From Dublin: Wild Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough Tour

Wild Wicklow is the kind of day trip that quickly leaves Dublin behind. In one outing, you move from seaside towns and coastal views to bogs, mountain roads, dark lakes, and the ancient monastic site at Glendalough. The smaller coach can reach mountain roads that large buses usually skip.

I especially like the varied route, which gives you far more than one scenic viewpoint, and the strong guiding, with guides such as Patrick, Ashley, John, Niall, and Anthony bringing Irish history, music, driving lore, and local stories into the day. The main drawback is the weather: Wicklow can turn wet and misty fast, and poor conditions may limit views or force a route change.

Five things to know before you book

• A full Wicklow sampler: You get coast, mountains, lakes, boglands, a village pub, and Glendalough in about 8.5 hours.
• Smaller coach access: The route reaches quieter parts of the Wicklow Mountains beyond the main tourist roads.
• Two worthwhile walks: Allow 40 minutes at Killiney Hill and 60 minutes to explore between Glendalough’s upper and lower lakes.
• Lunch is separate: Lynhams of Laragh gives you a traditional pub stop, but food and drinks cost extra.
• A pleasant finish: The complimentary Glendalough whiskey tasting adds a local touch before the return to Dublin.

Why this Wicklow day trip works so well from Dublin

At $62 per person, this tour offers solid value if you want to see several parts of County Wicklow without renting a car. The price includes transport, entrance fees, an English-speaking guide, and the whiskey tasting. You still pay for lunch and drinks, but the included features cover the parts that can make an independent day trip awkward.

The real value is the route. Wicklow is close to Dublin on a map, yet its mountain roads, scattered viewpoints, and changing weather make it harder to handle on your own, especially if you want to see both Glendalough and the high country in one day. Here, you can look out the window instead of watching every bend in the road.

The tour has earned a 4.8 rating from 979 reviews, and the praise is remarkably consistent about the guides. Patrick is repeatedly singled out for his Irish history, culture, humor, and care for the group. Ashley is praised for her stories and musical talent, while John is remembered for safe driving and clear local commentary. The guide matters on a long day in a coach, and this company seems to understand that.

Still, do not expect a quiet private outing. This is a group tour with a fixed schedule. You will see a lot, but you cannot linger indefinitely at a viewpoint or reshape the day around your favorite walk.

Starting along Dublin’s southern coast

You begin at one of five pickup points in Dublin. The listed times are 8:35 a.m. at Clayton Burlington Road, 8:45 at St Stephen’s Green, 9:00 on Cathal Brugha Street, 9:15 opposite the Grand Canal Hotel, and 9:25 outside the InterContinental and Clayton Ballsbridge on Simmonscourt Road.

Be at your chosen stop at least five minutes early, and make sure the operator knows which pickup point you will use. The stops are near hotels and central areas rather than one single bus terminal, so check the street details carefully before setting out.

The first part of the route follows Dublin’s southern coast through seaside towns. It is a gentle start, giving you a sense of how quickly Dublin’s urban edge gives way to open views.

At Killiney Hill, you have about 40 minutes for a walk. The reward is a broad coastal view, and this is a good place to take your first photographs. Wear shoes with decent grip, especially after rain. The walk is short compared with a full mountain hike, but the weather can make any open path feel more demanding.

This stop also adds balance to the day. You are not thrown straight into a long coach ride toward the mountains. Instead, you get fresh air and a modest walk before the tour turns inland.

Coffee and crafts at Avoca Kilmacanoge

The next stop is Avoca Handweavers at Kilmacanoge, with about 25 minutes for a break, a visit, coffee, and perhaps a little shopping. It is a practical pause after the early pickup and a chance to stretch before the mountain roads.

Do not treat this as a major attraction that needs hours. Twenty-five minutes is enough for a quick coffee and a look around, but not enough for a slow browse. If you prefer natural scenery to shopping, keep your expectations modest and enjoy it as a useful stop rather than the central event.

The Sally Gap and Wicklow’s high country

The strongest scenic section comes as the coach climbs into Wicklow Mountains National Park. The route includes the Sally Gap, broad heather-covered hills, boglands, rugged peaks, and deep lakes. The scenery has a spare, windswept quality. It feels far removed from Dublin, even though the capital is not far away.

You will hear about film locations along the way. The area has appeared in Vikings and Braveheart, and the famous bridge associated with P.S. I Love You is part of the route. Lough Tay, often called Guinness Lake because of its dark water and pale sandy shore, is another major sight.

The schedule allows about 1.5 hours in the Wicklow Mountains for guided touring, scenic drives, and photo stops. Much of that time is spent moving through the area, with stops selected by the guide and road conditions. This is not a strenuous hiking trip. It is a scenic mountain tour with short walks and time outside the coach.

That distinction matters. If you want a full-day trek, this is not the right product. If you want to see remote mountain scenery without committing to difficult navigation or a rental car, it fits well.

Weather can change the experience. On a clear day, you may see broad views across the hills and lakes. In rain or mist, the mountains take on a darker, moodier character, but visibility may be poor. One tour day had snow severe enough to make some roads impassable, so the route was changed to a palace and national park sights instead. That flexibility is useful, but it also means the advertised sequence is not guaranteed in difficult winter weather.

Bring waterproof clothing, comfortable clothes, and shoes you can walk in. An umbrella is less useful in exposed mountain weather than a proper rain jacket.

Lunch at Lynhams of Laragh

After the mountain section, the coach stops at Lynhams of Laragh for about an hour. This is your chance to eat in a traditional Irish pub and warm up before visiting Glendalough.

Food is not included, so budget separately. The stop is long enough for a proper meal rather than a rushed snack, and dishes such as Guinness stew have been a popular choice. The pub setting also gives the day a more local rhythm: scenery first, a hearty meal next, then history and walking.

The tradeoff is that an hour goes quickly if the pub is busy. You may need to choose your food promptly, especially if you want time to stretch your legs before rejoining the coach.

Glendalough’s monastic valley

Glendalough is the historical heart of the day. The settlement was founded in the sixth century by St. Kevin and grew into an important monastic community in a secluded valley. The surviving round tower, stone churches, and other ruins make the site easy to understand even if you are new to Irish medieval history.

Your guide leads the visit and explains the stories connected with St. Kevin and the settlement. This is where the guide’s personality makes a real difference. Patrick, Ashley, and the other guides are praised for making Irish history accessible, often adding music, local traditions, politics, literature, and everyday details about Ireland.

The tour allows about 1.5 hours at Glendalough, including the guided visit and free time. That is a sensible amount. You get an introduction to the ruins, then time to look around without being abandoned to a rushed photograph.

The site is beautiful because the ruins are not isolated from nature. Stone buildings, wooded slopes, and the lakes all belong to the same setting. The quiet valley helps explain why St. Kevin chose this place, though the site can feel busy when several tour groups arrive at once.

Walking between the upper and lower lakes

The free time at Glendalough includes about 60 minutes to explore between the upper and lower lakes. This is one of the best parts of the day because you can move at your own pace after several hours of guided sightseeing.

Use the hour for a walk along the lake area, photographs, or simply a quiet pause. The broad water views and valley walls give Glendalough a calm feel that is quite different from the open, exposed mountains earlier in the day.

Do not plan an ambitious hike here. The schedule gives you a focused hour, not a full afternoon. Comfortable shoes are important, and rain gear is more than a suggestion in Wicklow. If the weather turns poor, you may spend less time walking and more time staying close to the main site.

The whiskey tasting before Dublin

The tour ends with a complimentary taste of Glendalough Irish whiskey in its birthplace before the coach heads back toward Dublin. It is a small but well-chosen final touch. After mountain views, a pub lunch, and ancient ruins, the tasting gives you a local drink to round out the day.

The tasting is included, while other food and drinks are not. If you do not drink whiskey, the stop remains part of the schedule, but it may be less important to you than the scenery and ruins.

The return includes a pass by Sugarloaf Mountain, and drop-off follows the same general Dublin area as pickup: the InterContinental, St Stephen’s Green, the Grand Canal Hotel, Cathal Brugha Street, and Clayton Burlington Road. Exact return timing can vary with traffic and weather, so avoid booking a tight evening commitment.

How the coach and guide affect the day

The transportation is a luxury air-conditioned midi coach. The smaller vehicle is important here because Wicklow’s narrow and winding roads are part of the experience. It also helps the tour reach areas that large buses may skip.

Several detailed accounts praise the coach as clean and comfortable, with pickup and drop-off running on time. Guides also receive credit for adjusting the air conditioning, keeping narration at a comfortable volume, and driving carefully through the mountains.

You should expect plenty of commentary. Patrick is particularly praised for connecting places along the route with Irish history and culture, and for adding useful tips about restaurants and other activities in Dublin. Some guides also share music and personal stories, which can make a long day feel more like a conversation than a string of announcements.

That is a strength for most people, but not everyone wants constant narration. If you prefer silence, bring headphones for parts of the drive. If you like learning as you go, the commentary is one of the tour’s main benefits.

Who should book this tour

I would choose this tour if you have limited time in Dublin and want one day that combines nature, history, and a taste of local food and drink. It is especially useful for first-time visitors who do not want to drive on unfamiliar roads.

Families can use it too, since the minimum age is five and the pace is suitable for children and older adults according to the described stops. Still, young children need to manage the walks and a long day away from the city.

Nature lovers will appreciate the lakes, mountain roads, and open bogland. History fans will get the most from Glendalough and the guide’s storytelling. Film fans will enjoy recognizing locations from Braveheart, Vikings, and P.S. I Love You, though the tour is not built only around filming sites.

You may want another option if your priority is serious hiking, a private group, or a flexible schedule. You may also reconsider in winter if your plans cannot handle a possible route change caused by snow or road conditions. Minimum numbers apply in winter, so a cancellation after confirmation is possible if too few people book. In that case, you are offered an alternative or a full refund.

Should you book Wild Wicklow?

Book it if you want a well-filled day beyond Dublin with excellent guiding, varied scenery, and enough time to walk at Glendalough. The $62 price is fair because transport, entrance fees, guiding, and whiskey tasting are included, while the route would be difficult to reproduce comfortably in one day without a car.

Go in with realistic expectations. This is a scenic group outing, not a deep wilderness hike. Bring waterproof clothing, reserve money for lunch, and leave room in your evening schedule for traffic. If that sounds right, Wild Wicklow gives you one of the easiest ways to see why Wicklow is such a strong counterpoint to Dublin.

FAQ

How long is the Wild Wicklow and Glendalough tour?

The tour lasts about 8.5 hours. Starting times vary, so check availability when booking.

Where can I be picked up in Dublin?

Pickup is available near five locations: Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, St Stephen’s Green, Cathal Brugha Street, the Grand Canal Hotel, and the InterContinental and Clayton Ballsbridge area.

What time are the Dublin pickups?

The listed pickup times are 8:35 a.m. at Clayton Burlington, 8:45 at St Stephen’s Green, 9:00 on Cathal Brugha Street, 9:15 opposite the Grand Canal Hotel, and 9:25 outside the InterContinental and Clayton Ballsbridge.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch at Lynhams of Laragh is scheduled for about one hour, but food and drinks are at your own cost.

Is the whiskey tasting included?

Yes. A complimentary Glendalough Irish whiskey tasting is included near the end of the tour.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes, rain gear, comfortable clothes, and clothing suitable for the weather. Wicklow conditions can change quickly.

Is the tour suitable for children?

The minimum age is five. Children under five cannot join the tour.

What happens if winter weather closes mountain roads?

The route may be changed if snow or other conditions make roads unsafe. Winter tours also require minimum numbers, and if the tour is canceled for that reason, you are offered an alternative or a full refund.