Wicklow Mountains National Park

The Wicklow Mountains National Park extends over 20,000 hectares and is one of only six national parks in Ireland. It was established in 1991 and its main purpose is to protect the natural habitats, flora and fauna of the Wicklow Mountains. Heath and bogs dominate the upland areas, while woodland is the principal habitat of the river valleys. Corrie lakes, rivers and rocky outcrops are other landscape features of the Wicklow Mountains.

The Wicklow Mountain area is the largest continuous upland region in Ireland and it supports a plethora of flora and fauna, from mammals, birds and reptiles, to centuries-old woodland and numerous wildflowers.

The Wicklow Way is one of the most spectacular walks in Ireland. The trail begins in Dublin and continues for 132km across the mountains as far as Carlow, with seven main stages.

Glendalough

Glendalough is a habitat of woodland, lakes, fen and moorland.The slidefile is an image which shows all the above features.The original Irish name is Gleann da Locha means the valley of two lakes and these are still the main natural features which dominate the area.

Courtesy of Wicklow County Library

Glendalough
Courtesy of Wicklow County Library

Glendalough

Glendalough is a habitat of woodland, lakes, fen and moorland.The slidefile is an image which shows all the above features.The original Irish name is Gleann da Locha means the valley of two lakes and these are still the main natural features which dominate the area.

Courtesy of Wicklow County Library

Enlarge image

Glendalough

Glendalough is one of the best known areas of the National Park. It is the site of an ancient monastery that is believed to have been established by St. Kevin in the 6^th century, and also contains some of Wicklow’s best surviving examples of native broadleaved woodland. The Upper and Lower Lakes of Glendalough give the area its name - the original Irish name was Glen dá Locha, meaning ‘the valley of the two lakes’. The rich history, scenic beauty and abundance of wildlife of Glendalough attract locals and visitors alike.