Best time to go
Clear, dry conditions make for better views and better footing. Low cloud can hide the lake and the surrounding hills entirely. An early start or a weekday may be calmer, though you cannot count on having the place to yourself.
Overview
About Lough Ouler
Why stop
- Distinctive heart-shaped lake in a mountain corrie
Heads up
- Muddy, steep terrain with unclear path sections
- No shelter or services once you leave the road
Map
Where it is
Loading the Wicklow Mountains map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
Best time to go
Getting there
3 active Wicklow Mountains alerts
- CautionExtreme upland fire riskDo not use solid-fuel BBQs in Wicklow Mountains National Park, and take extreme care with cigarettes and other naked flames because the hills are dry and at extreme risk of fire.Official details
- CautionGlendalough Spinc trail works and intermittent disruptionsExpect intermittent disruption on the Glendalough Spinc trails while NPWS upgrades the White Trail.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Wicklow Mountains Tour Guide
Your drive to Lough Ouler, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Wicklow Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Glenmacnass Waterfall0:00 / 0:37
“You’re nearing Glenmacnass Waterfall on the Old Military Road. The useful thing to know is that the car park sits above the falls, with a short walk toward the water.”
Plays as you drive up to Lough Ouler in the Parkwolf Wicklow Mountains Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Lead Inside the Granite
- Wicklow Gap and Tonelagee
- The Mountain That Stores Power
- Why the River Looks Like Tea
- 55 audio storiesacross Wicklow Mountains’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Sika Deer, Red Deer, Grey Heron, and 3 more
- Works offlinemaps, 34 trails, 31 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Lough Ouler
What it isLough Ouler is a lake in Wicklow Mountains National Park, set on the north-eastern slope of…
Lough Ouler is a lake in Wicklow Mountains National Park, set on the north-eastern slope of Tonelagee at roughly 596 m. The dark water sits in an open corrie, a bowl of grass, rock and heather, with upland views around it.
Route optionsOut and back: about 3.8 miles, roughly 813 ft of ascent, 2 to 2.5 hours.
- Out and back: about 3.8 miles, roughly 813 ft of ascent, 2 to 2.5 hours.
- Loop: about 7.9 km, roughly 505 m of ascent, around 3 hours, continuing to the summit of Tonelagee and back toward Glenmacnass.
Conditions to expectGround is often muddy and boggy, with rough sections.
- Ground is often muddy and boggy, with rough sections.
- There are steep stretches on both the ascent and the descent.
- Path markings are unclear and trail visibility can be poor.
- The route is exposed to the weather for most of its length.
What to bringWaterproof walking boots with grip.
- Waterproof walking boots with grip.
- Layered waterproof and windproof clothing.
- An offline or paper map and basic navigation skills.
- Food and water. There are no facilities or rest stops on the route.
Honest takeThis is a short walk by distance but a demanding one underfoot.
This is a short walk by distance but a demanding one underfoot. If you are not comfortable with wet ground, steep slopes and finding your own way when the path fades, choose a different day or a different walk.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Wicklow Mountains
204 sightingsSika DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
18 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
15 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
28 sightingsEuropean Common FrogMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsViviparous LizardMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Wicklow Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
