Dublin Rail Tour: Wicklow Mountains, Avoca & Glendalough
A full day through mountain valleys, ancient ruins and working craft studios
A full-day rail and coach tour from Dublin that travels through the Wicklow Mountains to the traditional weaving village of Avoca and the monastic settlement at Glendalough. You'll watch weavers at work, explore 12th-century monastery ruins and a round tower, and hold a baby lamb during a sheepdog demonstration on a family farm. The guide narrates throughout and all transport is included.
Step-by-step itinerary
Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough tour
- Arrive at Arklow
- Visit Avoca Handweavers and explore village
- Have lunch in Avoca
- Travel north passing Meeting of the Waters
- Pass through Rathdrum village
- Drive to Laragh and Glendalough
- Visit Glendalough monastery and ruins
- Explore upper lake at Glendalough
- See round tower at Glendalough
- Enjoy sheepdog demonstration and hold lambs
- Return to Dublin via Annamoe and Roundwood
- Avoca Entry included 1h
- Glendalough Entry included 2h
What’s included
- Qualified driver-guide throughout the day.
- all travel by rail and coach from Dublin.
- an information pack.
- the sheepdog demonstration and baby lamb encounter at no extra charge.
Times
Next departure: 1 Apr 2027
3 departing soon ›Before you book
Operated by Railtours Ireland First Class
Prices and times updated 4 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The day starts with a coach journey south from Dublin toward Arklow, then inland to Avoca, a village known for the BBC series Ballykissangel and home to Avoca Handweavers, the oldest hand-weaving mill in Ireland since 1723. You'll have time to watch the weavers at their looms and explore the village's shops and restaurants: lunch here is recommended, as the second stop allows less time for eating. On the way north toward Glendalough, the coach passes the Meeting of the Waters, immortalised in 18th-century poet Thomas Moore's work, and winds through Rathdrum with views of the Wicklow Mountains opening to the left.
Glendalough itself is a National Park built around two lakes in a valley, with a 7th-century monastery founded by St. Kevin. The ruins date to the 12th century and include the finest round tower in Ireland: one of only about 65 in the country. You'll have time to walk past the lower lake and explore the upper lake and the monastery grounds, with your guide timing the return to the coach. The route back to Dublin passes through Annamoe and Roundwood, at 200 metres above sea level the highest town in Ireland, then descends past Sugarloaf Mountain toward the N11 and Dublin, arriving around 5pm.
A new addition to the tour is a sheepdog demonstration and farm visit in the Wicklow Mountains, where you can hold a baby lamb and learn about a four-generation family operation. This stop is included at no extra cost and breaks up the day between the two main attractions.
Is this one for you?The tour departs from Dublin with no hotel pickup required, so it suits anyone staying in the city centre or near the departure point without a rental car. The rail and coach combination means you sit back while the guide handles the route through the mountains, leaving you free to take in the scenery and the stops.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 15 years); Infant (under 5).
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What is there to do in Avoca on this tour?
Avoca Handweavers, operating since 1723, lets you watch weavers at work on traditional looms. The village also has restaurants, cafes and shops. You'll have enough time here for lunch and browsing before the coach departs for Glendalough.
What can I see at Glendalough?
Glendalough holds the ruins of a 7th-century monastery founded by St. Kevin, with 12th-century structures including the finest round tower in Ireland. You can walk to both the lower and upper lakes in the valley and explore the monastery grounds at your own pace.
Is the sheepdog demonstration included in the tour price?
Yes, the sheepdog demonstration and baby lamb encounter on the family farm in the Wicklow Mountains are included at no extra cost and happen during the tour day.
How long is the full tour and when do we return to Dublin?
The tour runs for seven hours total, departing Dublin in the morning and returning around 5pm, giving you a full day to visit all three locations and the farm.
What happens at the Meeting of the Waters?
The Meeting of the Waters is where two rivers converge in a scenic spot immortalised by 18th-century Irish poet Thomas Moore. The coach may stop here briefly for photographs if time allows.
Dublin Rail Tour: Wicklow Mountains, Avoca & Glendalough
7h · EN
from € 107 per person
≈ US$ 123 in your currency
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.