Glendalough Upper Lake
Glendalough Upper Lake
4.5
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4.5
115 reviews
Excellent
92
Very good
17
Average
2
Poor
3
Terrible
1
Nico87
100 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
What a wonderful place to visit and it’s only a 45km drive from Dublin City. Beautiful meandering walkways pass through the forests and lakes. The only disappointment is the food offer or lack of, there was an ice cream van and a burger stand only with very limited food offering by the paid car park and top lake. Otherwise a very nice day out for all and probably best to bring your own food along !!
Written 20 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deirdre K
9 contributions
Jul 2020
Did a glendalough walk with my husband from the visitor centre to the upper lake. Glendalough is beautiful, peaceful and tranquil, Beautiful meandering walkways passeing through the monastic city, forests and the lower lake. Enjoyed the amazing views of the upper lake over a picnic lunch. A must see, highly recommended.
Written 25 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen D
Galway, Ireland145 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
This Place is absoulty gorgoues weve been to alot of sights with hikes and walks around Ireland and this is one of the best if not the best. Only 4 Euro for parking but may take awhile to get parking if you aren't early. We had a wait of maybe 20-30 minutes to get into the car park had to actually waot for cars to leave to free up spaces.
On the day we were here the car park was closing at 4 so to get the most of your visit be here as early as possible.
Beautiful sights everywhere around, we walked the Miners route and it was such a joy and walkable for any age or fitness.
On the day we were here the car park was closing at 4 so to get the most of your visit be here as early as possible.
Beautiful sights everywhere around, we walked the Miners route and it was such a joy and walkable for any age or fitness.
Written 14 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SagarVS
India2,761 contributions
Jun 2022
As you drive into Glendalough you will first come to a tourist center where you can park your car and walk 1.4 Km to the upper lake through the lower lake and the walk is scenic and nice. Alternatively if you do not have time for this walk, drive straight up to the upper lake where there is another parking lot. They have clean rest rooms and a snack bar too. I personally liked the short walk that took about 30 mins to complete in a loop.
Written 6 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rudy J
Leixlip59 contributions
May 2024 • Business
I am a tourist guide and visit Glendalough often. One of my favourite places, even if there may be many visitors.
Parking can be at a premium, but there are overflow car parks not far off.
Food, yes, it may be a bit pricey.
The Glendalough Hotel offers food at decent prices, there is a sandwich stall and more stalls at the entrance to the monastic site and at the upper lake.
There are more restaurants nearby: a more refined restaurant is the Wicklow Heather in Laragh. Very good but reservation is a must.
Another of my favourites is Lynhams in Laragh, a 5 minutes' drive away
Good ambiance, good friendly service and good quality in an Irish pub atmosphere. Not really cheap, but worth it.
They have a carvery on Sundays and public holidays.
Parking can be at a premium, but there are overflow car parks not far off.
Food, yes, it may be a bit pricey.
The Glendalough Hotel offers food at decent prices, there is a sandwich stall and more stalls at the entrance to the monastic site and at the upper lake.
There are more restaurants nearby: a more refined restaurant is the Wicklow Heather in Laragh. Very good but reservation is a must.
Another of my favourites is Lynhams in Laragh, a 5 minutes' drive away
Good ambiance, good friendly service and good quality in an Irish pub atmosphere. Not really cheap, but worth it.
They have a carvery on Sundays and public holidays.
Written 19 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris S
Eglinton, UK763 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Chatted to very helpful staff member at the information desk (Upper Lake Car Park) who not only gave us a very good map of the range of walks available but was also able to advise the walk the most suited what we wanted to cover (Spinc and Glenealo Valley - a 9km hill walk, 380 mt climb). This is a tiring walk but there are a range of walks from easy to ramble to hill walk.
This was a very well marked trail (as all the others seem to be) and well worth the effort. Much fantastic scenery all around us. Not only was the trail well marked but also the paths / boardwalks are in very good condition.
This was a very well marked trail (as all the others seem to be) and well worth the effort. Much fantastic scenery all around us. Not only was the trail well marked but also the paths / boardwalks are in very good condition.
Written 16 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sunshine767369
2 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
We love going to glendalough but the food served from the new food wagons is over priced , reheated muck nearly! You wouldn't pay those prices in temple bar for nice food! How is the owners getting away with it? I'd advice bringing your own food or going to lynhams it would cost less to feed a family or maybe the garage they have a lovely deli
Written 1 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
E P
Dublin, Ireland1 contribution
Jul 2024 • Family
Glendalough Upper Lakes is a stunning location to visit. You can spend all day there, sitting by the lake or walking the hills or visiting the nearby round tower. It's usually peaceful even when there are lots of tourists. Car parking is currently a set €5. The toilet facilities would turn you off staying there long if you have any kids with you though. They are an absolute disgrace. The filth is not from the current day, you can clearly tell that sinks have not been cleaned and throughout the day nothing is cleaned. The smell is overpowering. It should be properly maintained and wouldn't be a difficult thing to do. So many tourists have to use these facilities each year, it's a shame that this is what they'll remember. Whatever about adults, who can be careful about what they touch, this is a real health and safety issue when it comes to young children.
Written 12 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marjo R
Vantaa, Finland77 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
We wanted to see the upper lake from the mountain, and it was a bit tougher climb than we expected. Around 40 min and 2km climb from the visitor centre, most of the time quite steep. You must be physically quite able to do it. Even then we could see the upper lake only partially. Unfortunately we had no time to walk any further, I bet it would have been even more amazing if we did.
Written 30 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John M
Lurgan, UK2,310 contributions
Sept 2022 • Couples
We visited this place on our trip around Ireland and it should be on everyone's list of places to visit in Ireland. It's such a beautiful place that photos don't really do it justice and needs to be seen in person. It's set in the valley of the wicklow mountains and there's 2 lakes to view along with a hiking trail around both lakes as well as the trek around the mountain called The spinc which is for fitness minded people. Before you go to the lakes there is a monastic site which is very good and dated back to ancient times of monks and vikings.
Written 1 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eu gostaria de conhecer Glendalough e fazer trilha em Wicklow também, preciso de mais de um dia para isso? Tem algum hostel ou hotel não muito caro próximo? Irei eu, meu marido e minha filha, de carro.Minha ideia é fazer Ring of Kerry, Cork e depois Glendalough e Wicklow. Obrigada
(I want to meet Glendalough and to make trail in Wicklow too. Do I need more than one day for this? Are there any hostel or hotel not very expensive near? I'll go myself, my husband and my daughter by car. My idea is to do Ring of Kerry, Cork and then Glendalough and Wicklow, so I would like to sleep next. Thanks) by google translator
Written 18 March 2019
Can we reach this Lake with a car or we have to walk?
Written 14 September 2018
You can park a vehicle at both the upper lake and close to the lower lake,you will need 4 euros to enter the car park at the upper lake.
Written 17 September 2018
We’d like to take a half day tour of Glendalough and the Wicklow Mtns. Any recommendations for tour companies that do a great job?
Written 26 August 2018
Paddywagon tours are the best,check out their website,they pick you up from central Dublin.
Written 27 August 2018
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