Day Trip to the Wicklow Mountains from Dublin

The Wicklow Mountains boast scenic natural landscapes and are visible from Dublin city centre in the distance. Chosen as the shooting location for several movies, like "P.S. I Love You" and "Braveheart", this region offers stunning sceneries, like the Wicklow Gap or Glendalough with its Lower and Upper Lakes, and many walking trails if your group wants to explore this place.

Why visit this area with your group on your trip to Ireland?

• It's very close to Dublin, approximately 1.5 hrs drive (per way) from the city centre.
• Perfect for school groups who want to get out of the city and spend a day immersed in nature.

How to get there and visit this area:

The most cost-effective way to explore this area is to hire a coach for the day (8 hours) and include one or more of the activities suggested below.

How the day would look like in terms of timings:

This itinerary is just a suggestion. It's based on your group going to Glendalough, but it can vary depending on where your group wants to go, the activities chosen, etc. If you want to start earlier, please let us know.

Suggested itinerary:

09:00 hrs – Pick up from your accommodation in Dublin by your coach driver and depart for Glendalough.

10:30 hrs – Arrive in Glendalough. Drop-off at the Visitor Centre Car Park.

Time available (5 hrs approx.) to explore the area, have lunch, walk one of the many trails, etc.

15:30 hrs – Meet with coach driver at the Visitor Centre Car Park and depart for Dublin.

17:00 hrs – Arrive back in Dublin and drop off at your accommodation.

Things to do with your group – CGH Top recommendations:

If you are on a budget, here are a few suggestions of things you can do for free:

• Monastic Site in Glendalough - Founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century, walk through the ruins of the monastery, which include a round tower, stone churches and decorated crosses. For a supplement, you can also visit the Visitor Centre located next to the old monastic settlement, where you can see an exhibition and an audiovisual show about this site.
• Walking Trails in Glendalough - Glendalough is also called the "Valley of the Two Lakes", so after visiting the monastic site, take a stroll and enjoy the views of the Lower Lake first and the Upper Lake later. We highly recommend exploring the area by taking one of the many walking trails available.

If you have a higher budget, you could include one or more of the below activities based on your group's interests:

• Sheepdog Demonstration at a farm in the Wicklow Mountains - Meet local farmer Michael at his working sheep farm and learn about the challenges of today’s farming and how dogs are trained for this particular job. We highly recommend this experience; you'll also witness a live sheepdog demonstration!
• Beyond the Trees Avondale in co. Wicklow - The Tree Top Walk, nestled in Avondale Forest Park, is great for students interested in nature and sustainability. Its spectacular views over the Wicklow Mountains make it the perfect spot to spend a day outdoors. We recommend allowing 1.5 hours for the Tree Top Walk and Viewing Tower and an additional 1.5 hours to explore Avondale Forest Park fully.

What about lunch?

We've got you covered! Whether you are looking for a handy packed lunch option to bring during the day and collect from the hostel in the morning or a sit-down lunch in the area, we have something for you. Contact us for more details.

Here are the steps to follow when booking a day trip to the Wicklow Mountains:

We would need the following information:

• Number of people in your group.
• When you would like to hire a coach for your trip.
• If you are planning to add some visits and a preferred itinerary if you have one.

How to book with CGH:

We can tailor the day to meet your requests. These are suggestions; if you have a specific itinerary that your group would like, please contact us or complete our online booking form.

If your group has a larger budget and wants to book a pre-arranged day trip with an English-speaking guide on the coach and some visits included, we can book one of the Wicklow Day Trip Packages for you.

Since your group is into nature and geography, consider booking a day trip to another stunning natural location, the Giant's Causeway along the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland.