Sally Gap

Sally Gap is a signposted crossroads on the heath where the R115 meets the R759, and it is one of only two east to west passes over the Wicklow Mountains. There is no building and no viewing platform, just the junction, wide rolling ground and blanket bog running out to the horizon. The appeal is the openness: peat, heather, sky and a thin ribbon of road.

The route through the gap is part of the Great Military Road, built between 1801 and 1809 in the aftermath of the 1798 rebellion. That full historic road runs 58 km from Rathfarnham to Aughavannagh and passes Sally Gap on the way, which is why the drive reads so clearly as an upland bog crossing. From the junction the routes fan out: north toward Dublin, west to Blessington, south to Glendalough, east to Roundwood.

Treat this as a drive first stop. The scenic drive is roughly 26 km, about an hour without stops, or 1.5 to 2 hours if you get out and look properly. If you want the official marked walking network described for the park, that is based over at Glendalough, not at the gap itself.

This is exposed upland. Wind, driving rain, low cloud and fast changes are all normal, and mist can cut road visibility badly. Official guidance is simple and worth following: check the weather, bring a map and essentials, and carry layers, waterproofs and water rather than relying on a phone.

• Dogs must be kept on a lead, per park guidance.
• Mountain biking is not permitted in the park.
• The blanket bog and heath are sensitive and recover slowly, so keep to firm ground and roadside surfaces.
• Set expectations by the forecast: visitors consistently praise the scenic drive and scenery here, but under flat grey cloud it is mostly brown bog and little distance.