Choose Your Hike

We offer different tour grading levels depending on the balance of physical challenge and comfort level that you require

Gentle Hikes

Our Gentle Hiking Tours are designed with the part-time hiker in mind.

People for whom taking photos, meeting the locals and enjoying a long lunch are as important as the hike itself.

Average Hiking Distance: 12-14km (7.5-9 miles) per day Average Hiking Time: 4-6 hours per day

See Tours: 4 Tage 5 Tage
4-Tage / 3-Nächte Leicht Rathdrum - Laragh, inkl. St Kevin’s Way from 519 € per person View Itinerary
5-Tage / 4-Nächte Leicht Rathdrum - Laragh, inkl. St Kevin’s Way from 619 € per person View Itinerary

Trail Info

Route Overview

    • St Kevin’s Way (Ballinagee Bridge – Glendalough): As the St Kevin’s Way route from both Hollywood and Valleymount to Ballinagee Bridge mostly follow surfaced roads, our St Kevin’s Way walks start from Ballinagee Bridge where the Wicklow Uplands begin. It is a linear route from here to Glendalough with the trail first climbing gently towards the spectacular Wicklow Gap with its reservoir and hydroelectricity plant and then passing reminders of a rich mining heritage before it follows the descent of the Glendasan River and a peaceful river walk leading into the Valley of Glendalough. The route is well way marked and takes you through a wide variety of landscapes mainly on forest trails and mountain paths.
    • Glenealo Valley & The Spinc (Glendalough Loop Walk): This is a popular walk that gives easy access to some of the most spectacular scenery in Wicklow. After a visit to the peaceful valley of Glendasan it passes a view point for the cave known as St Kevin’s Bed and then follows the Miners Road in Glendalough to the old ‘miner’s village’. An invigorating climb leads to a bridge at the top of the valley from where hundreds of wooden steps lead to a ridge above the lake with spectacular views back towards Glendalough. Descend is via the Poulanass Waterfall to the two lakes and the monastic village.
    • Avonmore Way (Rathdrum – Laragh): The route follows the Avonmore River from the village of Rathdrum through the beautiful Claravale Nature Reserve. From the picturesque settlement of Clara with its ancient bridge the trail climbs through forests to a road with views of the valley. You can choose to climb Trooperstown Hill before descending through more forest and across the Avonmore River on your way into Laragh. The trail involves a mixture of minor roads and forest roads or tracks.

Terrain by Stages

St Kevin’s Way (Ballinagee Bridge – Glendalough)Paths and boardwalks through areas of forestry, mountain tracks and paths, limited road walking. Gentle climb to the Wicklow Gap before a long descent into Glendalough. Possible areas of felled and/or replanted forestry.

Glenealo Valley & The Spinc (Glendalough Loop Walk)Good tracks and mountain paths, boardwalks over wet or more difficult sections. A short, easy climb at the beginning and a long, moderate climb towards the top of the valley followed by a long gradual descent with one steep section on railway sleepers.

Avonmore Way (Rathdrum – Laragh)Good forest and riverside tracks and paths, with the option to climb Trooperstown Hill, some road walking, parts of which can be avoided by alternative route options. A number of shorter climbs one of them quite steep.

Prices / What's Included

Length of Tour Price Per Person (€ ) Single Supplement (€ ) :¹
4 days / 3 nights 519 290 BOOK NOW
5 days / 4 nights 619 330 BOOK NOW
¹A single supplement is an additional charge for walkers booking single accommodation (a room for one person). The total tour price per person requesting a single room is the price per person plus the single supplement.

What’s Included in the Price?

  • Stay in our friendly, family-run guesthouses
  • Relax in comfortable en-suite bedrooms*
  • Big breakfasts will keep you going all day long
  • Luggage? Don’t worry, we’ll move it for you!
  • Detailed maps, route notes and GPS tracks mean you’ll never get lost
  • Walking directions written and updated by the Hillwalk Tours team
  • Local alternative/supplementary route options based on local knowledge
  • Our waterproof map-case keeps your maps and documents dry
  • If you need to contact us, we’re here 24/7 to help
  • Insider tips on the best places to eat and drink**
  • Explore the local history and culture in our fascinating guides
  • Discover the most interesting attractions on the trail
  • Need info on transport? We’re happy to help

* Unless already booked out in which case we’ll try to secure a private bathroom

** You will have the opportunity to purchase picnic lunches and evening meals each day. If you are staying in a remote location, the B&B owner will prepare a tasty surprise for you upon request.

Please Note:

We occasionally charge additional supplements on the St. Kevin’s Way & Glendalough for tours starting during the high season. This is due to higher costs involved in booking our upgrade option or in cases where our normal accommodation suppliers do not have availability, and an alternative, more expensive, supplier is sourced with your approval.

Extra Days/Activities

Give those weary legs some respite and explore some of the other attractions of Wicklow!

Glendalough: Take some time out to visit local attractions such as the Glendalough Whiskey Distillery or the Irish Working Sheepdogs Farm located at God’s Cottage in Glendalough.

Dublin (Dún Laoghaire): A vibrant coastal town 12km south of Dublin City Centre built around a 200-year-old harbour, with an abundance of shops, restaurants, cafés and pubs. Visit Ireland’s National Maritime Museum or take a dip at the Forty Foot, one of The Ten Best Places to Swim in the World according to the New York Times. Dublin City Centre, with attractions such as The Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol and the Book of Kells, is within easy reach by public transport.

 

Booking Extra Days

  1. Choose WHERE you wish to stay.
  2. Decide HOW MANY NIGHTS you need.
  3. Go to the BOOKING FORM and fill in the ‘Extra Nights Required/Other Requests’ section.

The costs of extra nights during your St Kevin’s Way & Glendalough hiking tour start from €75 per person per night and from €100 for single hikers who will have their own private room. 

You can also add extra nights in some other popular locations in Ireland: Dublin (Dún Laoghaire), Galway, etc. Please enquire when booking. The costs of these extra nights vary by location and date booked.

Please note that if you book any extra nights in a location not included in your tour itinerary, you will have to make your own arrangements to transfer your bags to this location.

Accommodation

Staying at the very best accommodation during your time in Ireland can transform a “good” hiking tour into a “great” hiking tour.

That’s why, at Hillwalk Tours, we take the quality of our accommodation partners seriously. So much so that you will find we strive to only work with high-quality and well-reviewed accommodation. Additionally, most of our accommodation partners have been personally checked by a member of the Hillwalk Tours team to ensure your comfort.

As keen hikers ourselves we know you’ll want somewhere relaxing to put your feet up in the evening. A place where a warm smile from your hosts makes you feel welcome as soon as you step through the door. If your hiking gear gets wet, it’s nice to know that you can dry it or, if you ask, it may even be taken from you and returned nice and dry the next morning.

Comfy beds, en-suite bathrooms (where available), tasty breakfast menus, and a friendly & cosy atmosphere – these are all the things that we like so you can rest assured that we’ll do our best to find them for you as well.

To find out more about the types of accommodation you can expect to find on a Hillwalk Tours walking holiday, read here: Accommodation on your Walking Tour

In addition, if you’d like to stay an extra night at any location during your hiking tour, just let us know.

Please Note:

Due to limited accommodation options in some locations on your tour, we may need to book you into accommodation which will require transfers to/from your hike start/end point or where you will have private bathroom facilities instead of an ensuite. We may also need to book you into the same accommodation for more than one night to cover multiple locations. The cost of this is covered in your basic tour price and will not affect your tour itinerary.

In general, we try to book accommodation which is as close to the local amenities as possible. If you are staying in a remote location (where access to local pubs/restaurants is not feasible), the hosts of the accommodation that you are staying at will ensure that you are well fed.

Travel Info

Getting to and from your St Kevin’s Way & Glendalough hiking tour is easy… when you know how!

In your hiking pack, you will receive all the necessary public transport information you need to make your journey as convenient as possible.

In the meantime, if you’d like to do some advance planning yourself, here are our tips:

Most starting locations can easily be reached by train or bus, but some may require the use of a taxi.

Please use this link for information regarding current bus and train services.

Departing from Laragh after your tour:

There are regular transport services that link Laragh with Dublin City/Dublin Airport

Travelling by car?

If you would like to leave your car at the first or last accommodation on your tour, for the duration of the tour, then you can directly contact the accommodation owners before the start of your tour to check that this is possible. We will provide contact details for the accommodation provider.

FAQ

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