Hiking with kids in Glenmalure can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it’s important to choose a trail that’s appropriate for their age and ability level. Below, are some trails and tips for Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow:

Hike 1- Shay Elliott Carpark to Cullentragh Little Moutain

We did this great little walk lately with all the kids and they absolutely loved every second of it. Our 6-year-old ran most of it and our 4-year-old tried her best to keep up with her older sister. If you want to bring your buggy be prepared to carry the child for the last section.

Start in the Shay Elliot car park here. It’s not a long walk and the trail is very sheltered from the elements until the very last section.

 Hike key points

• 1.6km each way 3.2km total
• 95% buggy friendly- carrier required for the last 300m
• Nice sheltered woodland walk
• Amazing views of the Glendalough and Glenmalure valleys
• Perfect for all ages
• Allow 2 hours to walk this

Hiking route below: The route is not signposted but if you stay on the main path you can’t miss the mountain. This is a great starter walk for Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow

Hike 2- The 3 waterfalls Glenmalure

The 3 waterfalls are called the Coolalingo Waterfalls. The Coolalingo waterfalls are perfect for kids of all ages to explore. I would give a word of caution, there is no real path to the waterfall and the route to the waterfalls are steep and on a main road. If you are cautious while exploring this should not cause a problem.

Secret waterfall Glenmalure Key points

• 1km down and 1 km return walk
• Small 200m road walk
• No signs
• Spectacular waterfalls
• No crowds even in summer

Step by Step directions to the SECRET waterfall:

Park here

Walk 200m down the road until you see a tree with a small pile of stones.

Enter the wood. The path leads to the left and right. Turn left and down the forest toward the stream. The path zig-zags down until you reach the river bed. Walk back upstream until you see the waterfalls.

Hike 3- Carrawaystick Waterfall

(Unfortunately, this is now closed)

Carrawaystick waterfall is a really nice waterfall to explore with the kids. This is one of the starting points to hike Lugnaquilla but you can still go and only explore this wonderful waterfall and a small walk around the base of the mountain.

We recommend not bringing kids younger than 5 to Lugnaquilla mountain on this route. Walk out to the waterfall and explore the area, the kids will love it.

Key points Carrawaystick Waterfall

• You have to park on the side of the road
• A lovely footbridge underneath the waterfall
• less than 1km walk

Hike 4-Baravore loop walk

The start of Baravore loop walk begins at the end of Glenamlure valley road. The start point has a large car park with lots of space. The loop walk is 6km long with steep sections. This walk is possible for young kids but can be challenging. If you don’t feel your kids are able for the full walk they can do a small section and turn around. There are footbridges and great views of the valley and river from the start of the walk. This is a great place for kids to explore.

Key points for Baravore loop walk

• Starting point here
• Suitable for kids 3-4 years plus
• Section of river walks
• Great views of the valley
• Small steep sections
• 2-3 hours to complete with lots of breaks
• 6km long
• Well signposted

Food Recommendations

Now, to one of the best parts of any hike, snacks and treats. We have a couple of good food recommendations after your hike. We always give the kids treats after a nice family walk. We have eaten in The Glenmalure Lodge after a number of our hikes in Glenmalure and found it to be a very nice family-run pub.

If you are going back to Laragh, the Wicklow Heather serves an amazing lunch or dinner, we highly recommend it for dinner.

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Keadeen Key facts

• We hiked 9.4km out and back to the 2 mountains.
• It took us 2 hours with small breaks
• Wet gear was required as the top section is quite boggy
• Parking is limited
• Not suitable for kids in winter
• Difficulty- Overall, it’s not too hard. 4 out of 10 for difficulty
• Recommendation- A nice walk, and an easy summit

Keadeen Map

Below is a map of the walk to Keadeen summit.

Keaden Carpark Start

The car park is located here. Come early to this mountain as parking is limited. Only 4-5 spaces are available for cars on this forestry road location.

Hiking Keadeen Mountain

The hike starts at the car park. Be sure to turn left straight away and not walk up the foresty road, as I did.

At the car park follow the trail footpath cut into the wood and not the forestry road. Once you find the path the trail to the summit is well-worn and easy to follow.

After about a 200m walk and a steady climb along the edge of the wood, you come to a fence. Cross over the fence and follow the fence line up the hill. The path is through a field but it is easy to follow.

At the end of the field, you come onto an open mountain. From this point, it becomes very wet and boggy. Visibility was poor for us on the day of our hike but I’m sure there are amazing views from here.

Pass through the fence opening and take care on the mountain for deep boggy sections.

From this section, you will descend into a small valley and then back up another hill. The Cairn is then situated at the top.

Optional additional walk to Carrig Mountain

We decided to walk Carrig mountain as it was only a 4km walk to the top of Keadeen mountain, and we felt we needed to stretch our legs a bit more.

We walked back down the hill but now followed the fence line the whole way to Carrig Cairn.

The Cairn for Carrig Mountain was only a pile of stones but it was a nice little additional walk to finish off the hike. We used the same path to return back to the car.

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Seefin passage tomb was built around 5,000 years ago. The passage tomb has a small passage 7m long through the centre. A stone at the entrance has carvings inscribed on its face. The kids love tracing the carvings and exploring the area looking for more.

The roof of the tomb is open and you can view it from the top.

Key facts about the Seefin Mountain hike

• 2.4km out and back hike
• 1-hour hike
• Path well worn but no markers
• The tomb at the top is 5,000 years old
• Difficulty- Easy to moderate
• Family-friendly but only in good weather
• End of July it is filled with Fraughans
• Recommendation- Great hike and the kids love it

Seefin Trailhead car park

The starting point of the Seefin passage tomb hike has 2 small car parks. One of the car parks has enough room for 3-4 cars. The other is the entrance into a wood.

Below is the Google map of the car parks.

Seefin Hike

Seehin Passage Tomb hike is pretty straightforward. We did an out-and-back hike from the car park.

The walk starts beside the car park. Follow the trail up the side of the forest. The path is very clear to follow and walk along beside the fence for about 500m. The trail then splits and you need to turn left and walk up toward the summit.

We walked this hike with our 5-year-old daughter and 1-year-old daughter. Our 5-year-old (Ourlitthiker) walked all the trail but got slightly tired near the end. It gets steep near the end and she found it hard not being able to see the summit.

We turned left when the fence beside the wood takes a sharp turn. The tree in the picture below is a good marker. The hike starts to get steeper from this point but it’s only 700m to the summit from this point.

We used the new Deuter comfort Pro to carry our 1-year-old daughter. We got the kid’s carrier from 53 degrees north. The carrier has received a facelift from our old carrier with buckles, frames and attachments. We loved the new revisions and so does our tiny little hiker.

We hiked the trail at the end of July and we were surrounded by native Irish Fraughans which we munched on the whole way to the summit.

Map to hike to Seefin Summit

The summit of Seefin Passage Tomb

When we reached the summit of Seefin, we had a lovely picnic and admired the beautiful views of the surrounding west Wicklow sights.

Conclusion

We loved this hike. It is a perfect little starter hike for small legs. Come early as there is limited parking. It’s a beautiful hike with great views of the Blessington lakes.

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Moanbane to Silsean hike- Key information

• Allow 2-3 hours to hike from Ballyknockan
• Parking and picnic tables at the start point
• Navigation Skills- Essential
• No signs or visible trail to follow
• Amazing views
• 8 out of 10 for difficulty-Very steep
• 11 km out and back hike

Starting point to hike Moanbane and Silsean

At the base of the mountain, there is a designated car park with 2 picnic tables and enough parking for 5-10 cars. We parked our car here.

Initially, couldn’t see a distinct hiking trail to walk the mountain. We started our hike to Moanbane by crossing the gate in front of the car park and walking in the direction of Silsean, first (RHS of the mountain).

Hiking to Silsean

We decided to hike to Silsean first, then we would cross over the ridge to Moanbane. After walking through the two flat fields at the start of the hike, we came to an open area below the base of the mountain. We walk towards a recently cut-down forest to the right as we looked at the mountain.

We follow the line of the fence ascending towards the summit until we reach the end of the fence. This section of the hike is EXTREMELY steep and very tough on the legs.

From here, we continue towards the summit. The landscape starts to turn very boggy with large peat mounds. After hiking 55 minutes from the car we see Silsean summit stone mount insight.

Hiking from Silsean to Moanbane

The summit of Silsean is distinct due to the large stone mount and the view over the Baltinglass lakes in the background. We turn left at Silsean summit, passing a small lake.  We walk in the direction of Moanbane while descending slightly and crossing the ridge between both mountains. The ground is very boggy in this location, with deep holes from water and peat.

We ascend again to climb the side of Moanbane but it is not too steep or long before we see a post in the distance marking the summit of Moanbane.

The summit of Moanbane is marked with a timber stake and a small lake.

Descending Moanbane to Ballyknockan

From Moanbane, we descend downward while trying to track back toward the base of Silsean. The descent is easy but navigation is required, as it’s easy to pick the wrong reference point to descent towards. Our descent was quick and easy. We walked into a herd of deer grazing while descending, it made for a great distraction on our descent.

Conclusion of Moanbane and Silsean hike

A very nice hike with two great summits. It took us 2 hours 10 minutes to summit both mountains and return back to the car. The hike is tough but very rewarding. Navigation is required on this mountain. We recommend the Viewranger app and a power bank for your phone.

Map of Moanbane to Silsean Wicklow hike

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Tonelagee Mountain sits at an elevation of 817m. Lough Ouler is at the base of Tonelaglee, which provides the BEST viewing point over the famous love heart lake. The best views of Lough Ouler, Wicklow’s love heart lake are from the top of Tonelagee.

Key information about the hike

• Park here at Turlough hill
• Allow 2-3 hours up and back
• No clear markers but the path is very well defined
• Difficulty- 6/10
• Highlight- Wicklow landscape and Lough Ouler love heart-shaped lake
• Hiking gear essential

Parking for Tonelagee & Lough Ouler Walk

We parked our car in Turlough hill car park here. The car park is large with lots of spaces. It is quite hidden away from the road, so don’t leave anything valuable visible in your car.

Tonelagee from the Turlough hill car park

The picture above shows the route that we took to hike to Wicklow’s love heart lake. We start the hike by walking over the sleepers in the car park and on the small viewing point. After a small 360 degrees twirl, we turn back toward the mountain and walk across the road.

Just as we step off the road, we need to cross a large drain. We just looked for everyone else’s crossing location and jumped across. Make sure to find the correct path. We spent some time, initially trying to find the footpath at the start. We have walked this path before and only found the path on the descent. This made the hike much harder than it should have been. Sometimes it is not really visible, due to the flowering heather but it is definitely worth finding.

Tonelagee Mountain

Once we are on the path, we cover ground very quickly and within 1 hour we reach the summit. There are no markers on the trail but the path is very prominent, when you identify it.  Be prepared and bring navigation equipment. On the top part of the mountain, the path is not as defined so be sure to stay orientated.

The hike up Tonelagee is not too steep or overly hard but it is easy to stray off course. Keep an eye on your OS map, we briefly lost the trail while descending. We consulted our Maps and found the trail 10 meters to the side.

Tonelagee mountain and Lough Ouler Map

Tonelagee lake (Wicklow’s love Heart Lake)

We walked over toward Stoney Top to get views of Wicklow’s love heart lake. The lake is not visible from the summit of Tonelagee. When at the Cairn of Tonelagee, walk to the left hand side and follow the path until you see the famous Wicklow lake.

Caution— There are large cliffs near the viewing point of the lake be careful if there is a fog or if you have kids with you.

Time to hike to Lough Ouler Wicklow Love heart Lake

It took us 1 hour to ascend to the top of Tonelagee from the Turlough hill car park. The hike started on a foggy day but when we reached the top the fog started to lift, our views weren’t great. It is required to walk down to the rear of the mountain to get a view of the lake as it’s not visible from the summit.

Overall, allow 2 hours 30 minutes on the mountain to view Wicklows Love lake heart.

Optional Hikes after hiking Tonelagee

We have previously hiked St Kevin’s way and Turlough Hill which is the perfect starting point to walk into Glendalough. You could also continue your mountain hikes by walking onto Moanbane/ Silsean.

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Bray head cross sits at an elevation of 190m above sea level. The cross was erected in 1950 during the holy year. The walk to the summit of the cross takes between 30-40 minutes depending on which route you take.

Bray Head Walk Map

The blue route is the main route to walk to the cross on Bray head. You should be able to walk to the summit on the blue route in 30-40 minutes. In wet conditions, the blue route is very slippery and you should use the red routes steps to avoid any potential slips or falls. The red route passes the old cable car, which is definitely worth a visit. Allow another 15 minutes if you walk the red route.

Bray Head & Greystones cliff walk Free parking

The most direct route to walk to the summit of Bray head Cross is from the free car park here. Parking at the promenade is also possible but you will have to pay for parking at the promenade.

Bray Head Cross- Key information

• Follow the green arrowed signs
• Allow 40 minutes – 1 hour up and back
• 2km up and back
• Very slippy in sections (if wet)
• Hiking boots required
• Optional step section but it is longer
• Additional walk to Bray head cairn, if a longer walk is required
• 6 out of 10 for views

Bray head walk- Starting point/Parking

We started our walk in the free car park here. We walked to the Bray Cross during the week and the car park was nearly full. We expect that this is a very busy walk and an early start will be required on the weekend if you want to use the free car park. Additional parking is available at the seafront but it is not free.

We walk out of the car park and walk on the coastal trail for 10 meters until we see a path leading up the hill through a gate in the wall. The surface here is concrete, we follow this path up the hill.

Walking Bray head trail

Continue on the concrete path until it stops. The main path turns to mud after 100 meters from the entrance. From this point, the path becomes very rocky, slippery and steep. The ground conditions become very dangerous in wet weather. Bring walking poles and good boots to help with this.

The trail meets a small stream (winter only), which makes the walk uphill even harder and slipper. The trail splits but both trails end up in the same location. We followed the drier path to help prevent slipping and falling.

We eventually walk into a drier section of the path and we can see the end of the woodland and gorse bushes in the distance. This section is more exposed but we eventually start getting views of the surrounding areas.

This section of the Bray head cross walk has larger stones and is steep but it is much safer and has fewer chances of a slip or fall. The path cuts through the Gorse bushes, which are quite spikey but they do provide a lovely yellow and orange coverage to the hillside.

We reach a very small patch of trees. We take a small break here admiring the stunning Wicklow coastline.

We eventually reach the base of the stone hill where the cross is erected upon. We walk to the right slightly following the trail and walking up between the two stone mounds.

Bray Head Cross walk time

The top of the Bray Head Cross hike provides stunning views across the sea and Bray seafront. The walk is not too physically hard but it is very slippy in a couple of sections near the start (when wet). Allow 40-60 minutes up and back. A great walk with beautiful views of the summit.

Bray Head walk distance

The distance to Bray head cross is only 1 km to the summit and 1 km descent. Bray head cliff walk is a 7km walk.

Is Bray Head a hard walk?

The walk is 190m climb up a rough path. Good walking boots are definitely required in wet conditions. It is a moderate climb but very rewarding. Allow 60 minutes to hike it.

Additional Bray head walks

(Optional) An alternative walk is available to avoid the slippy sections. It also passes the old Bray cable car and the ruins of an old church. The walk is slightly longer, but definitely safer.

Additional walks- Bray Head

If you are not too exhausted after the walk to Bray head cross you can walk to Bray’s head trig point afterwards. Bray head has a trig point and is an additional 30 minutes walk. The walk continues after the Bray head cross. Follow the path towards Greystones going through the metal gate and following the wide path the whole way to the trig point.

The trail walks around stone outcrops and provides great views of the coastline. At present, the Bray to Greystones walk is closed due to a landslide. This walk provides a great alternative route to the cliff walk.

Bray Head loop walk Map

Wicklow County Council has a map (below) on their Twitter page showing the alternative route loop trails which include the cliff walk.

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Turlough Hill is a man-made lake that sits at an elevation of 681 meters. Turlough Hill is a pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant. This means that when there is a peak power requirement on the ESB electrical grid, the ESB can generate power by releasing water from the top lake down the tunnels and past the turbines to meet the power demand. More information on this amazing power generation plant can be found here. The top lake shape is a very recognisable structure and it seems to be visible from the majority of Wicklow other mountains.

Walk key information

• Start point- The walk starts here
• Length- 6 km out and back
• Duration- 2hours 15 minutes
• Buggy Friendly- Yes, an access road to the end.
• Summit- No real summit but there is an option for hiking at the end
• Is there access to the top lake?- No the lake is fenced off and cannot be viewed
• Elevation gain- 450m to 650m at the summit

Buggy friendly mountain walks

The walk starts at the top car park here. There is a small boardwalk over to a nice timber decking viewing point, which provides a nice view down the Wicklow valley.

We planned to walk the access road up to the top lake and walk to the top of the high point of 681 meters. We had never walked this route before but love exploring new hiking trails in Wicklow.

At the start of the walk, the roadway is blocked off by a traffic barrier but there is a small footpath to both sides of the barrier. Unfortunately, the footpath isn’t big enough for a buggy, but they do fit with a small bit of manoeuvring.

As we now have a 4.5 small adult, and 2.5-year-old toddler and a 7-week old baby, we need to be walking buggy-friendly walks, until the weather improves at least.  We are waiting until our 7-week old baby becomes more comfortable in her baby hiking carrier before leaving the buggies behind. We will also aim to walk Kippure and Mount Leinster in the coming weeks, weather permitting.

The road tarmac surface is really smooth and perfect buggy walking conditions for a sleeping 7-week old baby.

Starting the walk up the Wicklow mountains

The walk starts by walking up a gradual slope until we reach a sharp corner and viewing point over the lower lake. The children loved looking over the lower lake.

The walk got steeper from here but the kids were loving the views of the Wicklow mountains. The higher we got, so did the wind. Make sure that you have enough clothes or windbreakers to keep the kids warm.

We follow the road the whole way until we reach a crossroads. We continue straight here. The road then turns to the rear of the lake and we get amazing views of Lugnaquilla and the south of County Wicklow.

We abandoned the buggies at this point and walked to the right up towards the highest point. This takes us 10 minutes with the children but it provided us with a nice little walk at the end of the Buggy friendly walk.

Turlough Hill buggy-friendly walk Map

Turlough hill walk summary

A nice buggy-friendly walk that gives great views of Tonelagee, Lugnaquilla and the Great Sugarloaf. There is no real summit at the top but we did get amazing views and had some great family time together.

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Saint Kevins Way is a long-distance walk across the Wicklow Mountains from Hollywood to Glendalough. Below are some key facts about this Wicklow long-distance walk.

• 29km long from Hollywood start point
• Alternative start at Valleymount
• A large quantity of road walking sections
• 7-9 hours long to walk
• No interconnecting transport
• Good walking surface
• Good signposts
• No drinking water but lots of rivers and streams
• No shops only at the start and finish

Saint Kevins Way Hike start point

We start our long-distance walk in the village of Hollywood Ireland in County Wicklow. The hike starts on the main road beside the telephone box. At the start of this Wicklow long-distance walk, there is an information board detailing the distance and route maps.

We parked our car in the church car park 20-30 meters down the road. Parking is free and it is not in a heavily trafficked area so it should be free.

How well is this Wicklow long-distance walk Signposted?

Warning-The hike along Wicklow is signposted very well. We only got slightly lost once, this was due to a forest being cut down and the logging company stacked the trees in front of the sign. After walking for about 15 minutes without seeing a new sign, we knew to walk back until we saw another sign.

We consulted our maps and realised that we should be gaining elevation. We found the sign and rejoined the Pilgrims path hike.

Starting to hike Saint Kevins Way walk

The start of St Kevin’s way walks along the base of a valley through the middle of fields. I opened gates from field to field until I reached a road. I was lucky enough to have fantastic weather for my walk in the Wicklow mountains and this section was amazing.

Road Walking sections from Hollywood Saint Kevins Way

After walking through the fields I start to walk along a small road with very little traffic. I walk the road for 4.1kms until I reach a Y junction onto another road. The other road is the R756 regional road, it was very busy with little opportunity to avoid oncoming traffic. This road is very busy, and I would not recommend children to walk this section.

We continued walking on this road until we reached a 90-degree bend in the road and the St Kevins way signs directed us down a small country road. It’s good to get off the main road. We can start to focus on the walk and the amazing views again instead of constantly trying to listen out for oncoming traffic and trying to figure out where are we going to try and jump into the ditch to stay safe.

We enjoyed this section of road walking as it was filled with farmers working, lots of friendly horses that are very keen to investigate strangers walking on their roads. We stopped lots of times on this section to chat with the friendly people living on the road and to share an apple with some of the horses.

Eventually, the road leads to a cul de sac and a gravel path. We did start to become uneasy as we taught that the road was leading into a farmers yard and we might be trespassing, as we didn’t see a signpost for a few kilometres but thankfully we skirted around the farm.

Trail walking section on St Kevins way

The tarmac road eventually turned into an off-road gravel path leading through a wood area being cut down. This was the first section of off-road hiking that we been so we had a small picnic beside a stream listening to the birds singing and soaking in all the nature.

After our picnic, the St Kevins trail comes to a larger river that we have to use stepping stones to cross (we loved this). The trails cut down into a woodland here and become very tight and turn into a single file footpath. The trail follows a river along the base of the valley and this section is simply breathtaking.

After walking on this section of the trail for 5 minutes we walk onto a forest gravel road. We follow this uphill until we reach the main road from Glendalough to Hollywood.

From here we turn back towards Hollywood and walk on a small path parallel to the road. We then cross the road and walk into another wood. The trail cut up sharply in elevation until we are walking along the top of the wood/ fields. We see a red squirrel here, which is a rare sight in Irish woodlands now.

We descend back down the woodland until we cross the R756 again. We walk back into the forest on the other side of the road and we now start walking on some nice comfortable sleepers. We walk up along St Kevin’s pool and take a short break soaking in the lovely peaceful area.

Saint Kevin’s way on the Wicklow Mountains

The railway sleepers continue to guide us along the footpath until we reach the end of this section of forest. We start to walk along a forest road again but this time the forset is actively being cut down. We get slightly lost here so be aware of logs blocking the sign locations.

Turlough Hill Saint Kevins Way

The trail cuts back up the hill toward the main road again. We walk a small section of the road until we reach the Turlough hill car park. The path cuts down between the heathers along the edge of the bog. This is the only section of the hike we encountered boggy wet areas. The trail now starts to run parallel to the main R756. For a small section of the hike, we walk along gravel paths and the main road.

The Miners Way Glendalough

St Kevin’s way walks down into Glendalough using part of the Miners way. In our opinion, this is the most scenic section of the St Kevins way hike. The hike down into Glendalough follows the river that cuts down the valley along the old miner’s paths. The views here are outstanding.

As the hike down the valley follows the river, the river has lots of little waterfalls and nice pools to stop and soak your feet. On the trickier sections, they have installed nice steps and railway sleepers to help with your footing.

Walking into Glendalough on Saint Kevins Way

St Kevins Way walks into Glendalough along the Glendasan river/road. This is a small road used for access to a hostel at the end of the valley. The end of the St Kevins way walk is opposite the entrance to the round tower in Glendalough. There is a map and a board to show you the location.

Finishing Saint Kevin’s way in Glendalough

We walk into Glendalough beside the round tower. We decide to have a big family picnic in the green area opposite the visitor centre.

Transport on Saint Kevins Way

There is no transport along the hike. We left our car at the start and organised to be collected at the end and to be dropped back to our car at the end.

Shops along the trail?

There are no shops along the hike. As the hike is 29km long, it is possible to hike this in one day and carry all the food and water required for the hike.

Wicklow Way in Glendalough on Saint Kevins Way

St Kevins way end in Glendalough at the monastic site. This is a midway point of the Wicklow way long-distance walk that walks from Dublin to Carlow. If you want to continue walking you could walk to Marley Park in Dublin or Clonegal in County Carlow. You can even follow the Wicklow way to Glendalough (3 hours walk) and walk Lugnaquilla. Lugnaquilla is Wicklows highest point- See our blog post on Wicklows highest point here.

Maps of St Kevins Way Wicklow

Visit Wicklow has detailed OS maps of the trails which we found extremely helpful. We started in Holywood because it was closer to our home. If you are travelling from Dublin Ballinagee may be an easier starting point.

• Hollywood to Ballinagee-Map (our starting Point)
• Ballinagee to Valleymount (Alternative starting point)
• Ballinagee to Wicklow-Gap-Map
• Wicklow Gap to Glendalough

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The little Sugar loaf is situated between the village of Kilmacanougue and the seaside town of Bray in Co. Wicklow. The little Sugar loaf has a summit height of 342m and sits in the shadow of its big brother the great Sugar loaf (501m).

The Little Sugar loaf Key Key Facts

• Parking- On the side of the road 3-4 cars max
• Signposted- Halfway only
• Duration- 40 minutes – 1 hour
• Length- 2.5km
• Rating- 6 out of 10 (Great views)

Where to start the little sugar loaf hike

Exit the N11 for the village of Kilmacanogue. The start point to hike the little Sugar loaf starts on Bohilla lane, 1.1KM from the N11 roundabout.

Hiking the Little Sugar loaf Wicklow

The hike starts beside Bohilla Lane. There is a small notice board at the start of the trail. The initial start of the hike looks like a small footpath through grass/ferns.

The little Sugar loaf car park

There is only enough car parking at this hike for 3-4 cars on the side of the road. Be sure to come early as the lack of car parking space doesn’t give many options for optional parking when all the spaces are gone.

Follow the Little Sugar loaf signs

Starting off, the path follows a fence but the paths sweeps away from the fence toward the base of the little sugarloaf. The footpath turns very rocky when it gets closer to the base. Hiking boots with ankle support would be recommended here.

At the base of the hill, we are greeted at a crossing on the path, this is approx 500m from the start point. The agreed path verges right but the path will loop back to the point later.

We follow the agreed path to the right and climb a steep rocky section. The path is not very clear but it is a fun scramble up to the top of the first peak.

After a bit of scrambling over the rocky area, we reach the top of the first small peak. From here we can see Bray head and the seafront from Greystones to Dublin. We followed the trail to the middle peak which is actually the little sugarloaf peak. Halfway along the peaks, there is a path to the left that leads back down to the main path if you want to cut the hike short or want to walk on better ground conditions.

We continue walking until we reach the last peak and follow the path back down. The path is slippy here and caution is required. We walk down to the wall at the bottom and reach the main path again.

We follow the path back to the left in the direction of where we started. The path back down is a gently sloping gradient that leads back to the original junction near the base of the hill.

There is an option of a looped walk down to Bray head if time permits.

Map of the Little Sugar Loaf looped walk

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The little Sugar loaf rating

This is a really fun hike, that gives instant views of the Sea and mountains on Wicklow’s beautiful coastline. This is a great hike for young families with a minimum age of 5. A great starter hike for kids and it’s nice and quite.

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We attempted to hike it once about 6 months ago in the middle of the 32 Peak Challenge. We arrived at the mountain car park early one Saturday morning and the car park was full with a race, we decided for safety reasons it was probably better if we didn’t hike up it.

Hiking the Great Sugarloaf key information

• Starting point at the main car park here
• Alternative car park for a longer hike here. The Sugarloaf way
• From main car park allow 1 hour total- up and back
• Signposts are not great but the track is very visible
• Good hiking boots are essential, very rocky
• Amazing panoramic views at the summit- 8 out of 10
• Always busy on the weekends- come early or mid-week
• Hike the little sugarloaf after- Amazing views
• Difficulty- 5 out of 10. Tricky scramble at the end with kids

How to get to the Sugarloaf mountain

The Sugar loaf walk car park is on the opposite side of the mountain to the motorway, N11 road. Coming from Dublin take junction 8 and drive toward Roundwood until you see a large car park on the left-hand side. Drive down the road beside this until you see the Sugarloaf mountain car park.

The Sugarloaf Mountain

The Sugarloaf sits at an elevated height of 501m. The Sugarloaf has a distinctive look to it, similar to Errigal in shape. Thankfully it isn’t as hard as Errigal or as long of a hike. The hike up to the summit of the Sugarloaf consists of some gradual hill walking and a small bit of scrambling over rocks near the end, which is really fun. The views from the top of the Sugarloaf are pretty impressive, you can see the coastline from Bray to Greystones along with the Djouce mountain to your right-hand side.

Hiking the Sugar loaf with a Toddler

The Sugarloaf mountain is a pretty easy out and back hike to the summit. IThe sugar loaf hike would be a great hike for beginners, as there are not any major cliffs and it’s a nice short walk if you need to turn back because of a toddler tantrum. There is a bit of scrambling over rocks near the summit of this hike, so be sure to wear the correct hiking shoes and if you are wearing a baby carrier try to avoid weekends and large crowds.

Over the previous 2 months, Ourlittlehiker had refused to get into her hiking bag and we taught that our days of hiking up mountains were finished. This was slightly heartbreaking, as we only have 3 mountains left to finish off our 32 peak challenge. We started to focus on lower looped walks and she started to look for her hiking bag again. We used the Sugarloaf as a trial run to gauge Ourlittlehikers attitude toward her hiking bag again. When we stopped the car and took out the hiking bag she jumped straight into the carrier. We both looked at each other and smiled. We were back hiking mountains again.

Hiking the Sugarloaf Mountain hike

We now have a content Toddler in her Hiking bag so we decide to start our hike and get on the trail as quickly as possible.

The sugar loaf hike starts in the car park, we go through a metal gate onto a well-worn path that is slowly pointing toward the mountaintop. The path cuts between gorse bushes on either side. As we start getting further up the hill we see that some of the gorse bush was recently on fire. We pass some cows to our right, which Ourlittlehiker is now afraid of because they have big eyes and a nose (you have to love a toddler’s logic).

We can now see the bottom of the steep slope, which is also the end of the gently sloping footpath. We reach a Y junction with a waymark sign pointing left, we continue straight here and follow the footpath to the base of the mountain. At the base of the mountain, the path becomes far more rocker with large stones and culverts to navigate.

The path now cuts around to the left side of the mountain and the trail to the top becomes visible. At first, the route looks extremely daunting, as it is quite steep but the path is in very good condition so this helps a lot with the hike to the top. From this point, we reach the top within a couple of minutes.

The whole way up to the top of the Sugar loaf hike, Ourlittlehiker kept shouting “Big Rock” at least she understood what we were climbing. The scramble up the last 10 meters of this hike is very enjoyable and Ourlittlehiker kept shouting “more Daddy” so we presume that she liked this very small bit of rock climbing. This last section of this hike is the trickiest but the footing is good with very little Scree. If you take care on this section, it is perfectly safe and reasonably easy.

The Top of the Sugarloaf Mountain Wicklow

When we reached the top of the sugar loaf, we were very lucky that the weather was extremely good for the last week in October. There was very little wind and a perfect temperature on top to really soak in the amazing panoramic views of the Southeast coastline and the Wicklow and Dublin mountains.

We didn’t stay on the summit too long as we were afraid that Ourlittlhiker would want to get out of her bag to walk a section herself, we both knew this was impossible with the tricky descent below. We descended down to the bottom of the mountain pretty quickly.

How long does it take to climb the Sugar loaf Wicklow?

We hiked up the Sugarloaf and had a small break at the top and back to the car in around 1 hour. This was a very enjoyable family hike and hopefully, Ourlittlehiker will allow us to complete the remaining 3 peaks of the 32 peak challenge when the weather improves.

The Great Sugarloaf Wicklow Map

Below is a map of the route up the Great Sugar loaf in Wicklow. We clocked it at 1.4km up to the Summit from the Car park.

Additional Hikes Close to the Sugar Loaf

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