The Long Way RoundNotebook No 62July 2025
Dublin to Glendalough the long way, over the bog.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
We often take the Military Road, a dark ribbon across the bog from Rathfarnham, over the Sally Gap, and down to Glendalough. This route, originally for British troops, is now Dublin’s best day-trip. It allows you to spend most of your day within the Wicklow landscape.
Slea Head
You should plan ten minutes to stop at Lough Tay, where the water mirrors the sky, before reaching the Sally Gap summit for broad views. After the winding drive, we suggest a meal at the Wicklow Heather in Laragh. This section of road reveals a raw Ireland, distinct from other itineraries.
This half-day drive offers a clear view of County Wicklow.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.