Want to go hiking but no transport

loopygirl

I've a keen interest in hiking but I've no car to get to Wicklow. Are there any clubs that meet in Dublin city centre and go together to the hiking location? I was a member of An Oige and they do meet in town and go by bus then but the age group was quite mature and I'm 35 and looking for a younger group. Any ideas much appreciated!

Wicklowleaid

Hey loopygirl. We are a hiking group based in Wicklow and often carpool from Dublin. We have a younger age profiler. Im the organiser and Im 30 for example. Most of our group are between 25-45 with some exceptions. Let me know if I can be of any more help. Here is the link

http://www.meetup.com/Wicklow-Free-Walking-Club/

FrostyJack

You could get to Marley Park and walk to the Wicklow mountains from there via Wicklow Way if you were stuck without anyone. Of course a group like the one above would be better.

knucklehead6

Wicklowleaid wrote: »

Hey loopygirl. We are a hiking group based in Wicklow and often carpool from Dublin. We have a younger age profiler. Im the organiser and Im 30 for example. Most of our group are between 25-45 with some exceptions. Let me know if I can be of any more help. Here is the link

http://www.meetup.com/Wicklow-Free-Walking-Club/

I'm a member of this group, and people are always willing to give lifts and car pool etc. And they're a nice bunch too!!

BarryD

There's also a Dublin Bus service to several parts of the hills - look up the Blessington No 65 or Enniskerry 44 etc. plus the various routes that go up towards Rockbrook and Ticknock etc.

We often used these and you can make up all manner of circuits and traverses if you put your mind to it by using various combinations.

dogmatix

I started hill walking in the mid 1990's from Ballinteer and for 5 years had no car. From south dublin there is plenty of hiking routes - you can really roam iwdely without a car! You could do the full or parts of the DMW, or the 1st part of the wicklow way from Marley park (and then walk from Knockree to Enniskerry to get the 44 bus back to town) and there are plenty of routes along the whole hell fire club-tibradden-three rock axis. Or hike from Ballinteer to Enniskerry via Glencullen and knocksink woods.

The 14, 16 and 75 buses all pass through Ballinteer. The 44 bus is a must also. The 65 goes to Blessington, where there is a nice hike along the lake towards russbourough house.

You could also hike bray and howth heads using public transport.

BarryD

dogmatix wrote: »

I The 44 bus is a must also. The 65 goes to Blessington, where there is a nice hike along the lake towards russbourough house.

The 65 also stops at places like Crooksling, Brittas, The Lamb etc enroute to Blessington and still goes on to Ballyknockan the odd time. The nearer stops to Dublin allow for routes back towards Ballinteer etc. If you're fit, you can take a variety of routes across from other stops and finish at Enniskerry and take the 44 back or vice verso in opposite direction.

One of Dublin's great advantages is the proximity to the hills and a reasonable bus service. The latter has declined a bit and tends to focus on 'commuter' needs now, for understandable reasons. But if it's used by people accessing the uplands, that message will eventually get through to Dublin Bus and they may restore some more of the old weekend timetables.

hmmm

Some of the clubs with longer hikes would have a younger age profile e.g. Wayfarers, Hillwalkers (offshoot of An Oige), and they carpool or use a bus. There's also some clubs based in the universities, but I'm not sure of the joining criteria.

Carawaystick

St Kevins bus goes by the Sugarloaf, through Roundwood and Laragh to Glendalough

Rathdrum is served by the train and maybe a bus or 2

Carlingford is at the foot of the Cooley moutains

Losty Dublin

BarryD wrote: »

The 65 also stops at places like Crooksling, Brittas, The Lamb etc enroute to Blessington and still goes on to Ballyknockan the odd time. The nearer stops to Dublin allow for routes back towards Ballinteer etc. If you're fit, you can take a variety of routes across from other stops and finish at Enniskerry and take the 44 back or vice verso in opposite direction..

The 65 only heads to Ballyknockan at 5:30 in the morning and evening so unless you want to take it the sunrise it's not a lot of use to most walkers

Two routes which may be of use are the 15 and 15B. They terminate in Ballycullen and are closest to Kilakee Woods and the Hellfire Club/Montpelier Hill.

dogmatix

Thsi might be worth a sticky maybe? Lists of public transport optiions to the dublin hills:
1. Luas green line to Brides Glen stop: Rathmichael, lead mines and on to the Scalp.
2. 14 / 16 / 75 for Ballinteer: Wicklow way, three rock, tibradden and access to the DMW.
3. Dart for Bray and Howth.
4. 44 for Enniskerry.
5. 65 for the blessington area.
6. 15/15B for Kilakee and the hell fire club and the DMW.
7. 145 bus to Kilmacanogue - access to the big and little sugar loafs and the glen of the downs.

Thargor

Definitely sticky-worthy, Id always dismissed anything out towards Enniskerry as a dead zone in Dublin buses minds.

1. Luas green line to Brides Glen stop: Rathmichael, lead mines and on to the Scalp.

Isnt that a massive walk along a motorway? Is there a nice way to do this? Also is there a nice way to walk back to Bray from the tower at the Lead Mines?

Alun

dogmatix wrote: »

7. 145 bus to Kilmacanogue - access to the big and little sugar loafs and the glen of the downs.

Not any more. The 145 now only goes as far as Ballywaltrim, but the 45A has been extended to Kilmacanogue, so if coming along the N11 corridor you'd have to change buses. Big win though if you're coming from Dun Laoghaire direction.

dogmatix

Thargor wrote: »

Definitely sticky-worthy, Id always dismissed anything out towards Enniskerry as a dead zone in Dublin buses minds.
Isnt that a massive walk along a motorway? Is there a nice way to do this? Also is there a nice way to walk back to Bray from the tower at the Lead Mines?

No, not at all. Although Brides Glen itself is ugly - an exposed empty wasteland left over from the celtic tiger. You do cross over the M50 at one point - see the following link http://www.walkingroutes.ie/1522-The-Brides-Glen-walk.html. Not sure how to get back to Bray from the lead mines, never tried it.

dogmatix

Alun wrote: »

Not any more. The 145 now only goes as far as Ballywaltrim, but the 45A has been extended to Kilmacanogue, so if coming along the N11 corridor you'd have to change buses. Big win though if you're coming from Dun Laoghaire direction.

Thats a pity. It was a very long bus ride from Hueston, if I remember.

Alun

dogmatix wrote: »

Not sure how to get back to Bray from the lead mines, never tried it.

You could just take the Dublin Mountains Way to the start in Shankill. The 145 stops there.

Alun

dogmatix wrote: »

Thats a pity. It was a very long bus ride from Hueston, if I remember.

It's not that bad really, probably the guts of an hour to Ballywaltrim maybe a bit more. The 145 still goes very frequently, every 10 mins at peak, which takes you 95% of the way, but the 45A is only every 30 mins IIRC.

Gillo

There's also the Challenge Hikers on Facebook, well worth checking out. There aren't a club as such, i.e. no membership fee's or insurance. I haven't been out with them the last while due to numerous commitments and working weekends. Again they do a bit of car pooling.

They started introducing a social night about once a month for a few pints so it's a handy way to "check them out" before a day on the hills.

BarryD

dogmatix wrote: »

Thsi might be worth a sticky maybe? Lists of public transport optiions to the dublin hills:
1. Luas green line to Brides Glen stop: Rathmichael, lead mines and on to the Scalp.
2. 14 / 16 / 75 for Ballinteer: Wicklow way, three rock, tibradden and access to the DMW.
3. Dart for Bray and Howth.
4. 44 for Enniskerry.
5. 65 for the blessington area.
6. 15/15B for Kilakee and the hell fire club and the DMW.
7. 145 bus to Kilmacanogue - access to the big and little sugar loafs and the glen of the downs.

Good stuff - there's a heap of walking options using public transport in various combinations - you just have to be handy at interpreting time tables. Be wary of last buses in case they don't turn up or leave early.