Walk the Entire Wicklow Way!
On this self-guided walking tour of the Wicklow Way, you will conquer all 127 kilometres (79 miles) of Ireland’s oldest waymarked walking trail. Throughout the route, you’ll enjoy views of beautiful scenery, historic sites, and picturesque villages.
The Wicklow Way walking and hiking trail extends from Marlay Park in Dublin to Clonegal on the borders of Wicklow and Carlow. During this 10-day walking holiday along the entire Wicklow Way, without doubt you will traverse some of the most notable parts of Ireland’s Ancient East.
At Footfalls Walking Holidays, we offer a variety of Wicklow Way walking tour options that cater for all types of outdoor and fitness enthusiasts. You can select your ideal length of walking route, and each self-guided tour can be tailored to suit you. The sample itinerary below covers the entire Wicklow Way, that being said you could opt for shorter sections as you wish.
You could also browse our other self-guided walking tours of Ireland if you’re still deciding where you’d like to go. We also love leading our small-group guided walking tours of Ireland if you’re keen to meet like-minded folks from around the world.
If you have any questions at all, do feel free to get in touch. We’re always delighted to chat about the many walking routes and available options.
Walk the Wicklow Way Independently
Prices / Dates
Price: €992 per person sharing
Single Supplement: +€505
Solo Traveller Supplement: +€135
Tour Dates: 1 April to 31 October
Tour Grade: Easy to Moderate
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Included / Excluded
- 9 nights bed & breakfast
- All accommodation is pre-booked in approved family-run guesthouses with all rooms en-suite.
- Wicklow Way Maps and route notes.
- GPX Files for each walking day
- Details on restaurants and places of interest to visit along the way.
- Luggage transfers daily while you walk.
- All information on trains or buses needed to get to your first accommodation, during the tour and back at the end of the tour.
- 24-7 Emergency Telephone support
- Public transport to the beginning of the tour and back at the end
- Packed Lunches
- Evening Meals
- Drinks and Snacks
- Personal Equipment
Walking Itinerary for the Whole Wicklow Way
On your first day, you will take the bus from Dublin to Bunclody, the location of your first bed and breakfast accommodation. We will supply you with all the travel details required to get from your point of entry into Ireland to your first B&B in Bunclody.
On day two, your first day of walking the Wicklow Way, the trail takes you along some country roads through Newry forest, over Moilishe and Stookeen Hill, and down into the townland of Mungaculin.
Your accommodation for the night will be in the 17th-century village of Shillelagh, which is famous for giving its name to the traditional Irish stick cut from the hawthorn tree, “The Shillelagh”.
Distance: 21 km / 13.2 miles, Ascent: 490 m / 1470 ft, Approximate walking time: 6 / 7 hours
Your journey from Shillelagh will take you back once again onto some quiet country roads. You will pass St. Finian’s Church; St. Finian was a holy man from County Westmeath who is associated with Christianising the area.
Tinahely is your destination for today. This little village, on the banks of the river Derry, was destroyed in the 1798 rebellion but was subsequently rebuilt and found a new lease of life with the coming of the railway in 1865.
Tinahely is now a very beautiful village and well known as a weekend walking destination.
Distance: 20.5 km / 13 miles, Ascent: 540 m / 1620 ft, Approximate walking time: 5 / 6 hours
Your journey to Moyne takes you along quiet forest trails, open mountainside, and quiet country roads. Moyne was the birthplace of Edward C. Godwin, who founded the publication “New York Nation” in 1865.
This section of the Wicklow Way takes in some fantastic views back over the area that you have passed through and the adjacent counties of Carlow and Wexford. It also passes through an old Ring Fort or Fairy Fort.
Distance: 17.20 km / 10.8 miles, Ascent: 524 m / 1620 ft, Approximate walking time: 4 / 5 hours
The Moyne to Glenmalure walk is a long but very beautiful section of the Wicklow Way. The trail winds you through forest trails and into two spectacular valleys: the Ow Valley and the Glenmalure Valley.
The Ow Valley lies at the base of Wicklow’s largest mountain, Lugnaquilla, standing at 925 m/1039 ft.
The Glenmalure Valley is Ireland’s longest glacier valley that stretches for over 16 km/10 miles. This peaceful valley will be the perfect place for you to spend the night.
Distance: 21 km / 13 miles, Ascent: 700 m / 2100 ft, Approximate walking time: 6 / 7 hours
Today’s walking trail takes you steadily up out of the Glenmalure Valley. As you climb, the beauty of the surrounding countryside and the famous Glenmalure Waterfall will simply take your breath away.
The trail then crosses the side of Mullacor Mountain and into the valley of Glendalough or “Gleann Dá Loch”, the valley of two lakes. Glendalough is famous for its 6th-century monastic settlement, which you can visit during your walk. Glendalough is also one of the most visited sites in Ireland, and its beauty is simply mesmerising!
Tonight you will stay in Glendalough or Laragh.
Distance: 17 km / 8 miles, Ascent: 566 m / 1698 ft, Approximate walking time: 4 / 5 hours
Today's walk is short but nonetheless rewarding. You’ll take in some fantastic scenery and finish in the highest village in Ireland, Roundwood, at 260 m/780 ft.
You will also pass very close to our Footfalls Walking Holidays office! We are based just outside the village of Laragh.
We will give you a choice to extend your walk by taking in the challenging Scarr Mountain. Alternatively, you can take an easier walk around one of the Roundwood Reservoirs that supplies water to part of Dublin city. Tonight you will stay in Roundwood.
Distance: 12 km / 7.5 miles, Ascent: 250 m / 750 ft, Approximate walking time: 3 / 4 hours
This is a classic walk taking in views of Lough Dan and Lough Tay. It was in this area where many famous movies were filmed, including Braveheart, King Arthur, Dancing at Lughnasa, and many more.
This is also the original home of the Guinness Family, and their residence is still to be seen at the top of the valley.
You will cross over the side of Djouce Mountain and alongside the Powerscourt Estate, where you will have some fantastic views over Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland’s longest waterfall. Your second-last night is spent in one of Wicklow’s most charming villages, Enniskerry.
Distance: 18 km / 12 miles, Ascent: 600 m / 1800 ft, Approximate walking time: 5 / 6 hours
You are almost done walking the entire Wicklow Way, with just 17 km left and then you will have completed Ireland’s oldest way-marked trail!
The last section of the Wicklow Way takes you over Prince William’s Seat where you will have stunning views over most of Dublin City, the Irish Sea, and your final views back into the Wicklow Hills. Your trip finishes on a beautiful trail that leads you into Marlay Park.
Distance: 22 km / 13.7 miles, Ascent: 570 m / 1710 ft, Approximate walking time: 6 / 7 hours
Depart for home or your next destination.
