ThetopfivespotsinDublintogofora

walkwiththekids
TherehasneverbeenabettertimetobeanoutdoorschildintheDublin
area.Therehasneverbeensuchanabundanceofpublicparks,withwell
maintainedplaygroundsandwalkways.Andtherehasneverbeensucha
pushtowardsgettingfamiliestoexercise,andthisiskeytointroducing
childrentothegreatoutdoors.
Kidsoftenfinditboringtohikewiththeirparentsandsiblings,butiftheir
friendscomealongonthehike,thetransformationintheirattitudescanbe
spectacular.Oncetheystartwalkingtogether,theybeginyakkingand/or
competing,andtakelittlenoticeofdistancebeingcovered,orenergylevels
beingdepleted.
Technology,too,hasdeliveredtwoelementsthatmakehikinginIrelandfar
easierthesedays.Accurateweatherforecastingmeanswedonthavetohike
inbadweather.Metireann(met.ie)providesaccurateimagesshowing
wheretheraincloudswillbeuptofivedaysinadvance.Thensatnavenables
ustolocateparksandtrailsthatjustdidntexistonthetornandsellotaped
mapsofyesteryear.
Therearethreeotherelementsthatwerescarceyearsago,butplayan
importantroleinthecreationofasuccessfulfamilyhiketoday:coffee,
toiletsandplaygrounds.Withthesequalitiesinmind,herearemytopfive
hikingrecommendationsforyouandyourfamilythisautumn:

1.ArdgillanCastleandDemesne,northCoDublin
AsyouleavethefreecarparkatArdgillan,youllbegreetedbyoneofthe
mostspectacularviewsofanypublicparkontheseislands.Thecastleis
nestledhalfwaydownasteephillthatendsattheIrishSea.TheMourne
Mountainssitonthenorthernhorizon,andRockabilllighthouseonthe
easternone.
Goleft,andfollowtheparksperimeterpathinaclockwisedirection.The
pathsarebuggyfriendly,andgoodforbikestoo,buttheyrealittlerough
forscooters.
Including shortcuts, the hike takes around an hour (3.5km). It takes in
woodlandsandparklands,andfinishesataverywellequippedplayground,
includingazipwireandothercoolstuff.Thegrassbesidetheplaygroundis
asuitablepicnicspot,sobringalunch,apicnicblanketandperhapsaball.

Alternatively,retiretothenearbycastlewherethetearoomswillhelpyou
replaceanytoxinsyoumayhavelostduringthewalk.Forfurther
information,seethewebsite(Ardgillan.ie).

2.TibraddenWoodandZipit,nearRathfarnham,CoDublin
TibraddenWoodoffersadelightfulwalkthroughamaturingpineforest,
andachallengingstonepathtothetopofoneoftheDublinmountains.For
childrenwhoaresevenyearsandolder,thereistheexcitingprospectof
usingtheZipitfacilities,andclimbingbetweenthetreesusingropes
(chargesapply).Theparkingisplentifulandfree.
53.2420152,-6.3157027

Fromthecarpark,followthenarrowtrailthatrisesthroughthespaciousand
Gruffalofriendlywoods,andtheropesandplatformsthathavebeen
installedbytheZipitpeople.Thispartofthewalkisbuggyfriendly,and
challengingwithoutbeingoverlydifficultforyoungchildren.
Afterabout15minutes,thesurroundingforestrychangestothedark,
forebodingdensityofSitkaspruceplantations.Theterraingetsrough,and
whilethemorenimblechildrenwillenjoyspringingbetweenboulders,those
pushingbuggieswillturnback.Fretnot;thecoffeeshopatthecarpark
makesforapleasantwaitingarea.
Backonthehike,thetreelinestopssuddenlyandgiveswaytoheatherand
furze.Onthisexposedmountaintop,thewindcanbestrong,buttheviews
overDublincity,itsbay,andHowtharemagnificent.
Youlleventuallyreachastoneenclosurecalledacairn,whichprovides
shelterfromthewind.Itsanidealspottopicnicandgetreadyforyour
descent,whichtakesaround20minutes.Forfurtherinformation,seethe
website(zipit.ie).

3.KillineyHillandDalkeyQuarry,southCoDublin
ThecarparkonKillineyHillisspaciousandfree,andbecauseitrests
besideawellequippedplaygroundandgreenspace,itshouldbeviewedasa
destinationinitsownright.
Fromthecarpark,itisashortstrolleastintoDalkeyQuarry.Here,between
thegorseandbrambles,youmayspotfoxesandotherwildlife.Thechildren
willfindmanyopportunitiestoclimbminicliffsandthereinliesdanger.
Shortleashesshouldapply.
Toexitthequarry,lookoutforsteepgranitestepsthatleadtothehighest
pointthatyoucansee.Onclimbingthesesteps,youllfindtheviewsover

theharbouratDnLaoghaire,andthequarryfromwhenceitcame,
impressive.
FromthispointyoushouldheadtowardstheobeliskonKillineyHill,which
isabout25minutesawayalongdirtandstonepaths.Theobeliskoffers
recessedseatingonallfoursides,sonomatterwhichwaythewindis
blowing,itprovidesshelter.TheviewsincludeDublincityandKilliney
Bay,andarespectacular.
CoffeeandloosareprovidedintheTowerTeaRooms,whicharedownthe
hilltothewestoftheobelisk.Thesamepathwillleadyoutothecarpark,
andthewellequippedplaygroundagainasuitablerewardforhardhiking
littleones.

4.LambayIsland,offnorthCoDublin
Untilrecently,LambayIslandwasahideawayforthedescendantsofCecil
BaringoftheBaringsBankdynasty,andtheydefendedtheirprivacy
jealously.
Thischangedin2014whenSkerriesSeaToursnegotiatedpermissionto
bringsmallgroupsashore.Now,forafee,onecanlandontheisland,havea
guidedtourofthefarmandthewildhilltopsandcliffsthatarehometodeer
andwallabiesyes,wallabies.
ThetripstartsattheharbourinSkerriesinnorthCoDublininaneight
metreribthattakesuptosevenpeople.Duringthe25minutejourneyyou
willdefinitelygetshakenabout,andprobablywet,butisntthatwhatkids
like?
Thehikeitselfstartsinthelabourerscottages,andwendsitswaythrough
theislandfarmyard,pastthecastleandgardens,andsoonstartstoclimb.At
126m,Lambayspeakisntlungbustinglyhigh;childrenfromsixyears
upwardsshouldnothavedifficulty.
Beinganisland,therearemagnificentseascapesinalldirections.Lookout
forthewallabies.Theywereintroducedtotheislandinthe1950s,andsome
morearrivedfromDublinZoointhe1980s.Theirnumbersareestimatedto
beintheregionof80to100.SkerriesSeaToursofferstoursofLambay
Islandforaround70perperson(considerforspecialoccasions).Prices
mayvaryaccordingtogroupsize.skerriesseatours.ie

5.CastletownHouse,Celbridge,CoKildare

CastletownisamagnificentmansionbuiltnearCelbridge,CoKildare,inthe
1720sbythenSpeakeroftheIrishHouseofCommonsWilliamConolly.He
wasregardedasthewealthiestcommonerinIreland.
Thehikestartsinfrontofthehouse,whichisfiveminuteswalkfromthe
freecarpark.Ittakesjustoveranhourandfollowsananticlockwiseroute
aroundthegrounds;passingundermaturetreesandalongtheLiffeybefore
loopingbacktofinishatthehouse.
Itsdifficulttogetlostinthisflatandrelativelysmallarea,sojustwander
aroundandeventuallyyoullgettotheriver.Thisisagoodspottorest,and
skimstones.Bewareofmovingwaterwhenchildrenarearound.
Thepathsarerelativelysmoothandsuitableforbuggies,tricyclesand
mostlywheelchairs.Itsprobablyalittleroughforscooters.Tryto
coincideyourhikewiththeCountryMarketandCraftFair,whichtakes
placebehindthehouseonthelastSundayofthemonth,ApriltoOctober.
castletown.ie