5 Day Self-Guided Walking Holiday | Wicklow Way

The Wicklow Way is Ireland’s oldest waymarked walking trail. J.B. Malone pioneered this 127 km/79-mile walking trail over 40 years ago. It reveals some of Ireland’s finest views including Powerscourt Waterfall, Luggala, Loch Dan, Glenmalure and historical Glendalough

Our 5-day self-guided walking and hiking vacation along the Wicklow Way gives you the opportunity to enjoy almost 40 km of some of the best views of Wicklow, the Garden of Ireland and Ireland’s Ancient East.

Footfalls Self-Guided Walking Tours can be tailored to suit you. Our sample Wicklow Way itinerary is from south to north (towards Dublin). Therefore, when you finish your walking tour of the Wicklow Way, you are approximately only 45 minutes away from Dublin city centre.

Prices / Dates

Price: €463 per person sharing

Single Supplement: +€160

Tour Dates: 1 January to 15 December

Tour Grade: Easy to Moderate

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Included / Excluded

4 nights bed & breakfast
All accommodation is pre-booked in approved family-run guesthouses with all rooms en-suite.
Wicklow Way Maps and waterproof 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
Drinks and Snacks
Personal Equipment

Day 1 - Travel to Rathdrum

Arrive at Dublin Airport and take the train to Rathdrum. Stay first night in Rathdrum in nearby bed and breakfast accommodation.

Day 2 - Iron Bridge and the Valley of Glenmalure

You have a choice of trails today. You can stay on the Wicklow Way's forest tracks and country roads while enjoying sweeping views of County Carlow and Wicklow’s highest mountain, Lugnaquilla (925 m/1039 ft). Alternatively, you can make your day a little more adventurous by taking a higher level walk over Croghanmoira Mountain (664 m/2000 ft) across the Fananierin Ridge. Both options finish in the valley of Glenmalure, the longest glacier valley in both Ireland and England! Tonight you will stay in Glenmalure.

Wicklow Way - Distance: 14 km/8.7 miles, Ascent: 520 m/1560 ft, Approximate walking time: 4/5 hours

Croghanmoira Mounain - Distance: 15.8 km/9.7 miles, Ascent: 840 m/2520 ft, Approximate walking time: 4.5/5 hours

Day 3 - Glenmalure to Glendalough

For the first half of today's walk, the trail leads you steadily along forest trails to ascend out of Glenmalure valley. You will enjoy some spectacular views of a picturesque landscape made up of rolling hills, green pastures and an impressive waterfall that plunges down into the valley. The way-marked trail then crosses the saddle between Lugduff and Mullacor Mountains and descends into the magnificent valley of Glendalough. “Gleann Dá Loch” translated means “The Valley of The Two Lakes”. Continue down to the valley floor where you will have a chance to explore both lakes. Glendalough is one of the most visited sites in Ireland and is just mesmerising in its beauty! Tonight you will stay in Glendalough or Laragh.

Distance: 17 Km/10.75 miles, Ascent: 520 m/1560 ft, Approximate walking time: 4/5 hours

Day 4 - Glendalough to Roundwood

You have another choice of trails today. You can stay on the Wicklow Way which takes you on a low-level trail across the side of Paddock Hill with lovely views back over Glendalough. Alternatively, you can take a more challenging trail across Scarr Mountain with magnificent views from the summit where, on a clear day, you will be able to see the Irish Sea to the Welsh Mountains. Both trails finish in the small, but lively, village of Roundwood, which happens to be the highest village in Ireland! Tonight you will stay in Roundwood.

Wicklow Way - Distance: 12 Km/7.5 miles, Ascent: 250 m/750 ft, Approximate walking time: 3/4 hours

Scarr Mountain - Distance: 15 km/9 miles, Ascent: 520 m/1560 ft, Approximate walking time: 4.5/5 hours

Day 5 - Depart

Depart Roundwood.

A few words from our customers...

I cannot say enough good things about Footfalls Walking Holidays. We have hiked with them in Wicklow, in Dingle, and this year on the Beara Peninsula. They are friendly, flexible and bend over backwards to be helpful. This year the weather was terrible, and we were not able to hike the full hikes--it was simply too wet and too muddy and sometimes not safe. The Footfalls staff checked in with us to see how we were doing and then came up with an alternate plan, which worked beautifully, relocating us (at no expense to us) to a different part of the country. If you want to hike in a group or solo, they are the experts. They are wonderful.

Laurie

USA

Everything we experienced was excellent - the walks, the accommodations, the way it all ran so smoothly - it was all better than we'd expected. But most of all, the warmth and humour of Christopher and his wife Teresa, were the best welcome we could have hoped for in, as an introduction to Ireland. You won't go wrong in trusting yourselves to them and their array of guided hikes. We will be back!!

Canada