What sets this tour apart is the coach itself - smaller than the standard tourist buses, it can take you down routes the big operators simply can’t access. That means real Wicklow: secluded valleys, dramatic viewpoints, and the kind of scenery that makes you stop mid-sentence.
You’ll travel Dublin’s southern coast, climb Killiney Hill for sweeping views of Dublin Bay, then cut inland through Enniskerry and Glencree into the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. The Sally Gap section is where things get truly wild - open boglands, rolling heather, rugged peaks stretching out in every direction.
Lough Tay, better known as the Guinness Lake for its dark waters and white sandy shore, is one of those places that’s instantly recognisable if you’ve watched Braveheart, PS I Love You, or Vikings. It’s been a film location more than once, and it’s easy to see why.
Glendalough is the centrepiece of the day. Your guide will bring you through the history of this 6th-century monastic city founded by St. Kevin - the Round Tower, the ruins, the manuscripts that were once copied here. Then you get at least 60 minutes to explore on your own, walk through ancient forest to the Upper Lake, or just sit with the stillness that’s drawn visitors here for centuries.
The day ends back on the coach with a complimentary tot of Glendalough Irish Whiskey - a fitting close to a long day in the mountains.
Meeting point: 9.15am, opposite the Grand Canal Hotel - go 30 metres up the hill, just before the car parking spaces.
Use your free time at Glendalough wisely. You get at least 60 minutes, sometimes 90. The flat Green Road from the visitor centre to the Upper Lake is 3 km return and takes about an hour - it passes nine of the main monastic ruins and ends at the boardwalk and beach at the Upper Lake. If you want to just sit somewhere quiet, the Upper Lake beach after the walk is the best seat in County Wicklow. The Round Tower doorway is three and a half metres off the ground - that detail tells you everything about why monks lived here.
The Avoca stop in Kilmacanogue is the flagship store, not the original mill. The 1723 Avoca weaving mill is an hour south, near Rathdrum - a different trip entirely. The Kilmacanogue café does proper soup and brown bread, and the food hall is worth a browse if you haven’t eaten breakfast. It’s not a tourist trap; it’s a genuinely good pit stop.
Don’t skip the Enniskerry leg. Passing through Enniskerry gives you a glimpse of Powerscourt estate - the gardens here are ranked third in the world by National Geographic, behind Versailles and Kew. You won’t stop today, but it’s worth knowing Enniskerry is worth a dedicated visit on another day if the gardens interest you.
Glendalough is busiest between 10am and 2pm. This tour arrives in the afternoon window, which is better. The valley has a different quality in the late afternoon - the coach crowds thin, the light changes on the Upper Lake, and the round tower does what it’s been doing since the 10th century regardless of who is watching. If you have time before the coach leaves, the 1.5 km walk between the lakes is flat, buggy-friendly, and unmissable.