Wicklow Way - Usage and Criticism

Usage and Criticism

On account of being the first to be developed in Ireland and also on account of its proximity to Dublin, the Wicklow Way is one of the most popular of Ireland's National Waymarked Trails. It has, however, been subject to some criticisms. Since access to lands along the Way is on a permissive basis, much of the walk (41 km (25 mi)) is on tarred country roads, is highly dependent on access provided by the state, (57 km (35 mi) is on land owned by Coillte and 16 km (10 mi) is on land owned by the Wicklow Mountains National Park) and covers a relatively small amount of private land (13 km (8 mi)). Most of the road walking is confined to the southernmost section of the Way, between Tinahely and Clonegal, where some 63% of the route is on roads. Research by the Wicklow Uplands Council showed that while up to 24,000 people a year walk along the busiest sections, this number falls to under 2,500 a year on the stretches south of Glenmalure.

The extensive use of forest roads through conifer plantations has been another criticism: the authors of the Lonely Planet guidebook, Walking in Ireland, found, "The Way's one shortcoming is the character of the walking you'll become all too familiar with forest tracks and roads through conifer plantations where they're surrounded by tall, dense forest they're not particularly interesting". Similarly, Paul Gosling, who walked the Way for The Independent, found that, "While the long distance path is, on occasion, very attractive, it is not so much hazardous as unadventurous. Over the next four and a half days, we lost our enthusiasm for conifers The views were restricted and there was little sign of wildlife". In The Irish Times John G. O'Dwyer described them as "gloomy trails through invading armies of monoculture as memorable as a motorway median".

A review of the National Waymarked Trails in Ireland by the National Trails Office in 2010 acknowledged these shortcomings and recommended that the Wicklow Way be selected as one of fourteen trails to be upgraded to a National Long Distance Trail. This is a proposed new standard of trail in Ireland, intended to meet international standards for outstanding trails. It would require sections on unsuitable roads to comprise less than 10% of the total trail and for appropriate support services – accommodation, meals, transport, luggage transfer etc. – to be available. The review also recommended the development of shorter looped walks off the Wicklow Way and improving parking facilities.