Glendalough Viewpoint

This is the high vantage point on the Spinc, above Glendalough's Upper Lake, where the ground falls away and the whole valley opens out. From the path you look down the length of the Upper Lake, often with the Lower Lake visible beyond it, across to the ruins of the Miners' Village at the head of the Glenealo Valley, and out over the surrounding Wicklow uplands. Much of the walking near the viewpoint is on wooden boardwalk laid across open upland slopes, which makes the exposure and the scale of the drop very obvious.

It is reached on foot only. Walks start and finish near the National Park Information Office by the Upper Lake, and the trails are waymarked with colour-coded arrows, with maps available at the Information Office and the OPW Visitor Centre. This is not a drive-up overlook, and there is no roadside pull-in at the viewpoint itself. Sort out food, water and any valley facilities before you start climbing.

Effort varies a lot with the route and your pace, from a couple of hours to a long half day. The shared element is a sustained climb out of the valley, much of it on stone steps early on, then boardwalk and uneven upland path. Good fitness and proper hiking boots are needed, and the Spinc cliffs are not for climbing or scrambling.

• Blue short Spinc: about 5.5 km with roughly 300 m of ascent.
• White Spinc and Glenealo Valley: about 9.5 km with roughly 380 m of ascent, the classic circuit of the upper valley.
• Red Spinc and Wicklow Way: about 11.5 km with roughly 490 m of ascent.

Carry water and food, windproof and waterproof layers, a map, and a charged phone. Check the forecast before you commit to the climb, as conditions on the tops differ sharply from the valley floor. Dogs must be kept on leads.

The payoff is entirely weather-dependent, and there is no shortcut: you gain the height on foot both ways. Terrain changes character repeatedly, from stone climbs to boardwalk sections, which suits some walkers and tires others. In places the path runs close to steep open ground above the lake, so it can feel exposed if you are uneasy with heights. Parking and paths in the valley below are busiest on fine weekends and holidays.