Glendalough Lake & Valley
Enjoy walks like no other around Glendalough’s Upper and Lower Lake.
Lough Tay, home to the Guinness Lake
The Guinness Lake, once home to the Guinness family.
Glendalough Cathedral
Get a sneak peek inside Glendalough’s Cathedral, established by Saint Kevin in the 6th century.
Avoca Village
Enjoy a bite to eat in Avoca, home to Fitzgerald’s Pub and the Avoca Woollen Mills.
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Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains Tour:

Our Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains Tour gives you the chance to join one of Dublin’s top-rated day tours to a natural beauty spot.

The tour begins with an introduction to Dublin city as we head south towards County Wicklow, more commonly known as the “Garden of Ireland”. Beautiful lakes, dense forests and beautiful views make this an incredibly scenic drive and a fine day away from the hustle and bustle of Dublin city. 

Our tour also brings you to scenery made famous from films such as Braveheart and P.S. I Love You. While also bringing you over and along the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough Lake & Valley. This tour includes stops at Glencree Valley & Cemetery, the P.S. I Love you Bridge, the Guinness Lake (Lough Tay), Sally’s Gap, Avoca Village, and of course the spectacular Glendalough Lake, home to St Kevin’s Monastery, Celtic Crosses and much more! 

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09:15 Depart Dublin City:

We begin with an introduction to Dublin City after which, we leave the city behind and head south towards the Wicklow Mountains. Along the way, we will head towards the Sugar Loaf Mountains, while also visiting Ireland’s highest village, Roundwood, as we make our way to what is often called the “church of the toothless one”, County Wicklow!

10:45 Arrive at Glencree Cemetery & Valley:  

Steeped in history, Glencree Cemetary, situated in Glencree Valley, is home to Ireland’s only German war cemetery.  Containing 134 graves, consisting of Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Kriegsmarine (Navy) World War II personnel, many washed up on Ireland’s beaches or crashed their aircraft’s overhead.

The World War II Memorial in Glencree Cemetery, Wicklow.

As well as a war cemetery and significant landmark, it too has other interesting features such as a large Celtic Cross and a poem by Irish German Society Professor, Stan O’Brien.  The adjacent Military Barracks is now a centre for peace and reconciliation inspired by the events in Northern Ireland.

11:50 Arrive at The P.S. I Love You Bridge:

The second stop on this tour stops at the stone bridge made famous by a romantic comedy called PS I Love You. For those of you who don’t know the movie, this is where Gerry, and a girl called Holly, stroll along a quiet road through the Wicklow Mountains, where they stumble across a stream flowing under a stone bridge steeped in history. Yes, you guessed it, that is why we now call it the P.S. I Love You Bridge!

The P.S. I Love You Bridge, Sallys Gap, Wicklow.

You also can re-enact the scene from this popular movie with a kiss or photo by this world-famous bridge!

12:15 Arrive at Lough Tay, home to the Guinness Lake:

This is the third stop on our tour and allows you to embrace Wicklow’s wilderness at its best. Here you will enjoy a wild and wonderful shortstop at Lough Tay, a famous landmark from the epic Braveheart movie.

It is also known as the Guinness Lake because of its dark waters and white beach, which is strikingly similar to a pint of Guinness!

Lough Tay has served as Ragnar Lothbrok’s village in Vikings’, a wildly successful television program in recent years.

The Guinness Lake, once home to the Guinness family.

13:00 Arrive at Glendalough Lake & Valley:

Stop four on this tour is to Glendalough Lake and Valley, where you will enjoy a 90-minute tour of the area, renowned for its magnificent scenery and rich heritage in terms of history and archaeology! Glendalough is also home to Mel Gibson’s Braveheart and is indeed one of the more beautiful sites you will ever see.

Get a sneak peek inside Glendalough’s Cathedral, established by Saint Kevin in the 6th century.

Here you will get the chance to explore Glendalough’s Lake & Valley, which was once home to a Monastic City of Celtic Crosses, Round Towers, Vikings, English Invasions, historical battles, and so much more. Known as the valley of two lakes, here you can enjoy a stroll along the bank, through the woods and to the lakes of Glendalough. Be sure to have your camera at the ready!

 Enjoy walks like no other around Glendalough’s Upper and Lower Lake.

Also, our guide will be on hand to show you some of Glendalough’s hidden features and gems not often seen by the regular public!

15:30 Arrive at Avoca Village – Ireland’s Hidden Gem:

Stop five, and the final stop on your tour of Wicklow, is Avoca Village, a small town made famous by Thomas Moore and the song “The Meeting of the Waters” and, of course, is well- known for its spot as the fictional home of BBC’s hit tv-show “Ballykissangel”.

Here you can enjoy some food and drinks in a local pub/bar called Fitzgerald’s. All travellers can also enjoy an exclusive discount on a traditionally Irish hearty meal deal and a complimentary shot of Irish whiskey.

Here you can enjoy some traditional Irish food and drinks in a local Irish Pub/Bar called Fitzgerald’s.

17:30 Arrive back in Dublin

Once your day tour to Wicklow and Glendalough comes to an end, you will be returned to where it all began, 16 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.

Easily the best day tour from Dublin, our Wicklow Mountains Tour departs from the city centre regularly and packs the best of Wicklow into one wonderful and memorable day.

  • Visit Glencree, Ireland’s only German military cemetery, which holds the remains of a spy who was moved there under cover of darkness. 
  • A chance to visit Wicklow’s National Park and Glendalough Lake & Valley, renowned for an Early Medieval Monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin.
  • Great picture opportunities overlooking the scenic Lough Tay/ the Guinness Lake, once home to Arthur Guinness and his family!
  • See the P.S. I Love You Bridge, made famous by Gerry & Holly and their 2007 award-winning film. 
  • Explore the picturesque Avoca Village and enjoy a bite to eat in Fitzgerald’s Pub!

Inclusions

  • All entry fees included.
  • Avail of a special meal deal discount at Fitzgerald’s, a traditional Irish Bar! With a complimentary drink for all!
  • Enjoy a 90 minute stop at Glendalough, with a short walking tour included!
  • Enjoy a fully guided day tour from Dublin with an experienced local driver and guide.
  • Free Wi-Fi.
  • Air conditioning. 
  • Buses have USB ports for charging. 
  • They are changing facilities available at Glendalough and Avoca Village. 

Exclusions

  • Food.

Please Note

  • The bus departs at 09:15.
  • E-ticket accepted. No need to print the voucher!
  • Please arrive 15 minutes before departure at 16 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.
  • Cancellation policies apply. Please read more on our Terms & Conditions below.
  • We try to keep to the route where possible, but weather conditions and circumstances can change and/or alter the route from time to time.
  • Please be sure to bring appropriate clothing, including walking shoes and rain gear.
  • Subject to delays beyond our control, we strive to keep itinerary times.
  • On the morning of your tour, be sure to look out for Dualway’s signature red bus!
  • There are no toilet facilities on our vehicles.

How far is Wicklow from Dublin?

County Wicklow is just under 60 kilometres (37 miles) from Dublin’s Upper O’Connell Street. Our tour to the Wicklow Mountains gives you the best chance to see what the ‘Garden of Ireland’ has to offer, with this eight-an-half-hour tour including excellent stops at places such as Wicklow’s National Park, Lough Tay and Glendalough, to name but a few.  

Is Wicklow Worth Visiting? 

Yes! And on this fully guided day tour from Dublin, there is no need to ask what is there to see or do in Wicklow, as you are guaranteed to see all the best spots Wicklow has to offer! Once on-board with our award-winning team, you will have an experience like no other and see why our tour from Dublin to Wicklow is the best selling tour we have to offer!

How do I get to the Wicklow Mountains from Dublin? 

Leaving Dublin behind, you will make your way to the Wicklow Mountains via Ballsbridge, and then you will take to the N15 towards Gleencree, Lough Tay, Sallys Gap and the P.S. I Love You Bridge.

From there, you will take a scenic drive to Glendalough via R115 before passing through a small rural town called Clara Vale via the R755 towards Avoca. Once your trip to the Wicklow Mountains has come to an end, you will take the N11 home to Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.

How long does it take to get from Dublin to Wicklow?

Our tour to Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains from Dublin will be an eight-an-half hour return trip.

Our Wicklow Mountains Tour gives you the chance to hop aboard one of Dublin’s most highly-rated day tours. On this tour, you will see some wonderfully natural beauty spots such as Wicklow’s National Park, Lough Tay – aka the Guinness Lake, Sallys Gap, Avoca Village and Glendalough’s upper and lower lakes.

Our tour begins with an introduction to Dublin City, as we head south to visit county Wicklow, which is more commonly known as the “Garden of Ireland”. Here awaits a number of beautiful lakes, dense forests and wonderful views making this a wonderful scenic drive and a fine day away from the hustle and bustle of Dublin city.

This tour also brings you to scenery made famous from films such as Braveheart and P.S. I Love You. It also brings you over and along the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough Lake & Valley, including stops at Glencree Valley & Cemetery, Sallys Gap (Wicklow Gap) & Military Road, the PS I Love you Bridge, the Guinness Lake & Lough Tay (home to the hit TV-Series, Vikings) and of course, the spectacular Glendalough Upper Lake & Valley.

Wicklow’s National Park

Our tour to the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough provides you with the perfect opportunity to see what the Wicklow Mountains and its National Park has to offer. County Wicklow lies just south of County Dublin. And the National Park covers 816 kilometres (316 miles), making the Wicklow Mountains National Park the largest of Ireland’s six National Parks.

Sally’s Gap, Military Road, Wicklow.

The National Park extends over much of the Wicklow Mountains, and it is a landscape made up of wide-open vistas which are only interrupted by forestry and narrow winding mountain roads. Our tour also gives you the chance to see fast-flowing streams which descend into the deep lakes of wooded valleys as they continue their course into the surrounding areas.

The purpose of Wicklow Mountains National Park is the conservation of biodiversity and Wicklow’s wonderful landscape. The National Park has over one million visitors each year and is also a valuable space for locals and tourists alike. Glendalough Upper and Lower Lakes and Valley remain the most visited area within the park.

Glencree

Found at the top of Wicklow’s  Glencree Valley, on the edge of the Wicklow National Park, this former 19th Century British Army Barracks is the first quick stop on your tour from Dublin. Located just 19 kilometres (12 miles) outside of Dublin, stopping here first offers you a chance to visit some of Ireland’s famed countryside, historic buildings, local arts and crafts. You too can stop for a quick refreshment and taste some of Ireland’s best Irish cooking by popping into the Armoury Cafe. 

Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.

 
People who come to Glencree always remark on how surprised they were by the beauty of its nature. While also allowing you time to reflect and observe the simple beauty of the area around you. The sounds of birds singing and stream gurgling form a backdrop that you will bring home with you forever and always. 

We top this visit off by providing you with the chance to see the Lourdes Grotto and the German War Cemetery. It is here 135 German military servicemen and civilians are buried. Six were prisoners of war who died while imprisoned in Ireland during the First World War. Others were victims of air and naval disasters of the Second World War.

Sallys Gap

Taking this tour to the Wicklow Mountains provides the chance to travel along the road to Sallys Gap. This is a real treat as there are spectacular views of the surrounding boglands and the Wicklow Mountains. Sallys Gap is very popular for natives and visitors alike and is one of two roads across the Wicklow Mountains. 

From Sallys Gap, you can go almost anywhere in Wicklow as it is a cross-road that leads you North to Dublin, West to Blessington, South to Glendalough or East to Roundwood (one of the highest villages in Ireland).

Military Road, Sallys Gay, Wicklow Mountains.

Initially, Sallys Gap road was established after the Irish rebellion of 1798 and was built by the British Army wishing to hunt down the Irish rebels from the Wicklow Mountains. Still to this day, Sallys Gap is known as “Military Road”.

Views along this road include the Glencree valley, the dark waters of Lough Tay (Guinness Lake), Kippure Mountain and Glenmacnass Waterfall.

The P.S. I Love You Bridge 

The P.S. I Love You Bridge is an unusual tourist spot located in the Wicklow Mountains and is roughly no more than three kilometres (2 miles) from Sallys Gap. It is a small bridge which was made famous for its appearance in the 2007 award-winning film “P.S. I Love You”.

The bridge provides some great photo opportunities, and there is a wonderful little waterfall that flows next to the bridge. The best time to see this area of County Wicklow in full bloom would be the summertime, of course. But rest assured,  no matter when you travel on this day tour from Dublin, you are sure to see wonderful sights of the Wicklow Mountains and the Sugar Loaf, which can be seen not too far away. This mountain has been a landmark for all those travelling along the east coast including pilgrims and scholars on the way to and from the Monastic City of Glendalough.

The waterfall that passes under the P.S. I Love You Bridge is the start of a small stem that falls into the Cloghoge River, which then falls into Lough Tay (the Guinness Lake) and then into Lough Dan.

Lough Tay/The Guinness Lake 

Lough Tay, along with Glendalough Lake and Valley, said to be one of the most photographed locations in County Wicklow. And there are many reasons for this, as the lake is surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Wicklow Mountains, making it one of Ireland’s most unforgettable locations. 

Lough Tay, aka The Guinness Lake.

Lough Tay, or as it is known locally “The Guinness Lake”, is fed by the Cloghoge River and then drains into Lough Dan, located to the south. The beach which you see on the northern side is made up of bright white picturesque sand.  This sand is where it gets its name, “The Guinness Lake”, as it was imported by the Guinness family whose estate runs through part of the Lough Tay area. Also, the lake’s shape with the white sand on top makes it look like a pint of Guinness!

In more recent times, Lough Tay will be familiar to fans of the “Vikings” tv-series, as they should recognize it as Kattegat, home to the series’ hero Ragnar and his sons Bjorn Ironside, Hvitserk, Ivar the Boneless, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye.

Glendalough Lake and Valley

Glendalough is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Wicklow. This is not a surprise when you see the stunning landscape, historic ruins and beautiful lakes on offer at this location. Glendalough is made up of an Upper and Lower Lake, which is reflected in its Gaelic name ‘’Gleann Da Loch’’, meaning ‘’The Glen of the Two Lakes”.

Situated in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains National Park, Glendalough is also home to an ancient monastery founded in the 6th century by Saint Kevin, known as the founder and first abbot in the area.

Glendalough Lower Lake & Valley.

Saint Kevin’s Monastic remains include a superb round tower, stone churches and decorated crosses, which provide the perfect scenery on your Glendalough walk. The round tower is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the area, and the site also includes a Celtic high cross, St. Mary’s Church and St. Kevin’s Church. The remains of three stone crosses and a stone fort can also be found between the upper and lower lakes.

Glendalough is also home to a visitor centre that brings visitors back in time to the start of Irish History (made up of Scholars and Saints). Here you will have the chance to follow the footsteps of Saint Kevin with the help of an audio-visual show which is available in many different languages. The visitor centre is open daily throughout the year and is a must before entering the Monastic site. Please note that entry to the visitor centre is not included in this tour. 

Glendalough is also home to a Round Tower and Cathedral.

Finally, Glendalough is home to some of the most scenic walks a person may take. Should you wish to explore the area in more detail, we recommend that you visit the Glendalough Visitor Centre and pick up a Glendalough walks map.

The maps only cost 50c and are extremely helpful in ensuring walkers stay on the right trail as Glendalough is made up of many trails such as;

Trail 1: The Miners Road Walk (The Purple Route)

Trail 2: The Green Road Walk (The Green Route)

Trail 3: Poulanass (The Pink Route)

Trail 4: Poulanass and Saint Kevin’s Cell

Trail 5: The Derrybawn Woodland Trail (The Orange route) 

Trail 6: The Woodland Road (The Grey Route)

Trail 7: Spinc and Glenealo Valley (The White Route)

Trail 8: Spinc and the Wicklow Way (The Red Route)

Trail 9: Spinc (Short Version) (The Blue Route)

We recommend the Glendalough Poulanass Walk (Pink Route) as it is home to the Poulanass Waterfall and is well worth the effort. The name Poulanass is taken from the Gaelic phrase ‘Poll an Eas’, which means ‘’hole of the waterfall’’. Such a visit to this waterfall provides the perfect photo opportunity as you will reach the highest point in the area and start to descend through the famous Oak Woods.

Avoca

Avoca (or in Gaelic; Abhóca) is a small Irish town in County Wicklow and gets its name from the river Avoca.

The Avoca area has been long associated with famous copper mines and has been immortalised by Thomas Moore in the famous song “The Meeting of the Waters”. The song is said to have been written under a tree, the stump of which remains in the area.

Enjoy a bite to eat in Avoca, home to Fitzgerald’s Pub and the Avoca Woollen Mills.

Avoca is also famous for its handweaving and is still home to a woollen mill, which is only a short walk from the tours resting point. 

Finally, Avoca village will be familiar to fans of the BBC TV series Ballykissangel. It was filmed in 1966, and Avoca Village was one of the locations used in the film “Jules Verne’s Rocket to the Moon”. Avoca is also home to a traditional Irish Pub where you can enjoy a hearty meal, and a pint of Guinness should you wish too.  

Here at Dualway we understand the importance of passenger safety at this time.  That is why we are working with Fáilte Ireland who has issued sector-specific guidelines for tourism and hospitality businesses on how best to meet the Government’s public health advice.
Through this partnership we have signed up to The Fáilte Ireland COVID-19 Safety Charter, so you have peace of mind that our team will follow the recommended guidelines for our sector!
Should you have any questions on our COVID-19 Policies feel free to pop us an email at info@dualway.com  or call ​+353 1 5311 411.
 
Please note that face masks must be worn while travelling on the bus.

Full refund up to 24 hours cancellation notice in advance of the date of the tour. That is prior to 12.01 am on the day before the tour departure date.

Cancellation notice must be given by email to info@dualway.com, if no cancellation notice is given, the refund policy is then at the discretion of the reservations department.

We require a minimum number of 10 passengers to operate our tour. We give until 3:00 pm the day prior to the tour to reach this number and will then contact customers with details of cancellation.

09:00: Check-in at the Dublin Visitor Centre, 16 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.

17:30: Drop off at the Dublin Visitor Centre, 16 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.

Pick Up Location

Reviews

MyNameIsMatt
MyNameIsMatt
Excellent bus tour of Wicklow Mountains!
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Richie was an awesome driver and narrator for this amazing day trip through the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough. He had a great mix of humor, information, and silence when he know we were all exhausted on the way home. The trip included a charter bus from Dublin and returned to the same meeting point. We stopped for a great lunch in a tiny little, one street village, and I can't say enough about Richie and this tour. I would highly recommend it.
Charles
Charles
Wicklow Mountains Day Tour
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Had a fantastic day out on the mountains with Eoin. Make sure to ask for Eoin when booking with this company. He offers a sterling service of non stop amusing and most informative commentary! No little details gets past his watchful eye!
Curious709483
Curious709483
Wicklow Mountains Day Tour
Read More
Had a fantastic day out on the mountains with Eoin. Make sure to ask for Eoin when booking with this company. He offers a sterling service of non stop amusing and most informative commentary! No little details gets past his watchful eye!
debbie_pol
debbie_pol
Wicklow Mountains Day Tour
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We had a really good day tour on Wicklow Mountains. Our guide, Richie, offered us a very informative commentary and lot of stories about every place we passed by. We only wished we had one more hour on the mountains. The landscape was stunning! Totally worthed.
Susan L
Susan L
What else can you do when Ireland is closed?
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Took the day trip to Wicklow Mountains, with guide/driver Richie because all attractions in Dublin we’re closed due COVID-19. A relaxed trip with plenty of stops that gave time to view the sights and refresh the spirits. Great commentary from Richie - just enough information and anecdotes to keep you engaged. Shame about the weather but still very enjoyable. Thanks to Gray Line for keeping something going!
Vikki H
Vikki H
Richie!!!
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Richie was our guide, he was amazing. He has endless amounts of knowledge and is friendly and very professional. Would definitely recommend him to anyone 🙂
winthrops5
winthrops5
Wonderful
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Beautiful countryside and informative excursion into the Wicklow region. Excellent driver (Eoin) and comfortable coach.
JCC
JCC
Wicklow Tour
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Wonderful excursion with Eoin! The best "blablacar" ever! Never stop joking except when he talks about the Irish people (they're not so ugly). Thanks for the sun in Glendalough! We can't wait for Eoin's one man show! Huge thank you from France & Switzerland! If you're planning to book a tour, make sure Eoin will be your guide. The trip will totally worths it within the first minutes!
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