Description of Walk - Circuit of Lough Dan
Distance 16 kilometres, The walk starts and finishes at your Guesthouse .
The first section of the walk is on a quite public road about 1k enjoying fine views of the lake as you walk parallel to it, you pass a scout campsite where flags of many nations may be seen, as scouts from around the would meet and camp here. From Oldbridge you rejoin the Wicklow Way and now pass trough part of the oldest natural oak-wood in Ireland, you will notice new fencing which was put in place to protect the regeneration of the woodlands from the ever increasing of wild deer population in Wicklow, the path follows the edge of some commercial forestry and farmland as it climbs upwards to give yet another aspect to the lakes of Vartry and Loughdan, as the way leaves the forest track to the right you mat divert straight on to see the remains of a famine settlement now I ruins, the first of a number you will see on this trip. The route continues through forest paths and tracks to reach the pier gates where your previous walk ended. Pass through the small side gate you descend a tarmac path towards the valley floor, after a number of estate houses you reach a green road which passes the ruin of another settlement abandoned following the great famine of 1847 which saw the population of Ireland reduce from 8 million to 2million over a short period of time. As you follow the green road look out for herds of deer, numbers from 20 to 200 animals may be seen in this area. Continue your journey to the lakeshore, a perfect place to rest and appreciate the beauty of this wonderful place.

In Ireland unlike many other countries there is very few public rights of way, most of the routes mentioned including the long distance way marked ways are on privately owned land, in some cases arrangements are agreed with landowners and in other cases it is simply the goodwill of the land owner, it is most important to protect that good will, courtesy, respect and acknowledgement, should at all times be shown to the residents and workers of these areas

The walk now follows the lakeshore for some time and along a riverbank, to your right are the towering cliffs of Knocknaclogoge where perigne falcons may be seen, it is one of their breeding grounds, otters may also be seen by this river but you need to be here early in the morning to catch a glimpse of this elusive creature, carry on to reach a crossing point, which is indicated. You are now in “Inchavore”, a small fertile valley surrounded on 3 sides by mountains and the lake to the south with numerous small white beaches to explore, as you make your way through the valley you will come across many ruins of past settlements, the last occupants left here in 1965. This is the place where the Smith family perished in an avalanche in 1867 the last fatalities of an avalanche in Ireland. From this ancient place you will follow the track all the way back to Lough Dan house, although little uphill for a while, the scenery continues to get better with every step.