The Wicklow Way is Ireland's oldest waymarked long-distance walking trail, opened in 1980. It runs 130 kilometres from Marlay Park in south Dublin to Clonegal in County Carlow. Walking the whole thing takes seven to eight days. Most people instead pick a section. Here is how to choose.
The route in summary
Day 1: Marlay Park to Knockree, 22 km. Suburban out of Dublin into the Glencree valley. Day 2: Knockree to Roundwood, 19 km, over Djouce Mountain and past Powerscourt waterfall. Day 3: Roundwood to Glendalough, 13 km, the most photographed section. Day 4: Glendalough to Glenmalure, 14 km, over Lugduff. Day 5: Glenmalure to Aghavannagh, 14 km, the wildest stretch. Day 6: Aghavannagh to Tinahely, 23 km, gentler farmland. Day 7: Tinahely to Shillelagh, 18 km. Day 8: Shillelagh to Clonegal, 16 km, mostly tarmac toward the finish.
Which section is the most spectacular?
Day 3, Roundwood to Glendalough. Through the Wicklow Gap, past the Glendalough monastic site, with mountain views the whole way. Thirteen kilometres, four to five hours. Easy navigation, well-marked. This is the section to do as a one-day taster.
Which section is the wildest?
Day 5, Glenmalure to Aghavannagh, over the shoulder of Lugnaquilla. Fewer roads, more bog, less waymarked. This is the section that feels like proper mountain walking. Fifteen kilometres, five to six hours. Not for first-time hikers.
Which section is best for a weekend?
Days 2 and 3 combined, Knockree to Glendalough. Two days of walking, around 32 km total, with a stay at Roundwood overnight. The Roundwood Inn does proper food and there are B and Bs in the village. Glendalough at the end gives you the monastic site as a reward for the second day.
How do I get to the trailheads without a car?
Marlay Park is on the 16 bus from Dublin city centre. Glendalough is reachable on the St Kevin's Bus from St Stephen's Green, twice a day. Roundwood, Aghavannagh and Glenmalure all have local bus connections from Dublin via Wicklow town. The further south you get, the harder it becomes to do the trail without a car for transfers.
What is the elevation like?
The trail goes up and down. Highest point is around 670 metres on Day 5 going over Lugduff Spink. Daily ascent on most sections is between 400 and 700 metres. You are not crossing major peaks but you are not flat-walking either. Hill-walking fitness is enough.
Is the trail well-marked?
Mostly yes. Yellow walking-man arrows on posts, yellow paint blazes on rocks where there are no posts. The waymarking is consistent on most days. The trickier sections are Day 5 (Glenmalure to Aghavannagh) where the path crosses open bog, and parts of Day 7 (Tinahely area) where farm tracks intersect. A map and compass are still recommended for the high days.
Accommodation
Glendalough Hostel, the Roundwood Inn, the Coolafancha B&B and the Glenmalure Lodge are the long-running trail accommodation. Wicklow Way Lodge in Oldbridge is run by people who walked the way themselves. Book ahead in summer; the trail beds are limited.
The shorter alternative
If a section walk feels like too much commitment, the Wicklow Way 'taster' is just the Glendalough section, 13 km in either direction, doable as a day from Dublin via St Kevin's Bus. That gives you the experience without the planning.