the northern shore. The circuit is about 6km long and takes about three hours – if you feel like going on, check out the boxed text, Click here.
The third option is a hike up Camaderry Mountain (700m), hidden behind the hills that flank the northern side of the valley. The walk starts on the road just 50m back towards Glendalough from the entrance to the Upper Lake car park. Head straight up the steep hill to the north and you come out on open mountains with sweeping views in all directions. You can then continue up Camaderry to the northwest or just follow the ridge west looking over the Upper Lake. To the top of Camaderry and back is about 7.5km and takes about four hours.
TOURS
If you don’t fancy discovering Glendalough under your own steam, there are a couple of tours that will make it fairly effortless. They both depart from Dublin.
Bus Éireann (Map; 01-836 6111; www.buseireann.ie; Busáras; adult/child/student €28.80/22.50/25.20; departs 10am mid-Mar-Oct) Includes admission to the visitor centre and a visit to Powerscourt Estate in this whole-day tour, which returns to Dublin at about 5.45pm. The guides are good but impersonal.
Wild Wicklow Tour ( 01-280 1899; www.discoverdublin.ie; adult/student & child €28/25; departs 9am) Award-winning tours of Glendalough, Avoca and the Sally Gap that never fail to generate rave reviews for atmosphere and all-round fun, but so much craic has made a casualty of informative depth. The first pick-up is at the Dublin Tourism office, but there are a variety of pick-up points throughout Dublin; check the point nearest you when booking. The tour returns to Dublin about 5.30pm.
SLEEPING
Most B&Bs are in or around Laragh, a village 3km east of Glendalough, or on the way there from Glendalough.
Glendalough International Hostel ( 0404-45342; www.anoige.ie; The Lodge; dm May-Sep €24, Oct-Apr €20; ) Conveniently, this modern hostel is situated near the round tower, set within the deeply wooded glacial area that makes up the Glendalough Valley. All dorms have en-suite bathrooms and there’s a decent cafeteria on the premises.
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WALK: THE WICKLOW WAY – GLENDALOUGH TO AUGHRIM
The Wicklow Way is one of Ireland’s most popular long-distance walks because of its remarkable scenery and its relatively fluid and accessible starting and finishing points – there are plenty of half- and full day options along the way.
This section is 40km long and takes you through some of the more remote parts of the Wicklow Mountains and down into the southeastern foothills. There’s relatively little road walking but the greater part of the day is through conifer plantations. The walk should take between 7½ and eight hours, with an ascent of 1035m.
From the National Park Information Point on the southern side of the Upper Lake, turn left and ascend beside Lugduff Brook and Poulanass Waterfall. Veer left when you meet a forest track, then left again at a junction and cross two bridges. The Way leads northeast for about 600m then, from a tight right bend, heads almost directly southwards (via a series of clearly marked junctions), up through the conifer plantations, across Lugduff Brook again and beside a tributary, to open ground on the saddle between Mullacor (657m) and Lugduff (1¾ hours from Glendalough). From here on a good day, massive Lugnaquilla sprawls across the view to the southwest; in the opposite