Center base walking holiday in Ireland
Center base walking holiday in Ireland
- Fitness Level : Moderate
- Group: Small Group Tour (Max of 16 people per tour.)
- Suitable for: All age groups
- Duration : 5 Days
5 Day Center Stay in Glendalough, county Wicklow.
This is a different kind of Self-Guided walking holiday in county Wicklow. On this Center Base Walking Holiday in Ireland instead of walking from accommodation to accommodation you are based in the one accommodation for 4 nights.
You will be transferred to some locations and walk your way back. There is no moving your luggage each morning and you can relax have breakfast and be transferred to your walk.
On this center base walking holiday in Ireland you will be staying in a beautiful Guesthouse in the Glendalough area of the Wicklow Mountains National Park. There are many beautiful walks in this area to choose from.
We will however recommend some great scenic walks for you. We have walked all the trails in this area and know them very well. You can decide if you wish to extend or shorten your walks.
As part of this service, you will also be supplied with a picnic for your walk. Glendalough “Valley of the two lakes” sits in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains National Park. It is famous for its natural scenic beauty as well as the 6th century monastic site of St Kevin.
The Wicklow Way and St Kevin’s Way both pass through this valley. The Wicklow Way travels north to south from Dublin to Clonegal and the pilgrimage trail of St Kevin travels west to east from the town of Hollywood to Glendalough.
In the Glendalough valley there are nine marked trails ranging from short 1.6Km walks to more demanding 12Km walks. There are all based around the valley of Glendalough, taking in some waterfalls, forest trails, lakes and open hill sides. There are some higher walks to give you wonderful panoramic views over Glendalough.
There are 2 or 3 places to enjoy an evening meal and a drink in the Glendalough / Laragh area.
- Day Tour of Wicklow from Dublin.
- Friendly and family run Guest House (Irish Tourism Board Approved)
- Breakfasts each morning with a wide selection to choose from.
- Packed lunch for your walks.
- Detailed maps, Water Proof Map Cover.
- Transfers to and from some of your walks.
- Phone support (Accommodations and pickup numbers).
- All Information on public transport required will be given.
- Pickup from the Airport or accommodation to Glendalough can be arranged
- Transfer back to Dublin.
- Extra nights in Dublin before and after your walk.
(The walks below are our suggested walks, you can choose others if you wish)
You can decide to take our Day Tour of Wicklow from Dublin, have a private transfer or use public transport to get to Glendalough, all details are provided. Upon arrival into Glendalough, you can book into your accommodation with some time to explore the area or relax. We will give you suggestions on places to eat.
St Kevin’s Way (Linear Walk) – Today you will be transferred along part of St Kevin’s Way, you can choose how far you wish to walk. St Kevin’s way is a pilgrim path that travels through the Wicklow Gap and the Glendasan valley. Its total distance is 26Km and the route is marked with yellow walking pilgrim and arrows.
The Wicklow Way from Lough Dan or Lough Tay to Glendalough (Linear Walk) – Transferred to Lough Dan and you follow the Wicklow way trail back towards Glendalough. Lough Dan is close to the town of Roundwood, it’s a large lake in county Wicklow and probably more famous today for its use in the Viking series that was filmed here.
The walk is approx. 10Km, incline 150m. You can extend this to Lough Tay which will make your walk approx. 17Km with incline approx. 150m
The “Spinc” Walk in Glendalough (Loop Walk) Today you will need any transfers. It would be a shame to stay in Glendalough and not walk one of Wicklow’s most iconic loop walks. The “Spinc” walk as it is known is a wonderful up and around the upper lake of Glendalough. You can start this walk from the upper car park and walk in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. The walk takes in part of the woodland in Glendalough with European larch, Scot pines, beech, birch and some ancient oak. As you start to incline you will see the whole valley and its two lakes before you. Some of the walk is on board walks to protect the environment and there is an lead mine village that was started here in the early 1800s.
This walk is approx. 12Km with an incline of approx. 350m.
After your breakfast you say goodbye to Glendalough. We will assist you with your travel back to Dublin either by public bus or private transfer.
- Good Walking boots.
- Day Back Pack (25L)
- Walking Socks with lining.
- Raingear,
- Good walking Jacket,
- Hat and Gloves
- Insect Repellent
- Sun Cream
- Torc
- Loss of deposit applies for cancellations made 6 weeks or more in advance.
- Cancellation fee of 40% applies for cancellations made less than 41 days in advance.
- Cancellation fee of 80% applies for cancellations made less than 4 weeks in advance.
- Cancellation fee of 100% applies for cancellations made less than 2 weeks in advance, or in case of no-show.
A deposit of 10% is required to secure your booking and your balance is due 6 weeks prior to Tour / Walk Start date. Your Deposit will be returned to you if we are unsuccessful in securing your trip or accommodation.
The balance of the cost of your tour / walk (including any applicable surcharge) is due not less than 6 weeks prior to scheduled departure.
If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case we shall retain your deposit.
Tour Cost:
| Price: €795pps, Single Supplement (Own room) + €180 |
Secure your Booking Now with Just 10% Deposit. |
Visitors Share Their Thoughts
Fantastic views of Wicklow Mtns on horesback
Linda, our driver & guide, was great! Very friendly and shared lots of fun info on the ride throughout. Ella and Joe at the stables were really helpful and patient getting us all setup, but once we started the views were just stunning! Back in the van, the tour through the mountains offered spectacular views with several photo stops before reaching Glendalough. The town and 2 lakes didn’t disappoint either! Highly recommend! Date of experience: October 2024
An Amazing Excursion
Review of Dublin to Newgrange, Monasterboice Small Group Guided Tours. This excursion was amazing. Standing in a structure at Newgrange 5,000 years old was surreal. All three stops were so beautiful and interesting. Our guide, Matt, was so knowledgeable, funny, and a safe driver. Listening to Irish music on the way back to Dublin was a nice touch. Don't pass this excursion up.
Walking Holiday in Ireland
It was a really fantastic and unforgettable nine days round trip from Dublin to Galway including celebrating even two birthdays! Terry was amazing and legendary, he showed us the most beautiful places and entertained us with Irish stories, music and songs. So, we will be back definitely! BIG THANKS to Hilltoptreks and Terry from the Croatian hiking group!
Wonders of Wicklow - Private Tour
An amazing day. We were pleasantly surprised with the charm and beauty of the Wicklow area. Wicklow Mountain National Park, The Sally Gap, Lough Tay, the Guinness Lake Glendalough and its 6th-century monastic site. Kevin our guide was great!!
FAQs for Hilltoptreks' 7-day walking and hiking tour of southwest Ireland:
-
The walks on these tours are of a mixed level with the option on some days to shorten. All the walks are taken at a pace to suit the group. The groups can range from 6 to 16 people in size with a mixed level of fitness and age usually. If the weather is too bad on a certain day to do the suggested walk, then the guide will suggest an alternative one. The Guide will have the final say on the day about the walk for the safety of the group.
-
We choose our accommodation very carefully, it’s a mix of quality Guest houses and hotels. There is Free WIFI in all the accommodations we use. All the rooms are en-suite. The accommodations we use are well used to us bringing them guests after a day’s walk and know that they somewhere comfortable to relax and freshen up.
-
Breakfasts are included and there is a wide selection to choose from including a Full Irish, fruit, cereals etc. Lunches for the walks: We will visit some local shops to get supplies. Evening Meals: A known restaurant or Pub will be suggested for evening meals in the places and towns you visit. There are many places in Ireland that accommodate both Vegan and Vegetarian diets.
