Kick Start 2023 with your best foot forward

Join Roz and Linda for a relaxed hike on January 1st. Nothing better than starting the year with a nice hike with friendly people. This hike will be approx 12 – 15km in length. There will be uphill but nothing too strenuous. We will be exploring some of the beautiful tracks and trails that surround Glendalough.

Followed by Soup & Sandwiches with T/C at Lynhams Hotel in Laragh

Date: Sunday 1st of January 2023

Location : Laragh / Glendalough

Meet at : Laragh Car Park (Google Link https://goo.gl/maps/caktXLBSp7n9c6VGA )

Time : 11AM

Distance : 13km

Cost: €25 (Includes walk, Soup, Sandwiches +Tea/Coffee

Required:

A good level of fitness to take in a 13km walk which includes uphill at various stages. 

A light backpack with hat, gloves, scarf / buff. Warm spare layers to put on or remove if needed.

Rain coat (rain trousers if you have them)

Good walking shoes or Runners

Bottle of water or juice

Energy bar or snack for along the way

If you don’t have a waterproof cover for your back pack, place the items in your backpack into a plastic bag so they wont get wet if it rains. 

Please check the weather in the Glendalough area before arriving so you are aware if there is rain, strong winds, cold weather or mild weather expected.
Currently It’s looking 3 degrees with a good window between 12 and 3pm (ref 27th December 2022) so wrap up WARM!

Glendalough Valley is well known for its monastic settlement founded by St Kevin.

The valley is also renowned for its tranquil beauty and tracks and trails that wander through the surrounding forests.

The area has been a place of pilgrimage ever since the 6th century (501 to 600ad) when St. Kevin lived there as a hermit.

At the time, Kevin attracted many followers and in time established a monastery which developed into a Monastic City.

Little is actually known about Kevin, since the many stories about him were first written centuries after his passing.

But the stories and myths continue to fascinate and offer inspiration today

Our Journey:

One of the first locations we will pass on our walk is the: Glendalough Hermitage Centre

The Glendalough Hermitage Centre is a place of “Welcome and Pilgrim”

In 1998, restoration work was carried out on St Kevins Church and the old coach house (stables).

5 hermitages were built and a meditation garden was established to provide retreat facilities. The centre opened in 2001.

Located at the foot of the Brockagh Mountain, the centre offers a hospitable place of Spiritual guidance and silence for pilgrims.

An opportunity for people to reflect on life. To sit in silence with themselves and reconnect with their true energies.

After passing the Hermitage Centre and St Kevins church we will head into the forest and onto the Wicklow Way

The Wicklow Way is a 131-kilometre trail that crosses the Wicklow Mountains. It starts in Marlay Park (Dublin),

crosses through County Wicklow and ends in the village of Clonegal in County Carlow.

Following the Wicklow Way trail we will then emerge by Glendalough Hotel. We will pass by the Monastic settlement with the Round Tower and head back into the quiet of St Kevins Way.

St Kevins Way is a pilgrim walk that St Kevin walked before reaching Glendalough where he settled in solitary prayer and contemplation to the end of his days.

The pilgrim starts at Valleymount / Hollywood and journeys over the Wicklow Way, down the Glendassan Valley into Glendalough. It is 26km in length.

We will walk a little bit of St Kevins way along the Glendassan river before swinging off to the left to the Miners Way

The Miners’ Way is a new way-marked trail launched on 7th June 2019, The trail encompasses three valleys; starting at Glendasan, continuing to the Glendalough and finishes at Glenmalure. It is approximately 19km in length and takes in the remains of old mine workings,

processing plants and touches upon the rich mining heritage of the area

We will emerge from the Miners Trail at the Upper Lake in Glendalough Valley. From there we will cross over to Poulanass Waterfall and join the Orange Route.

The Orange Route will lead us along the foot of the Derrybawn mountain (to our right) back to the Woollen Mills and into the Car Park