What's the best way to see Glendalough Upper Lake?

Name: Glendalough Upper Lake
Address: Ireland
Rating: 4.5

According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Glendalough Upper Lake: Small-Group Wicklow and Glendalough Day Tour from Dublin with Horse-Back Riding (From $138.69) Small-Group Wicklow and Glendalough DayTour from Dublin with a Guided Walk (From $72.12) Private Day Tour of Wicklow, Powerscourt and Glendalough from Dublin (From $643.53) Small-Group Glendalough, Wicklow Mountains and Kilkenny Day Tour (From $61.02) Private Glendalough valley, lakes, (optional sheepdogs demo) (From $1,092.90)

Glendalough Upper Lake - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

#5 of 34 things to do in Wicklow

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Top ways to experience Glendalough Upper Lake and nearby attractions

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5

110 reviews

Excellent

88

Very good

16

Average

2

Poor

3

Terrible

1

Nico87

96 contributions

The lakes !!

Mar 2020 • Family

What a wonderful place to visit and it’s only a 45km drive from Dublin City. Beautiful meandering walkways pass through the forests and lakes. The only disappointment is the food offer or lack of, there was an ice cream van and a burger stand only with very limited food offering by the paid car park and top lake. Otherwise a very nice day out for all and probably best to bring your own food along !!

Written March 20, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deirdre K

10 contributions

Stunning

Jul 2020

Did a glendalough walk with my husband from the visitor centre to the upper lake. Glendalough is beautiful, peaceful and tranquil, Beautiful meandering walkways passeing through the monastic city, forests and the lower lake. Enjoyed the amazing views of the upper lake over a picnic lunch. A must see, highly recommended.

Written July 25, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephen D

Galway, Ireland149 contributions

Must see. Highly Recommended

Jan 2020 • Couples

This Place is absoulty gorgoues weve been to alot of sights with hikes and walks around Ireland and this is one of the best if not the best. Only 4 Euro for parking but may take awhile to get parking if you aren't early. We had a wait of maybe 20-30 minutes to get into the car park had to actually waot for cars to leave to free up spaces.
On the day we were here the car park was closing at 4 so to get the most of your visit be here as early as possible.
Beautiful sights everywhere around, we walked the Miners route and it was such a joy and walkable for any age or fitness.

Written January 14, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SagarVS

India2,637 contributions

Pretty good walk

Jun 2022

As you drive into Glendalough you will first come to a tourist center where you can park your car and walk 1.4 Km to the upper lake through the lower lake and the walk is scenic and nice. Alternatively if you do not have time for this walk, drive straight up to the upper lake where there is another parking lot. They have clean rest rooms and a snack bar too. I personally liked the short walk that took about 30 mins to complete in a loop.

Written June 6, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris S

Eglinton, UK657 contributions

Brilliant well marked walks

Jun 2022 • Couples

Chatted to very helpful staff member at the information desk (Upper Lake Car Park) who not only gave us a very good map of the range of walks available but was also able to advise the walk the most suited what we wanted to cover (Spinc and Glenealo Valley - a 9km hill walk, 380 mt climb). This is a tiring walk but there are a range of walks from easy to ramble to hill walk.
This was a very well marked trail (as all the others seem to be) and well worth the effort. Much fantastic scenery all around us. Not only was the trail well marked but also the paths / boardwalks are in very good condition.

Written June 16, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sunshine767369

1 contribution

Overpriced muck for food

Sep 2023 • Friends

We love going to glendalough but the food served from the new food wagons is over priced , reheated muck nearly! You wouldn't pay those prices in temple bar for nice food! How is the owners getting away with it? I'd advice bringing your own food or going to lynhams it would cost less to feed a family or maybe the garage they have a lovely deli

Written October 1, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marjo R

Vantaa, Finland31 contributions

Amazing view, prepare for tough climb up

Jul 2023 • Family

We wanted to see the upper lake from the mountain, and it was a bit tougher climb than we expected. Around 40 min and 2km climb from the visitor centre, most of the time quite steep. You must be physically quite able to do it. Even then we could see the upper lake only partially. Unfortunately we had no time to walk any further, I bet it would have been even more amazing if we did.

Written July 30, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John M

Lurgan, UK1,982 contributions

Glendalough and all its beauty

Sep 2022 • Couples

We visited this place on our trip around Ireland and it should be on everyone's list of places to visit in Ireland. It's such a beautiful place that photos don't really do it justice and needs to be seen in person. It's set in the valley of the wicklow mountains and there's 2 lakes to view along with a hiking trail around both lakes as well as the trek around the mountain called The spinc which is for fitness minded people. Before you go to the lakes there is a monastic site which is very good and dated back to ancient times of monks and vikings.

Written September 1, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brian C

Oakland, TN336 contributions

Amazing view

Jul 2023 • Couples

We parked at the lower lake near the Monastic Site and hiked to the Upper Lake. Had terrible weather that cleared up beautifully right as we arrived at the Upper Lake. Led to an absolutely stunning view. Highly recommend.

Written August 2, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kevin s

7 contributions

Wonderful experience with one exception....

Aug 2023 • Couples

A beautiful place which I would thoroughly recommend. Some amazing buildings and walks with a wonderful, picturesque backdrop of the local mountains.
Sadly, and unnecessarily, the experience was rather spoiled by the disgraceful state of the toilets.
I see that a number of past reviews have flagged up the disgusting condition of the toilet facilities - they stink, they are filthy, they are wet , they are in a state of disrepair and toilet bowls are blocked. Gross! An utter disgrace for a major international tourist site that must earn millions. Clearly no notice whatsoever is taken of reviews and OPW are not responding to the public's views. Refurbishment, if not a complete rebuild, is long overdue and can easily be afforded.

Written September 2, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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