DUBLIN CAN BE HEAVEN... AND SO CAN LEINSTER
BEST FOR NEOLITHIC MAN
WHERE Seahan, Seefingan and Seefin Mountains, Co Dublin/Wicklow.
WHAT Straddling the Dublin-Wicklow border, this hillwalk visits several fascinating archaeological sites. No less than five neolithic tombs lie scattered around the summits, and the area has been likened to an Irish Valley of the Kings. The massive cairns reach up to 24m in diameter, and the one at the top of Seahan features an entrance passage and collapsed roof, allowing you to peer inside. The surrounding hillsides are rather boggy however, so winter is one of the best times to head out. Wait for a cold spell — it’s a wonderful feeling to skip across frozen bog knowing you’d be squelching and sinking at any other time of the year. START/FINISH Kilbride Rifle Range.
GETTING THERE The circuit is located a few kilometres northwest of the Sally Gap, just off the R759. Park in a lay-by at the southwestern corner of Kilbride Rifle Range
LEVEL Hard — open mountainside with a 560m ascent. LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 10km/3.5-4 hours. PACK Your map (OSI Discovery Series 56) and compass, and Helen Fairbairn’s Dublin & Wicklow: A Walking Guide. REFUEL With your own thermos flask. This remote area has few facilities – bring your own food or stop elsewhere on your journey home.
BEST FOR CITY WALKING
WHERE Phoenix Park, Co Dublin. WHAT If a long journey seems too daunting on a short winter’s day, why not take a walk in the heart of the city? Phoenix Park (under the care of the OPW) is a long-established favourite, and at over 1,750 acres in size, is the largest enclosed park of any capital city in Europe. There’s a wide range of walking trails, so you can choose the landmarks you want to see and devise a route to visit them. Highlights include Aras an Uachtarain, the People’s Flower Gardens, the ruins of an 18th-century Magazine Fort, and the meadow known as Fifteen Acres, which is home to a herd of up to 600 fallow deer. START/FINISH Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.
GETTING THERE The visitor centre lies beside Ashtown Castle on the northwestern side of the park. Follow signs from Chesterfield Avenue, the road that runs across the middle of the park. LEVEL Easy — flat terrain.
LENGTH/TIME TO WALK Various routes possible. PACK Your Frisbee, plus a copy of the park’s walking map, which can be collected from the visitor centre. REFUEL At the visitor centre cafe, or at Phoenix Park Tea Rooms, along Chesterfield Avenue at the eastern side of the park.
BEST FOR COASTAL PARKS
WHERE Ardgillan Park, Balbriggan, North County Dublin.
WHAT Ardgillan Park consists of 200 acres of managed parkland surrounding the 18th-century pile of Ardgillan Castle. It offers 8km of walking trails, and its location beside the Irish Sea in north County Dublin ensures fabulous coastal views, while keeping it accessible even when upland areas are snowbound. The walkways cross a mixture of open meadow and woodland, with a host of extras including a children’s playground, an impressive walled garden, an old ice house and, of course, the mansion itself. A lovely way to spend a half-day outdoors with the family. START/FINISH Ardgillan Park. GETTING THERE Access the area via the M1, and exit at Junction 5. Follow the R132 to Balrothery, then follow signs for Ardgillan Castle or Ardgillan Park. LEVEL Easy — largely flat, hard-surfaced paths. LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 3.5km/1.5 hours. PACK A copy of the demesne map, which can be downloaded from ardgillancastle.ie. REFUEL At Paws, a dog-friendly cafe in the castle buildings.
BEST FOR WINTER BIRDS
WHERE North Bull Island, Co Dublin. WHAT This island in Dublin Bay has existed for only 200 years — before the building of the North Bull Wall on the recommendation of Captain William Bligh it was a mere sandbank, covered by the tides. It was Ireland’s first official bird sanctuary, and welcomes many species that can be only seen in winter. By January up to 5,000 ducks, 3,000 Brent geese and 30,000 waders all roost here nightly. The island is 5km long by 1km wide, and features a wide, sandy beach backed by dunes, grassland and salt marsh. Begin by heading to the visitor centre, then make a circuit as large or small as you like; the loop around the southern half of the island to North Bull Wall is 7km long. START/FINISH Near St Anne’s Golf Club. GETTING THERE Head to Clontarf on the R807, then cross the Causeway Road to the island. Park along the road just before the island’s roundabout, not far from the golf club entrance. Or take bus 130 from the city centre. LEVEL Easy — flat terrain throughout. LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 7km/2-2.5 hours PACK Your binoculars, and a copy of Adrian
Hendroff ’s Family Walks Around Dublin, OSI Discovery Series 50 or download a route map from walkingroutes.ie; northbullisland. com for more info on the heritage and natural history of the island.
REFUEL At Happy Out Cafe – the perfect place for warm drinks and snacks along the North Bull Wall (happyout.ie)
BEST FOR WINTER VIEWS
WHERE Carrickgollogan, Co Dublin. WHAT There are plenty of winter days when the high peaks are shrouded in cloud, yet expansive views are still possible from the more modest, south-Dublin hill of Carrickgollogan. This surprisingly scenic, 276m-high summit is located within the Coillte-maintained Carrickgollogan Forest. The best trail for exploring the area is the Lead Mines Way, which is fully signed with orange footprint symbols. It follows a series of forest trails to the lookout point, passing several relics from the 19th-century lead mining industry on the way. The most interesting ruin is the old mine chimney, a tapered stone tower with a stairway spiralling up its outside wall.
START/FINISH Carrickgollogan Forest car park.
GETTING THERE Exit the M50 at Junction 15 and follow signs to Kilternan village. At the southern end of Kilternan, turn left off the R117 on to Barnaslingan Lane. Follow this to the top of the hill, then turn left to the car park. LEVEL Easy to moderate — signed forest trails and a short climb. LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 2.5km/1 hour. PACK A trails map printed out from coillte. ie/site/carrickgollogan. REFUEL At the Golden Ball gastro pub in Kilternan (thegoldenball.ie).
BEST FOR THE VALLEYS
WHERE Old Mill Loop, Co Laois. WHAT This Coillte circuit extends up a wooded valley and on to a mountain ridge on the northern side of the Slieve Blooms. The first half of the trail traces the banks of the nascent River Barrow, taking you past the triple tiers of Clamp Hole Waterfall to an old water mill. You then climb above the forest and follow a section of boardwalk across open hillside to a fine viewpoint along the Ridge of Capard. The route is fully signed by red arrows, and particularly impressive after winter rains have swollen the stream to a rushing torrent. START/FINISH Glenbarrow car park. GETTING THERE Head to Rosenallis, on the R422 between Mountmellick and Clonaslee. Now follow the signs for Glenbarrow trailhead, passing through several junctions to reach the car park some 4km later. LEVEL Moderate — a signed trail with rough paths and 130m ascent. LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 10km/2.5-3.5 hours. PACK A print-out of the Old Mill Loop map from the walking section of slievebloom.ie. REFUEL At Davitt Shopping Centre in Mountmellick, where The Coffee Pot offers a tempting range of home-baked cakes..
BEST FOR RIVERSIDES
WHERE Boyne Ramparts, Co Meath. WHAT River and canal paths are also good options for winter, when upland terrain is snowbound. This route along the banks of the Boyne explores an area cloaked in history and myth; the Salmon of Knowledge that gave Fionn MacCumhaill the wisdom of the world was caught from these waters. From Navan town, follow the towpath downstream to Stackallen, passing several locks, weirs and bridges, as well as the ruins of 14th-century Dunmoe Castle. From Stackallen you can either return the way you came, or divert to the nearby N51 and hail the Slane-Navan bus back to the start. START/FINISH Navan/Stackallen.
GETTING THERE From Navan town centre, take the R153 Ashbourne road and cross the Boyne. The starting car park is 250m beyond the bridge on the left. The walk finishes at Broadboyne Bridge in Stackallen, 700m south of the N51 Navan-Slane road. LEVEL Easy — flat, riverside trail.
LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 6.5km/1.5-2 hours one-way.
PACK A book of Irish legends, Lenny Antonelli’s East of Ireland Walks on River and Canal or OSI Discovery Series 42.
REFUEL At Bakealicious in Navan (bakealicious.ie).
BEST FOR SNOWY HILLS
WHERE Lugnaquilla, Co Wicklow. WHAT Nothing can beat the experience of standing on Leinster’s highest peak in clear winter conditions, with the snow crunching beneath your feet and an endless succession of white-clad mountains stretching off to the horizon. The easiest winter ascent is an out-and-back trip from Glen of Imaal — you have to negotiate fewer mountain roads to get here, and it’s a fairly straightforward snow plod over Camarahill to the summit. Take care near the top though, as cornices can obscure the rims of the corries holding the North and South Prisons. Wait for a good forecast too — clear views quickly become blizzards at this altitude!
START/FINISH Fenton’s pub, The Glen of Imaal. Note that access to this route is forbidden during live firing practice in the adjacent military range. Call the Warden Service on (045) 404 653 to check the firing schedule before travelling.
GETTING THERE Approach the area via the N81. Around 21km south of Blessington, turn east towards Glen of Imaal. Continue straight for 7km to reach Fenton’s pub.
LEVEL Hard — with 720m ascent, previous hillwalking experience is required.
LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 13km/5-6 hours. PACK Full mountain safety gear, including OSI Discovery Series 56 map, compass, warm clothing, spare food and head torch.
REFUEL At Fenton’s pub, an institution among hillwalkers, or Toomey’s Bar in nearby Donard, for a tasty bite to eat.
BEST FOR WILD DEER
WHERE Camaderry Loop Walk, Co Wicklow WHAT Mountain deer congregate in wild glens during autumn and winter, and sightings of sika deer are almost guaranteed on this circuit of the upper Glendalough Valley. Feral goats are also regularly spotted. Begin following the miner’s track along the side of Upper Lake, then continue along the banks of Glenealo river. Turlough Hill, the route’s first peak, is home to Ireland’s only summit reservoir. The fabulous mountain panorama from Camaderry, the second summit, is even more impressive if the tops are dusted with snow. START/FINISH Upper Lake, Glendalough.
GETTING THERE The Upper Lake car park is located at the end of the R757 road, some 4km west of Laragh. Bring €4 in coins to operate the entrance barrier.
LEVEL Hard — the Coillte-run hillwalk has a 630m ascent with open mountain terrain.
LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 13km/4-5 hours. PACK Dublin & Wicklow: A Walking Guide by Helen Fairbairn, plus one of the hiking maps produced by the Ordinance Survey of Ireland (OSI Discovery Series 56), EastWest Mapping, or Harvey (harveymaps.co.uk).
REFUEL The Glendalough Hotel’s massive fireplace in the bar is perfect for warming cold bones (glendaloughhotel.com)
BEST QUIET SHORELINE
WHERE Kilcoole Coastal Path, Co Wicklow. WHAT Even when inland roads and hills are snowbound, this route remains accessible. It explores a stretch of low, gentle shoreline, and is generally accessed by train. The walk follows a sandy track above a shingle beach, with the protected habitat of the Murrough Wetlands on one side, and the expanse of the Irish Sea on the other. The railway is never far away, and you pass the old station at Killoughter, which operated for just 12 years after it was built in 1855. It’s a peaceful and unspoilt coastline, and can be visited only on foot. START/FINISH Wicklow train station/ Kilcoole train station. GETTING THERE This linear route relies on having two vehicles, or using the train to get back to the start. Check train times carefully because Kilcoole has only limited services. LEVEL Easy, flat terrain. Simple navigation. LENGTH/TIME TO WALK 14km/3-4 hours. PACK Binoculars to see geese, swans, egrets and lapwings that spend the winter on the Murrough Wetlands. REFUEL Bring a change of clothes and treat yourself at the Bridge Tavern in Wicklow town centre (bridgetavern.ie).
Using walking poles will help take the pressure off your knees and distribute weight evenly