Cost : €755

6 Day Tour Tour Dates 2009 Sun 14th June - Fri 19th June Sun 19th July - Fri 24th July Sun 30th Aug - Fri 4th Sept

Tour Grade 2 Moderate Accommodation Hotel

Tour Highlights Glendalough & the Two Lakes The 6th Century Monastic City The Vale of Clara Cliff Walk Wicklow Mountains National Park Powerscourt House and Gardens Avoca Village the Woollen Mills The Wicklow Way What's included in your tour B&B in approved family-run guesthouses with all rooms en-suite Meals to include: 5 Full Irish Breakfasts & 4 Packed Lunches Pickup at Dublin Airport and Return to Dublin Airport at the end of your tour All transport to and from walks and evenings out Entry fees to Powerscourt Gardens

WICKLOW MOUNTAINS DeLuxe:

"The Garden of Ireland", renowned world wide for its scenic beauty, offers a variety of walking challenges - from woodlands and rolling hills to wild craggy mountain climbs. The Wicklow Mountains lie just south of Dublin on the East Coast. This is the largest unbroken block of high raised ground in Ireland, covering almost the same area as that of Mont Blanc, being about 50km long by 40km wide. This is a single-based tour.

The Tour
Our tour takes us through Ireland's largest National Park, covering approximately 90,000ha, in the central uplands of Wicklow. The National Park manages and protects some of Europe's oldest peat boglands, heather covered mountains, broad-leafed and coniferous woodlands - that play host to most of Ireland's native mammal species. Large herds of silka and red/silka hybrid deer, foxes, badgers, hares and birds of prey all abound.
We also visit Glendalough and walk in the footsteps of St. Kevin. The monastic city of Glendalough, founded by St. Kevin in the sixth century, became a hub of learning in Europe. This University City was Ireland's earliest proto-urban development. By the seventh century, Ireland held an intellectual primacy unmatched in Europe. Today, history lives in the ruins of Glendalough. Its imposing round tower overlooks a scene of tranquil beauty - a valley of two lakes (Gleann Da Loch) possessing contemplative ambiance, a landscape imbued with the spirituality of its illustrious past.

Day 1
Arrival
Pick-up at Dublin Airport at 1.00pm and transfer to your accommodation, which is in the pictures village of Laragh, nestling in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. It only takes us approximately one-hour drive from Dublin Airport to your accommodation.
After settling in and getting some light refreshments, we will do a nice walk in the afternoon, just to get the legs in shape for the week ahead! Our stroll brings us around the Reservoir in Roundwood, which is the highest village in Ireland.
Distance: 5km, Ascent: little to none

Day 2
Spinc and St. Kevin's Monastic Site
Our first walk starts from the village of Laragh and follows an old Green Road that takes us along the lower slopes of Derrybawn Mountain, through a forest of Oak and Beach and onto part of Wicklow Way, Ireland's oldest way marked trail. The trail takes us above the monastic settlement of Glendalough and St. Kevin's round tower. We continue on forest tracks before ascending The Spinc and onto the side of Lugduff Mountain, where we will have breathtaking views of the lakes and surrounding countryside. We then descend to the Glenealo Valley following an old minor's track to the deserted Miners Village and back to the lakes.
Distance: 11.5km, Ascent: 410m

Day 3
Trooperstown and Paddock Hill
Today's walk takes you south through an area known as Ballard (where you will have clear evidence of a forgotten farming community that once lived and toiled this land) and to the town land of Trooperstown. The trail takes us gently down into Trooperstown Forest, to the charming village of Annamoe, over the Avonmore River and up onto Paddock Hill to join the Wicklow Way. From Paddock Hill we will have magnificent views back over the walk that we have already completed and for the remaining section back to Laragh Village.
Distance: 14km, Ascent: 350m

Day 4
The Vale of Clara and Avoca
Today our walk takes us to one of the finest nature reserves in Wicklow, situated in the Vale of Clara, home to the smallest village in Ireland.
The natural reserve contains the largest area of semi-natural woodland in Co. Wicklow and is potentially one of the largest stands of native hardwoods in the country. The area has been at least partially under woodland since the Ice Age. The oak-woods are also of high scenic value. We will have lunch on the banks of the Avonmore River beside the romantic church of Clara (1799) before we visit the Woollen Mills in Avoca, which are the oldest working woollen mills in the country. We will spend some time exploring the village, which was the setting for the series "Ballykisangel", and of course drop into Fitzgerald's Pub for a pint!
Distance: 9km, Ascent: 220m

Day 5
The Cliff Walk and Powerscourt Estate
Our walk takes us along the coast from Greystones to Bray. Passing Cable Rock and a disused tunnel we will reach the remains of a cottage whose residents used to collect a toll from users of the Cliff Walk on behalf of the Brabazon family who owned the land. The rocky crags of Bray Head are home of millions of birds and the inaccessible coves along the coast are breeding site for grey seals. On a clear day you might spot pods of dolphin and even whales. There is also a huge variety of flora along the trail including species of orchid found in the dry grass.
In the afternoon we bring you to Powerscourt Estate. Powerscourt is one of Europe's great treasures and Ireland's most famous House and Gardens.
Distance: 8km, Ascent: 80m

Day 6
Departure
Depart from Dublin at 12.30pm

Other guided tours:

• Wicklow Way • Western Way • Wicklow Mountains DeLuxe
• Wales & Wicklow • Donegal & Antrim • The Lake District
• Connemara & The Burren • Connemara Special • Cork & Kerry
• Glens of Antrim • Happy Wanderers • West Highland Way
• Walking Specials • Day Walks