Wicklow Way with a 10 Year Old

Dummy

My 10 year old wants me to take him on an overnight hike in the Wicklow Hills. Ideally, he wants to camp, rather than B&B. This is for early in the school holidays in Summer 2014, but I want to start the research now, as he is is very eager to do this.

Somebody in a previous thread said that going from Roundwood to Marley was easier. Is this correct?

Ideally, I want to start on a Friday morning, to finish by the latest on the following Sunday morning. Is this enough time?

Is there anywhere to camp along the way? Is there access to clean water?

And, is this a safe route to bring a 10 year old (sensible lad)? Fitness levels are good through swimming (usually 1 KM/day).

Rgds.

silverharp

I have a son of a similar age and have taken him camping a couple of times in wicklow, although ive only "made" him walk less than a couple of hours. My next plan was to get a cab from Greystones (dart) to the Lough Tay area and walk back to Enniskerry (WW route) with 1 overnight camp.

there are plenty of options but bear in mind the weight, the little rascals tend not to carry their fair share . Going straight for a 2 night is adventurous , I'd try one night first just to get a feel for it but I know how it is, free weekends are like hens teeth so sometimes you just have to go for it.

Dummy

Thank you for the reply Silverharp.

My book & maps on the Wicklow Way have not arrived yet & the nitty gritty of my planning has not started yet. But are there official camping areas along the route or do you camp when you find a spot?

SNAKEDOC

There are no official camp sites directly on the wicklow way itself there are hostels and a few places you could camp but they are a walk of the route itself. While your planning pick maybe two weekends a week or two apart to give you a buffer incase of weather concerns. There are places you can camp smartly on the way in the hills you just have to weed them out but obviously no camp fires without permission. Why not see if anyone else is interested in joining forces as a bit of a helping hand. When getting down to planning pack light as possible and pack smart dont over do it. Map out your itenerary and leave it with a family member who will raise the alarm if contact is not made regularly the mountains are ok for phone signals mostly. There is an abundance of water in the mountains but its only drinkable if purified properly with tabs or a water filter and still doesnt taste very nice. Im not sure about fresh water taps on the route that far north. Why not try and map out your day one ahead of time and make up a stratigic drop site with fresh water supply food and whatever else you want or set your camp then head to roundwood and start back on foot. This is how groups do it when completling long walks. It means walking your first leg fairly light. This does mean you need access to a car and a driver to bring it back from roundwood.

Orion

Hostels would be better - there's plenty along the WW.

CardinalJ

Are you talking about doing the entire thing, or a section?

Friend and myself, both 27, planning on doing the whole thing n 48 hours in June, can't imagine a 10 year old being up to it.

Dummy

Cardinal,

Gosh no, am not planning doing the entire thing.

We'll do a section to see if he enjoys it. He has mentioned it to me a few times and either a section might help get it out of his system, or if he wants, we will take it up as a past-time.

BarryD

There's a wood shelter near Paddock Hill built by Mountain Meitheal for this type of purpose. One of three along the Wicklow Way, others on side of Mullacor and at Mucklagh above Aughavannagh. Shelters are closed on three sides, have bench etc. You'd need sleeping mat and sleeping bag etc., as well as means of cooking. These are provided on a Leave No Trace basis i.e. you tidy up after yourself and anyone else who may have been less considerate etc.

Might suit your needs and obviate need for carrying a tent

silverharp

BarryD wrote: »

There's a wood shelter near Paddock Hill built by Mountain Meitheal for this type of purpose. One of three along the Wicklow Way, others on side of Mullacor and at Mucklagh above Aughavannagh. Shelters are closed on three sides, have bench etc. You'd need sleeping mat and sleeping bag etc., as well as means of cooking. These are provided on a Leave No Trace basis i.e. you tidy up after yourself and anyone else who may have been less considerate etc.

Might suit your needs and obviate need for carrying a tent

its nice that they are there in an emergency but what if someone is there before you , now you have no tent?

BarryD

This is true but that's what they were built for as far I know. You can't exactly book them like a B&B but I'd guess you've a pretty good chance of space, particularly midweek near Dublin where most walkers are only out for the day. Anyone here have experience of using them to bivvy in?

http://mountainmeitheal.ie/about-us/gallery-3/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mountainmeitheal/300813836/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mountainmeitheal/sets/72157626912553525/

Halloween Jack

BarryD wrote: »

There's a wood shelter near Paddock Hill built by Mountain Meitheal for this type of purpose. One of three along the Wicklow Way, others on side of Mullacor and at Mucklagh above Aughavannagh. Shelters are closed on three sides, have bench etc. You'd need sleeping mat and sleeping bag etc., as well as means of cooking. These are provided on a Leave No Trace basis i.e. you tidy up after yourself and anyone else who may have been less considerate etc.

Might suit your needs and obviate need for carrying a tent

That hut might be a good bet, at the start of the way up paddock hill there is a tap there with clean water provided by a local guy. Might be prudent to bring a tent just in case though.

Dummy

Thank you all for the feedback.

We have decided that we are going to start easy for the first hike & do just 20KM in a day out - just to see how he finds it. This will be done in July. If he likes it, & wants to do another hike, we would then plan a longer over-nighter for August. Listening to everyone here, hostels appear to be the better option.

A friend suggested starting in the Wicklow side & heading back to Dublin. A web site I was on this evening suggested the same. Is it an easier hike?

Thank you all again for you advice.

SNAKEDOC

I wouldnt say its an easier or harðer hike maybe some hills are easier heading toward dublin but in terms of over all its much of a muchness. I would head toward dublin all the same tough for the simple fact that im walking toward home and a more built up area. If you live in dublin and have no car then st kevins bus to roundwood gets you there for tenish and start back on the way. Then camp over night and your back in the big smoke the next in marley park next to transport hubs for getting home.

Hugh_C

BarryD wrote: »

You can't exactly book them like a B&B but I'd guess you've a pretty good chance of space, particularly midweek near Dublin where most walkers are only out for the day. Anyone here have experience of using them to bivvy in?

http://mountainmeitheal.ie/about-us/gallery-3/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mountainmeitheal/300813836/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mountainmeitheal/sets/72157626912553525/

Do they have free WiFi (my son wants to know)? :P

Carawaystick

An alternative to the Wicklow way might be to hike in somewhere in the evening and camp,
Climb/hike for the day and camp the next evening before heading home;
You leave your tent and camping gear for the day hike, so there's no load.

Examples might be
Hiking up Glen Ow from Aughavannagh and camping below the south prison of Lug, climbing Lug and heading back. It's mostly a forestry road up until the last km before you camp

Hiking up to the Fraughen Rock Glen from Glenmalure, Camping either at the top or bottom of the waterfall, climbing Lug the next day. Again, there's a trail to half way up the waterfall.

These two are tough for a child, but if you have good weather, you have all day.

Hiking up to Lough Ouler from the car park at Glenmacnass, camping on the peninsula below Tonlegee, climbing Tonlegee and return by traversing the mountain to come down to the other side of the lake.

This is much easier, probably an hour and a half in, and an hour climb for a child.


Another hike, and it is on the Wicklow way, is to go from Crone Car park south to the powerscourt waterfall valley, where you traverse high along the left side and through forestry to the Dargle. There's a few places to camp up the banks about 50-200m from where the Wicklow way crosses the Dargle.

You could head along the wicklow way and climb Djouce and head back to Crone car park.

Dummy

Carawaystick wrote: »

An alternative to the Wicklow way might be to hike in somewhere in the evening and camp,
Climb/hike for the day and camp the next evening before heading home;
You leave your tent and camping gear for the day hike, so there's no load.

Examples might be
Hiking up Glen Ow from Aughavannagh and camping below the south prison of Lug, climbing Lug and heading back. It's mostly a forestry road up until the last km before you camp

Hiking up to the Fraughen Rock Glen from Glenmalure, Camping either at the top or bottom of the waterfall, climbing Lug the next day. Again, there's a trail to half way up the waterfall.

These two are tough for a child, but if you have good weather, you have all day.

Hiking up to Lough Ouler from the car park at Glenmacnass, camping on the peninsula below Tonlegee, climbing Tonlegee and return by traversing the mountain to come down to the other side of the lake.

This is much easier, probably an hour and a half in, and an hour climb for a child.


Another hike, and it is on the Wicklow way, is to go from Crone Car park south to the powerscourt waterfall valley, where you traverse high along the left side and through forestry to the Dargle. There's a few places to camp up the banks about 50-200m from where the Wicklow way crosses the Dargle.

You could head along the wicklow way and climb Djouce and head back to Crone car park.

Thank you Carawaystick. There are some really good suggestions there.

GeorgeH

Wonderful walk, biggest problem is lack of fresh water, only place between Marlay and Laragh is where a farmer has put a fresh water pipe and tap out onto a laneway beside his farm buildings about 5km north of Laragh. I must stop and thank him / her sometime! I started with 5 bottles and was down to my last half bottle at that point! Camping not really catered for at all, and at the Mountain Meitheal huts (2, one just north of Laragh and one about 10km north of Moyne) disgusting people keep scattering used toilet paper under the trees! no excuse for not learning bushcraft basics! but wonderful walk and I'm sure your son will love it, enjoy! (p.s you can top up with water in Glendalough and at the pub in Drumgoff, Glenmalure, nothing else all the way to Moyne and the Mountain Meitheal huts are often occupied, don't bet on being able to bunk down there)

Dummy

Thank you George for this information.

We are still planning, planning, & planning. As well as enjoying the hike, I want my son to learn how to plan ahead, read a map, ration food, learn what foods to bring and to learn the "what if's". I would love for him to enjoy this, but also be aware of the dangers involved in a hike such as this.

Your information on the availability of water is very important for us to factor in.

Thank you.

Carawaystick

There are several streams crossing the WW, the Dargle being the most obvious one where you can get water.

You can get purifiication tablets or use iodine/betadine if you don't trust the stream.
Or boil the water