Kindlestown can be found a 7 minute drive away from Greystones in County Wicklow. For me the absolute best surprise and highlight of this walk is the view from the top, where you can see Greystones harbour, seaside, surrounding countryside and the Sugarloaf Mountain.
Historically in 1301 this area belonged to a sheriff by the name of Albert de Kinley, these woods forming part of the old Bellevue Estate. There is a hike nearby through the Old Bellevue Estate you can read about here: https://shellsadventures.com/2022/07/02/glen-of-the-downs-nature-trail-co-wicklow-ireland/
There was an Iron Age fort which was believed by archaeologists to be located in the area.
I would rate the walk as a super relaxed walk through the forest and up the hill. In total it’s about a 1km return around and up to the top of the hill, but with the variety of trails throughout the area you can stretch the distance a bit if you are looking for a bit more cardio.
For wildlife enthusiasts, the wood is made up of native holly, rowan, birch, ash and oak trees, along with tree species of sweet chestnut, sycamore and beech which were previously introduced in the estate.
You can find the walk on the map below:
Trail map can be found here: https://www.coillte.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Wicklow-Kindlestown_multi_access_trail.pdf
Hike rating
Rating scale 1 – 5 (with 1 low, 5 high)
- Points of interests: 3 (view)
- Trail distance: 1 (very short walk)
- Reserve size: 1 (small area)
- Trail maintenance: 5 (no issues)
- Cleanliness: 3 (dog litter to watch out for)
- Parking: 2 (dedicated parking at the entrance but can get busy)
- Elevation: 2 (small incline up the hill)
- Amenities: 1 (just a bench)
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