Recreation
There are many walking trails of varying difficulty around Glendalough. Within the valley itself there are nine colour-coded walking trails maintained by Wicklow Mountains National Park. They all begin at an information office located near the Upper Lake where maps are available to purchase. There are also a number of guided walk options, with companies such as Walkabout Wicklow offering fully guided tours of the Spinc Walk, the most popular trail in Glendalough. The Wicklow Way, a long distance waymarked walking trail, passes through Glendalough on its way from Rathfarnham in the north to its southerly point of Clonegal in County Carlow.
Rock Climbing
Glendalough's granite cliffs, situated on the hillside above the north-western end of the valley, have been a popular rock-climbing location since the first climbs were established in 1948. The current guidebook, published in 1993, lists about 110 routes, at all grades up to E5/6a, though several more climbs, mainly in the high grades, have been recorded since then.
The climbs vary between one and four pitches, and up to over 100m in length. There are several sectors:
- Twin Buttress, a large buttress divided in the middle by a seasonal waterfall, which contains the most popular climbs. This area is approached via the zig-zag path at the head of the valley.
- The Upper Cliffs, a band of cliffs high up on the hillside east of Twin Buttress.
- Acorn Buttress, a small buttress just below Twin Buttress, which is a popular base-camp location.
- Hobnail Buttress, a small buttress with some easy climbing, on the hillside one kilometre to the east.
The quality of the climbing along with the variety of grades attracts climbers of all standards to Glendalough, and makes it a favourite destination for Dublin climbers in particular. The Irish Mountaineering Club has operated a climbing hut in the area since the 1950s. Below the crag is an extensive boulder field. This is a popular location for bouldering activities, the boulders within easy reach of the path being especially popular.
Read more about this topic: Glen-da-lough's Tower
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