Vartry Reservoir Roundwood Walk

4 miles (6.5 km)

An easy circular walk around the pretty Vartry Reservoir in�Roundwood,�County Wicklow.
The route runs for just over 4 miles on a surfaced path around the lower reservoir. On the way you'll enjoy great views of the surrounding Wicklow countryside and mountains including Djouce mountain and Sugarloaf. There's also lots of wildlife to look out for including plenty of butterflies in the summer months. the walking is pretty easy with lovely scenery and the impressive old towers to see at the end of each reservoir.
To continue your walk head north to the Upper Vartry reservoir where there are more waterside trails and a nice area of woodland. After your exercise we recommend you head to the nearby village of Roundwood for some refreshments at one of the local pubs.
To extend your lakeside walking in the Roundwood area you could head west to Lough Dan and Glendalough Lake or south to Devil's Glen Wood where there are some good woodland trails to try.
For a more challenging route climb to Luggala Mountain which gives wonderful views over the area from the summit.
Also nearby is the Lough Bray Loop and Powerscourt Waterfall. It's located in a beautiful spot on the River Dargle and is the highest waterfall in Ireland.

Vartry Reservoir Open Street Map - view and print off detailed map

Vartry Reservoir Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Just to the east of Luggala there's the expansive Ballinastoe Forest where there are miles of walking and mountain bike trails to try. The boardwalk trail will take you to the wonderful Luggala Estate View Point and the J B Malone Memorial. Malone was an�Irish�hill-walking�enthusiast who popularised the pastime through his television programmes and books. From here you can also continue up to Djouce Mountain for some excellent views over the Wicklow Mountains.
To the south there's Avondale Forest Park where you can try the circular woodland trail along the River Avonmore. The park also includes a popular treetop walk where you can enjoy wonderful views over the area from an elevated path through the trees. It is the first of its kind in Ireland.
To the south there's the Devil's Glen where you can enjoy a fine woodland walk to a picturesque waterfall. You can also pick up the Seamus Heaney Walk here and explore an area connected to the Nobel Prize winning poet.