The route we intended to walk up to the top of Knockmealdown is a basic straight up and down and should be done within 3 hours with good weather conditions permitting. There is also a loop walk that starts at the higher carpark and walks up to sugar loaf hill and then over to Knockmealdown.

Getting to Knockmealdown

Waterford’s highest point is situated on the Vee road. We chose to walk Knockmealdown from the lower carpark but there is also a higher carpark beside the Shepard huts that seems to always have a good crowd of cars in it.

Hiking Knockmealdown Mountain

The hike to the top of Knockmealdown starts at the carpark on the side of the road. As we decided to ascent Knockmealdown first, we parked our car at the lower carpark, right underneath the mountain. The road is busy for a small country road but if you pay attention there should be no problem. After leaving the carpark we walk over a small bridge with a river running underneath.

Just at the Y of the two roads, a muddy track is worn into the bank beside the road sign. Climb up the bank toward the Knockmealdown mountain and start walking up toward the peak. When we walked into this area we struggled to pick out any real walking trails but our guidebook said to aim for Knockmealdown peak.

The ground at the start of the hike is boggy and full with small streams cutting through wild heather, so it is not the easiest to navigate through. Five minutes into the hike we had to navigate our way through waist height green bushes, but Ourlittlehiker loved all the hustle and bustle of the leaves hitting her rucksack.

After we hiked through the bushes the ground started to rise up toward the mountain pretty quickly. The heather was pretty thick in this section and we felt we had to raise our feet pretty high to clear the wild heather in sections. Sometimes we found it easier to find a small stream and follow it up the mountain instead of walking through the heather (thank god for waterproof boots).

After about 30 minutes of hiking, we turned around and realised we were halfway up the mountain without much effort or strain. The angle of the mountain did start to increase a bit more from here though, but thankfully the heather seemed to be very patchy from here on up the mountain and we could pick clear routes easier.

After hiking for about 1 hour we reached what we assumed was the top but unfortunately, it was a false peak. We (Semi) knew it was too soon for the top but we let our imagination run riot but when we looked to our left we could see that we were not as high as the other mountains so we couldn’t be a the top so soon.

The rest of the hike to the top of Knockmealdow was very easy, as the heather virtually disappeared near the top of the mountain. When we reached the summit of the mountain we were greeted with an amazing view of Waterford and Tipperary, we could even see the Galtee mountains that we climbed the previous weekend.

This is our first county high point that the weather allowed us to take Ourlittlehiker out of the bag to stretch her legs. The top of Knockmeadown is reasonably flat but the opposite edge of the mountain has a cliff, we obviously kept very far away from this. The views from the top were outstanding and we had a small picnic and enjoyed the views.

Knockmealdown to Sugar loaf Hill

We didn’t intend to walk the loop around sugarloaf hill but when we reached the top and we knew if we descended the way we came we would be back in the car within an hour and we still felt very fresh, so we were eager to get a longer walk in. The walking route over to Sugarloaf hill seems to follow an old wall and the route looked amazing, we had to walk it. As we don’t know when we would be back here again.

The little wall in the above picture leads the whole way to Sugarloaf Hill. The walk from Knockmealdown to Sugarloaf Hill took us 45 minutes and it was a very gentle descent to the base of Sugarloaf Hill, which sits at a height of 662.7m high.  We passed lots of sheep that were not fazed by us walking but Ourlittlehiker did her best to let everyone know there were sheep nearby (everytime she sees a sheep she shouts as loud as she can ‘SHEEEEEEPP‘), we love it and have a great little laugh every time she does it.

Coming down from Knockmealdowns high point, we could see Sugarloaf hill and it looked like we had another steep climb ahead of us again but when we reached the base of Sugarloaf hill, the climb to the top was not too bad and we did it in 10 minutes. The climb to the top is very rocky in places but we took a few detours around these sections and there even seemed to be paths worn into the hill to avoid them.

When we reached the top it was very crowded and Ourlittlehiker was fast asleep at this stage so we decided to continue walking back down toward the carpark without stopping at the top. The route back down to the carpark is a 90-degree turn to the left side from the direction we just came from. The route down from the sugar loaf hill is very easy to find but very steep in places, the walking sticks are essential here.

Halfway down the descent, we got a glimpse of a lovely lake. Even though we were descending the views still remained beautiful, we stopped many times to just appreciate the amazing landscape.

We descended the whole mountain and Ourlittlehiker was asleep from the base of sugar loaf hill to the top of it and back down the other side until we reached the road/carpark. Mountain rescue were training in the carpark and they had rescue dogs with them and one barked, she instantly heard a dog and shouted to tell it to ‘get out’ :) .

Walking the Road from Sugarloaf hill

We originally only wanted to walk up and straight back to the car and to not do the loop walk because there was a large road section. As we walked the loop around the mountain we now had to walk the road section but the thankfully all the road from the top carpark was downhill.

We originally didn’t want to do the loop walk because we wanted to avoid walking the road section. The road back to the car took us 25 minutes to walk and all the cars slowed down and provided enough room that we always felt safe. We even saw more sheep, which kept Ourlittlehiker very happy. The road section gave us the opportunity to stretch the legs after a hard descent on the knees.

When we reached the car we had a lovely picnic at the side of our car.

The verdict on Knockmealdown.

Hiking Knockmealdown mountain for the County High point, the straight up and back route is very easy but we recommend if the weather is permitting, you should to try to do the loop walk as it is well worth the effort.

Knockmealdown is one of the easier walks but it is quite high so please give it the respect that it needs and if the weather starts turning bad consider turning around as there are large cliffs to the side of this mountain.

The only negative of the loop walk is the road section, although saying that there are only a few bends and there was lovely Huts to see and the statue of the Holy Virgin Mary.  Overall be mindful of traffic and stand in when you see and hear the cars etc.

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Having a baby doesn’t have to stop you hiking and enjoying the outdoors, in fact, they will add to your adventure and make it an enjoyable and memorable family experience. Here are some tips that we have learned while hiking with our daughter, aka “ourlittlehiker” to help you get started hiking with your baby or toddler.

Invest in a good baby carrier backpack

Once your baby can hold their head up you can go from carrying them in a sling to sitting them in a backpack carrier. Deuter kids comfort III is the carrier I bought for my husband as a Christmas present from our baby. I felt a little pressure picking out the “perfect” bag. My husband Paul is great for researching stuff like this but as it was a surprise I had to do my own research. Deuter kids comfort III got great reviews and I have no regrets, it was the best buy ever. I use it more than our pram. Ourlittlehiker absolutely loves been in the bag, she gets so excited when she sees the hiking rucksack.

Here is an REI link to the backpack. We bought ours in Ireland’s 53  Degrees North Adventure store in Dublin here.

Wearing the carrier around the house: 

This is a great way to help both you and baby get used to the carrier backpack. Sometimes when I do the housework like hovering, sweeping the floors, preparing the dinner and hanging out the washing etc I put her in the rucksack and she does be so happy. It is great because I know she’s safe, and she is getting to see what I am doing and she gives me the odd little kick if I slow down. She’s like my little cheerleader and we are always having a sing-song. These are the memories I will treasure forever.

Hiking with the baby carrier: 

Wearing the Deuter kids comfort III allows you to hike and adventure in places where a pram won’t allow you to go. You can climb mountains, steps,  and go through narrow trails and muddy paths basically, you can go where your two feet will take you.

Yes, they can nap in the carrier: 

This was one of my concerns when buying the bag and going on long hikes. Well do not worry ourlittlehiker has had the best naps and has slept through some pretty great views too, it’s ok we took pictures so she can look back on the views and memories when she’s older. There is a padded cushion built into the bag that they can lie their little head on but a tip I recommend to do is roll up a little blanket and have it placed around the back of their head so they can lie their head back or either side for more comfort. This works best when the rain cover is on as it holds it in place better.

What clothes to bring for the Baby?

When out hiking the weather can change at any moment especially when hiking in Ireland. You could have rain, sun, and wind all rolled into one hike. So we always bring extra clothes and towels.

We find baby and toddler jackets with built-in mittens/gloves are great because it keeps their little hands warm and you are not worried about them losing the gloves or throwing them away. (We learned the hard way)

We are after buying an all in one Columbia suit which is waterproof and fleecy on the inside, it also has a hood and flaps to cover over hands and feet if needed.  We bought it on sale in 53Degrees North, It cost us €34, We put it over her base layers so she is extra cosy.

DIY TIP-

If you didn’t want to spend money on something like that you could always bring a spare warm hiking jacket of your own and put your child’s legs in the sleeves of the jacket and zip it up. Put an extra cosy pair of your socks over theirs and use their own warm jacket and it can be a DIY all in one hiking suit for them, along with blankets and rain/wind cover on your hiking bag, they will be happy campers and hikers.

What’s in our Deuter kids comfort III baby carrier:

• Nappies, wipes & creams- Always bring extra nappies and it is no harm to bring some reusable cloth nappies just to have. We use the disposable as we only go on day hikes at the moment with ourlittlehiker but we plan to go on longer hikes and camp during the summer so we are looking into biodegradable nappies and the cloth nappies and wash as we go. We use the water wipes and we also pack nappy cream and powders just to have.
• Her favourite toy- She got a pink flamingo while down in foto wildlife zoo, she picked it out herself and it has come on all our hiking adventures since. We lost it a few times but luckily after backtracking our steps we found it. So since then, we tie the flamingo’s leg to the bag so she can hold it and then if she falls asleep and drops it then it will still be hanging in there.
• Her beaker of water- There is a section where she can store her water bottle and as she has grown she can reach it and take a drink whenever she gets thirsty.
• Extra blankets and a spare change of clothes-  There is a deep pocket in the back of the bag where its handy to store her extra clothing so if there is a windchill you can pull out an extra blanket and make her cosy.
• Rain cover/windbreaker. We also store this in the front pocket and it is fantastic as it keeps out the cold wind and rain. It is a must.
• Snacks- There is another small pocket which is handy for small fruit and baby biscuits. It saves you stopping and searching your food bag, you can just snack on the go.
• Mirror- There is a little mirror that comes with the rucksack and is kept in the front pocket where the bag attaches around your waist. The mirror is so handy, if your hiking on your own with your baby.

Checking Ourlittlehiker sleeping in her baby backpack

• Thermometer- I keep this handy in the bag so I can check if she is too hot or cold. Of course, you use common sense and your own instincts but it’s nice to have an option to check the temperature.
• Sun hat & woolly warm hat- As the weather changes so often I keep a few different types of hats to suit all weathers.

Below are pictures of Ourlittlehiker reaching for a bottle of water.

Heres whats in our own Deuter backpack:

As there are generally two adults hiking, we take turns carrying a smaller backpack for additional supplies.

• Compass and Maps
• Sleeping Bag
• Poncho
• Extra clothes
• Food and Water
  • Our First aid kit has:
    • needle and thread (helps with blisters)
    • blister plasters
    • hand sanitiser
    • plasters
    • Scissors
    • CPR small mask
    • tinfoil blankets
    • bandages
    • vaseline (helps prevent blisters and helps stop a bleed)
    • wound dressings
    • would closure strips
    • painkillers for adults
    • pain relief for babies and children
    • kinesiology tape
    • aloe heat rub
    • Suncream (child-friendly)
    • insect repellent (child-friendly)
    • survival bracelet that can turn into cord rope
    • whistle
    • splinter tweezers
    • antiseptic wipes
    • waterproof matches
    • firefighter
    • chapstick

Bring plenty of water and snacks (Top tip for hiking with a baby)

I am currently breastfeeding so that makes hiking so much more relaxed for me as I am not worried about time, bottles or sterilizing bottles. So if we happen to be out hiking longer than planned I will always have milk for her. I have seen in some chemists and supermarkets that you can buy ready-made prepared bottles designed for on the go so if you are bottle-feeding, you could look into buying a few of them for backup. I think they’re more expensive than the formula powder but the peace of mind would be worth it.

Snacks and food ideas for babies and toddlers: 

Once she became six months we did a mixture of BLW (baby-led weaning) and spoon-feeding and after a few weeks she was feeding herself and didn’t want to be spoon feed, she loves picking up the food and feeding herself. We found the handiest foods to bring hiking were fruits like bananas, oranges, strawberries, and raspberries which we kept washed and chopped up in a plastic airtight container. avocado, cheese, yoghurt and chopped tomatoes are handy to have in a small lightweight cool bag. We find the organic baby biscuits are very handy and also tasty for us grown-ups too. Tins of tuna and a few forks and rice cakes are also a handy snack for everyone.

Ourlittlehiker eating a Bananna on Croagh Patrick Mountain

Food for the grownups: For us, we like trail mix, protein bars, a few sandwiches and if you have followed our journey you will see I love ice-cream and chocolate, oh and crisps.  What can I say the mountain air makes me hungry, although I try to eat healthier now that I have little eyes watching me from my backpack.

Water, water, and more water: And of course, the most important thing on a hike is water. We fill our girl’s little beaker up, our own bottles and also our Hydration packs as well. The packs are handy as they have the plastic straw so you can keep walking and taking sips as you go along. If you are going on a longer hike you can bring the tablets to purify water so if you do run out you will have safe water if drinking from a river or stream.

Start hiking with babies on small adventures.

• Start with walking around your garden, local parks or someplace close to home. This will help you and your baby get used to the carrier/backpack.
• We used a front carrier when Ourlittlehiker was small.  We bought it in Aldi and also I bought a sling at the pregnancy and baby fair. Then once she was able to support her head up we used our Deuter kids comfort III (They recommend around the 6-10 months) every baby is different.

Our final of the tips for hiking with a baby

Get outside as much as you can together and have fun. It’s easy to find an excuse and no time is perfect but when you are outside hiking, you will be wondering why you don’t do it every day. Happy Hiking.

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