10 GREAT WALKS IN DUBLIN
5 TICKNOCK
THIS gloriously elevated park to the south of Dublin boasts 10km of mountain and forest walks. It offers spectacular views of Dublin city, the horseshoe-shaped Dublin Bay and Bray Head as well as wonderful vistas of the Wicklow Mountains.
It’s a nature lover’s paradise thanks to the extensive network of forest trails with memorable walks through the plantations of Sitka spruce, Japanese larch, Scots pine, Monterey pine and Lodgepole pine.
The main forest roads are easily accessible for children and people with a beginner’s level of fitness. Ticknock is also a possible starting point for the Wicklow Way and if you go off the beaten path, look out for the evocative ruins of the Fairy Castle.
6 HELLFIRE CLUB
THE foreboding ruins of the hunting lodge perched on Montpelier Hill to the south of Tallaght is a spot that affords unrivalled views of Dublin city. It’s a place that’s full of legend, intrigue, and tales abound of the wild behaviour of the well-to-do gentlemen that partied here in the early 18th century.
The entrance from the car park leads to the main forest road, which goes around the top of the mountain.
Making your way up the southern slopes of the hill you can savour an Instagrammable view of Piperstown Gap.
Follow the right fork in the road through coniferous forest where heathers, grouse and furze grow in abundance. The difficulty of walking paths is moderate, with the main forest road easily accessible for most.
7 GREAT SOUTH WALL
THE Poolbeg Lighthouse dates from 1768 and its bright red walls have been a familiar landmark in Dublin Bay for generations. Getting out to it couldn’t be easier, thanks to a 4km walk along the South Wall and there’s hardly a better place to appreciate the striking horseshoe shape of the bay. You’ll be able to drink in the sight of Dun Laoghaire and its distinctive East and West piers on one side of the bay and the Hill of Howth in the distance on the other.
It’s also an excellent location from which to take in the scale of the Poolbeg chimneys, the 200m pair of candy-cane protected structures that have become an emblem of Dublin since they were built in the 1970s.
8 DUBLIN MOUNTAINS WAY
SEASONED walkers keen to make a day of it can take in a route that skirts the entire south of Co Dublin by tackling the Dublin Mountains Way. This 43km way-marked trail – just slightly longer than the marathon distance – joins Shankill in the east to Tallaght’s Sean Walsh Park in the west.
The route includes panoramic views of Dublin city and takes in several villages including Kilternan high up in the Dublin Mountains. Even the hardiest walker will want to stop off for refreshments in one of the country’s most elevated gastro-pubs, Johnnie Fox’s, the perfect spot to refuel for the remainder the journey.
9 SHANKILL TO THE ‘SCALP’
THOSE who fancy a considerably shorter and less challenging walk but with all the wonderful views of the city and the sea, should start in Shankill village and walk through the forests at Rathmichael and Carrickgollogan Woods, before calling to the now disused lead mines.
Observe the old lead mines tower and journey down the orange-marked path to the sanctuary of Barnaslingan Woods before arriving at the stunning ‘Scalp’ viewing point. There’s a great selection of wildlife here – look out for badgers and trees like the Noble Fir. A megalithic dolmen is also a standout feature on this trail.
10 PHOENIX PARK
ONE of Europe’s largest enclosed urban parks, covering 707 hectares, this park dates from 1662 and was opened to the public by the Earl of Chesterfield in 1745. There are several walking possibilities here, including the central thoroughfare, Chesterfield Avenue, which links the entrances at Parkgate Street and Castleknock.
A popular walk begins near the Wellington Monument – Europe’s tallest obelisk – and takes in the star-shaped magazine fort, the Furry Glen with its pretty tree-lined lake and the adjoining Farmleigh Park.
It’s also possible to walk around the Phoenix Park boundary wall where few can resist dropping into one of Dublin’s most venerable pubs, The Hole in the Wall, to refuel after your exertions.