Description of Walk - St Kevin’s way, Tonelagee to Loughdan House
This walk starts on the Wicklow Gap road, at a point where the St Kevin’s way, joins the public road, the walk travels in a north west direction parallel to the road for a short distance and swings left to pass between some forest and Loughnahanigan, High above and ahead you will see the flattened top of Thurlough hill which contains a reservoir, part of a pumped hydro power station, the views are to say the least relaxing, perhaps this is to do with the vast number of people who passed here on this track for almost one thousand years to pray, the path takes you to a car park at the top entrance to Thurlough hill, indicated to here by the sign of a walking saint.

The St.Kevins way is a ancient pilgrim path used by people travelling from central and southern Ireland from the fifth centaury, to Glendalough when it was a place of learning and prayer. In the early nineties a committee was formed with support from the “Heritage Council” to re open the path and provide way markers along with maps and other information concerning its history, this information is available from the visitors centre in Glendalough. The way is 30 kilometres and all or part of it may be included in our itinerary at Loughdan House.

Here the walk crosses the road and heads in north towards the summit of Tonlagee (817m) this section is quite a steady climb it is not difficult if you are average fit, as you near the summit the view behind is well worth giving some to take in, on a good day you have a perfect view of the reservoir on Thurlough as you are now looking down towards it, a final short sharp push takes you to the top where the feeling of the top of the world comes over you.
This is Wicklow’s third highest Mountain, to the north west you see Mullaghcleevaun east and west (795m) and (849m), to the east is Scar (a modest 641m) and south towering its neighbours is Lugnaquilla at (924m) As you leave the summit in an east north east direction on a quite clear path you will be confronted with a most spectacular heart shaped lake at the foot of the cliffs, this lake is fed by an underground source and contains small bog trout which are probably the wildest and most difficult fish to catch in Ireland, as you descend the northern slope towards the lake and if the weather is warm the temptation for a swim is very inviting.
The walk proceeds towards the Glenmacanass river which is easy enough to cross in reasonably dry weather, however a little more challenging if the water is up, very soon you reach the military road and a short detour to the nearby waterfalls is well worth the extra few minutes, do heed the warning signs as the rocks as the top of the falls is quite slippery and a number of fatal accidents have occurred here due to carelessness, however the views from here makes this caution well worthwhile.
You now head west for about 5oometres and turn right up the heather covered slopes of Kanturk, you will easily pick up a path leading towards Loughdan, as you negotiate an interesting series of miniature mountains, a whole new panorama opens up in every direction surrounding you and it simply gets better every step you take.
A giant boulder in a old stone wall marks your exit off the open mountain and following a steep path downhill assisted by some steps you make your way all the way back to Loughdan House, with the views continuing to get better and better. ,