Parking
Wider Glendalough parking is at the Visitor Centre and Upper Lake; do not assume space at the Brockagh Forest Entrance.
Overview
About Brockagh Blue Loop
The Brockagh Blue Loop is the shorter of the two waymarked loops at Brockagh, graded Easy and undulating through Brockagh Forest while touching the Wicklow Way. The route is about 4.5 km, and published figures vary slightly around 4.3 to 4.5 km.
Allow an estimated 1.5 to 2 hours, adjusting for your own pace, stops and ground conditions on the day.
Why go
- Easy-grade forest loop
- Touches the Wicklow Way
- Short 4.5 km circuit
Heads up
- Uneven, loose and rooty surfaces
- Wet or slippery after rain
- Wider-area parking may require extra access
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Wicklow Mountains map
Full mapElevation148–309 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
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 Brockagh Blue Loop, 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 trailhead
Brockagh Mountain0:00 / 0:22
“You’re approaching the walking access for Brockagh Mountain near Laragh. The southeast top already gives you views over Glendalough and both lakes, before you reach the main summit.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Wicklow Mountains Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Wicklow Heather Restaurant
- Why the Military Road Exists
- Glendalough Monastic Site and Lower Lake
- The Next Oakwood
- 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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Brockagh Blue Loop
The RouteNearby points include the Brockagh Resource Centre, Laragh, the forest entrance and the Wicklow…
Nearby points include the Brockagh Resource Centre, Laragh, the forest entrance and the Wicklow Way link.
- Begins and ends around the Brockagh Forest entrance.
- Runs as a forest loop on forest roads and tracks.
- Passes a shallow rocky stream and woodland corridor visible along part of it.
- Touches the Wicklow Way, linking the loop into the wider long distance network.
- A separate longer red trail runs alongside the Blue Loop, so check which colour you are following before setting out.
Footing and ConditionsSurfaces are forest roads and tracks.
Surfaces are forest roads and tracks. Expect uneven ground, loose stone and exposed roots, along with wet or slippery conditions after rain. Supportive footwear with grip is sensible, and take care on the looser, rockier stretches. The loop undulates rather than climbing steadily, with about 159 m of ascent across the circuit.
Access and ParkingWider Glendalough parking is at the Visitor Centre and the Upper Lake, so plan for one of those…
Wider Glendalough parking is at the Visitor Centre and the Upper Lake, so plan for one of those and allow for the additional walking or driving distance to reach the forest entrance. Space at the forest entrance itself should not be assumed.
DogsDogs are allowed in Wicklow Mountains National Park, and park guidance is to keep them on a…
Dogs are allowed in Wicklow Mountains National Park, and park guidance is to keep them on a lead. Keep yours on a lead throughout the loop, including where the route touches the Wicklow Way.
Good to KnowDistances quoted for this route vary slightly, from about 4.3 km to 4.5 km, so treat 4.
- Distances quoted for this route vary slightly, from about 4.3 km to 4.5 km, so treat 4.5 km as the working figure.
- Carry a map or downloaded route and check the waymark colour at junctions as you go.
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.
