Glenmalure // Mullacor loop

A proper day out in Wicklow. Meet at Glenmalure Lodge. Walk a 12 km loop up Mullacor. Come back to the same door for food and a drink. That’s the plan. This is a moderate hike in Wicklow Mountains National Park — about 458 m of climbing and roughly four hours on the move. You’ll want decent fitness, but you don’t need to be a mountain goat. The trail starts in the trees: Scots pines, soft ground, that quiet forest feeling. Then it opens out and Glenmalure Valley drops away beneath you. Keep going and, if the weather plays nice, you can spot the Glendalough Lakes from higher up. Near the peak it can get wet and swampy. That’s Wicklow being Wicklow. The views still win. We’ll hike as a group and stick together. It’s free, and you’re still responsible for yourself — pack properly, mind your footing, and don’t wander off into the mist for a “quick photo.” Afterwards we sit down at Glenmalure Lodge and earn the meal the honest way. Start and finish: Glenmalure Lodge. Bring boots, layers, and a bit of craic.