Festival Outline

The Festival will be based in the Brockagh Resource Centre with many of the walks taking us through Wicklow Mountains National Park. The Centre is situated in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, on the road between the village of Laragh and Glendalough. Eircode, A98 D3H1

All walks are led by experienced walking leaders who will enhance your day with information on local history flora and fauna.

The National Park is an ideal location for a fun-filled festival weekend covering approximately 90,000 hectares! The park protects some of Europe’s oldest peat boglands, heather-covered mountains, and woodlands. Large herds of sika and red/sika hybrid deer, foxes, badgers, hares and birds of prey are frequently spotted on walks so don’t forget your camera!

The weekend offers a selection of walking choices which you can mix, match, or just choose one:

– Climb Leinster’s highest peak, Lugnaquilla (925 m).

– A night walk on Friday the 25th  promising to be a unique and adventurous experience.– A selection of day walks from challenging, moderate and easy on Saturday and Sunday.

Please note: Walks may be changed on the day depending on weather conditions or the fitness level of the group at the leader’s discretion.

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Telephone: +353 404 45152; Mobile: 00353 87 2698659
E-mail: info@walkinghikingireland.com

The Walks

Friday Night Hike

Brockagh Mountain

Level: Moderate (9.5 km – 360 m ascent)

Meeting at: The Brockagh Resource Centre (A98 D3H1) at 7.30 pm, departing at 8.00 pm sharp.

Route: Leaving from the Centre the walk takes us onto part of the Wicklow Way and through Brockagh Forest, onto the summit of Brockagh Mountain (470m) from a northerly direction.  Our descent takes us down the spur of Brockagh mountain to rejoin the Wicklow Way which leads us back to the Brockagh Centre.

Important: All who partake in this walk must carry a torch/flashlight; failing to do so will eliminate you from participating in the walk.

Saturday Walks

A Walk; Lugnaquilla (Please Note: This Walk Is Limited To A Max of 20)

Level: Strenuous (25 km – 1150 m of total ascent for the day)

Registration: Brockagh Resource Centre (A98 D3H1) at 08.30 am, depart centre at 09.00 am.

From the Resource Centre, you will be bussed to the beginning of your walk, which is in the valley of Glenmalure.

Route: The walk follows an old military road up through the valley to Table Mountain. Turning left here the trail crosses Camenabologue (750 m) and Cannow Mountain (712 m) and onto Lugnaquillia (925 m), the highest mountain in Leinster. The descent route takes us down via Carrigasleggaun Mountain (795 m) to Kelly’s Lough. From here we join a trail that takes us into Clohernagh Forest, where we link up with the Wicklow Way trail to finish the day at the lively Glenmalure Lodge.  

B Walk: Scarr, Kanturk & Brown Mountain. 

Level: Moderate (16 km –520 m ascent) 

Meeting at: Brockagh Resource Centre (A98 D3H1) at 09.30 am, departing at 10 am. Route; Our walk today starts from the Brockagh centre, takes us out into Brockagh forest to join the Way that will guide us onto Paddock Hill. Here we will visit the The Gossan Stones. (Archaeologist, Chris Corlett, believed that the stones played a role in ancient Ireland and he discovered on the equinox in March and September each year that the rising sun appears through the deep grove of the Devils Glen to the East and aligns through the two stones for a brief time.)
Form here it’s onto the Summit of Scarr mountain (641 m), followed by Kenturk (527 m) and Brown Mountain, where we will have fantastic views over lough Dan, the largest natural lake in Co. Wicklow. Our day ends in Oldbridge where we will be picked up and transfered back to the Brockagh Centre.

Walk C: Paddock Hill, Annamoe & Trooperstown Forest

Level: Easy  (13.5 km – 350 m ascent)

Registration: Brockagh Resource Centre at 10am, depart centre at 10.30am.

Route: From the centre the walk takes us out onto the Wicklow Way that will take us onto Paddock Hill where we leave the trail and come down into the village of Annamoe.
Annamoe was home to many famous people over the years, like Erskin Childers, former Irish president. John Boorman, film director & Paddy Moloney, founder and leader of traditional Irish band The Chieftains and more.
Our journey continues through Castlekevin Forest, where we should have a spectacular display of Autumn colours. Into Trooperstown Forest and back to Laragh Village. This walk is suitable for beginners.

Sunday Walks

Walk B:  Ballard & the Vale of Clara Nature Reserve 

Level: Moderate (17 km – 420 m ascent)

Meeting at: Brockagh Resource Centre (A98 D3H1) at 09.30 am, departing at 10 am.

Route: Today we will start our walk with an easy ascent onto the townland of Ballard. Here we will have great views back over Laragh Village and the surrounding countryside.
Our route then skirts the side of Trooperstown Hill before starting our descent into Ballylug Forest to follow an old Mass Path that will lead us down into the Vale of Clara, where we will have lunch on the banks of the Avonmore River.
Our onward journey takes us into Clara Nature Reserve along part of the Avonmore Way, an area that contains the largest semi-natural woodland in Ireland and is potentially one of the largest stands of native hardwoods in the country. The reserve is home to many species of birds such as treecreeper, woodcock, blackcap and long-eared owl.
Continuing on the trail leads us back onto the eastern side of Trooperstown and down into Trooperstown Woods, where we will be picked up by bus and taken back to the Brockagh Centre.

C Walk: The Jubilee Walk, Seamus Hayes Bridge & the Avondale Estate, Rathdrum.

Level: Easy  (10 km –260 m ascent)

Meeting at: Brockagh Resource Centre(A98 D3H1) at 10 am, depart centre at 10.30 am.

From the Resource Centre, you will be bussed to the beginning of your walk, in the town of Rathdrum.

Route: Reputed to be one of the finest walks in the area, the Jubilee walk takes in the Famine Graveyards, a mass path, Millennium Forest and along the banks of the Avonmore River. We will make a short detour to visit the Seamus Hayes Suspension pedestrian Bridge. Spanning the Avonmore river the bridge was opened in 2021 to link the Avonmore Way with the town of Rathdrum.
Our adventure continues into the Avondale Estate and the home of Charles Stewart Parnell, an Irish nationalist and statesman who led the fight for Irish Home Rule in the 1880s.After exploring a small section of the estate we will be picked up and transferred back to the Brockagh Centre. This walk is suitable for beginners.

Monday Walk

B Walk: The St Kevins Way 

Level: Moderate (16 km – 320 m ascent)

Meeting at: Brockagh Resource Centre(A98 D3H1) at 10 am, depart centre at 10.30 am.

From the Resource Centre, you will be bussed to the beginning of your walk at Ballinagee. 

Route: St Kevin’s Way follows in the footsteps of St Kevin through the Wicklow mountains to the valley of Glendalough. Our adventure begins at Ballingee Bridge and guides us up towards the spectacular Wicklow Gap, the highest point on the route.
Our descent takes us through the old Miners Village and into the Glendasan Valley and on to the now ruined, Monastic City of Glendalough. Here we will do a short tour of the ruins before returning to the Brockagh Centre.

 Prices & Booking

• Night Walk; €25
• A Walks; €30 per walk
• B Walks €25 per walk
• C Walks; €25 per walk

Rules

• Every walker must have submitted an entry form and paid the fee.
• Please register online 
• It is forbidden to light matches or discard litter along the routes.
• DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON ANY OF THE WALKS
• Participants on moderate and strenuous walks must be 16 years or older. An adult, who will assume complete liability, must accompany participants under 16 years of age on easy walks.
• Walkers must be fully equipped and capable of undertaking their chosen walk. The committee will not accept responsibility for any accident however it may arise.

If you need to cancel a walk that you have already paid for, please contact us before Friday 18th of October 2024, 5% bank fees and handling charge will apply. After that date (NO REFUND)

Equipment

• Good waterproof walking boots, with good ankle support, especially if you are doing some of the high level walks.
• Good rain jacket & over-trousers
• Warm clothing, dress with layers rather than one heavy sweat-shirt
• BackPack, lined with a plastic bag to contain some extra clothing
• Hat and Gloves
• Head Torch/Flashlight for the night walks
• Walking poles and gaiters (Optional)
• Lunch pack & water
• A good sense of adventure & fun!

It is the responsibility of the participants to ensure they are suitably equipped for the walks.

Jeans and trainers/runners are not suitable for mountain walking.

Unless walkers are wearing suitable walking boots and clothing, they will not be allowed to participate in their chosen walk!