Our Family Hikes https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/ Sun, 09 Apr 2023 09:11:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 136102945 Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/kid-friendly-hikes-in-glenmalure-wicklow/ Sun, 09 Apr 2023 09:11:05 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=13023 Glenmalure is a beautiful valley located in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland, and it offers some excellent hiking opportunities. The most popular hikes in Glenmalure are Lugnaquilla and the Wicklow Way long-distance walking route. Most hiking trails in the area focus on long distances and high altitudes, which don't always suit kids. Hiking with kids [...]

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Glenmalure is a beautiful valley located in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland, and it offers some excellent hiking opportunities. The most popular hikes in Glenmalure are Lugnaquilla and the Wicklow Way long-distance walking route. Most hiking trails in the area focus on long distances and high altitudes, which don’t always suit kids.

Hiking with kids in Glenmalure can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it’s important to choose a trail that’s appropriate for their age and ability level. Below, are some trails and tips for Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow:

Hike 1- Shay Elliott Carpark to Cullentragh Little Moutain

Glenmalure kids friendly hikes

We did this great little walk lately with all the kids and they absolutely loved every second of it. Our 6-year-old ran most of it and our 4-year-old tried her best to keep up with her older sister. If you want to bring your buggy be prepared to carry the child for the last section.

Start in the Shay Elliot car park here. It’s not a long walk and the trail is very sheltered from the elements until the very last section.

 Hike key points

  • 1.6km each way 3.2km total
  • 95% buggy friendly- carrier required for the last 300m
  • Nice sheltered woodland walk
  • Amazing views of the Glendalough and Glenmalure valleys
  • Perfect for all ages
  • Allow 2 hours to walk this

Hiking route below: The route is not signposted but if you stay on the main path you can’t miss the mountain. This is a great starter walk for Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow

Hike 2- The 3 waterfalls Glenmalure

The 3 waterfalls are called the Coolalingo Waterfalls. The Coolalingo waterfalls are perfect for kids of all ages to explore. I would give a word of caution, there is no real path to the waterfall and the route to the waterfalls are steep and on a main road. If you are cautious while exploring this should not cause a problem.

Secret waterfall Glenmalure Key points

  • 1km down and 1 km return walk
  • Small 200m road walk
  • No signs
  • Spectacular waterfalls
  • No crowds even in summer

Step by Step directions to the SECRET waterfall:

Glenmalure waterfall parking

Park here

Walk 200m down the road until you see a tree with a small pile of stones.

Enter the wood. The path leads to the left and right. Turn left and down the forest toward the stream. The path zig-zags down until you reach the river bed. Walk back upstream until you see the waterfalls.

Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow Guide to the waterfalls glenmalure

Hike 3- Carrawaystick Waterfall

(Unfortunately, this is now closed)

Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow

Carrawaystick waterfall is a really nice waterfall to explore with the kids. This is one of the starting points to hike Lugnaquilla but you can still go and only explore this wonderful waterfall and a small walk around the base of the mountain.

We recommend not bringing kids younger than 5 to Lugnaquilla mountain on this route. Walk out to the waterfall and explore the area, the kids will love it.

Key points Carrawaystick Waterfall

  • You have to park on the side of the road
  • A lovely footbridge underneath the waterfall
  • less than 1km walk

Hike 4-Baravore loop walk

The start of Baravore loop walk begins at the end of Glenamlure valley road. The start point has a large car park with lots of space. The loop walk is 6km long with steep sections. This walk is possible for young kids but can be challenging. If you don’t feel your kids are able for the full walk they can do a small section and turn around. There are footbridges and great views of the valley and river from the start of the walk. This is a great place for kids to explore.

Kid friendly Hikes in Glenmalure Wicklow

Key points for Baravore loop walk

  • Starting point here
  • Suitable for kids 3-4 years plus
  • Section of river walks
  • Great views of the valley
  • Small steep sections
  • 2-3 hours to complete with lots of breaks
  • 6km long
  • Well signposted

Food Recommendations

Now, to one of the best parts of any hike, snacks and treats. We have a couple of good food recommendations after your hike. We always give the kids treats after a nice family walk. We have eaten in The Glenmalure Lodge after a number of our hikes in Glenmalure and found it to be a very nice family-run pub.

If you are going back to Laragh, the Wicklow Heather serves an amazing lunch or dinner, we highly recommend it for dinner.

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keadeen (Céidín) Mountain Wicklow https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/keadeen-ceidin-mountain-wicklow/ Sun, 29 Jan 2023 20:40:30 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=12905 Keadeen Mountain sits at an elevation of 653 metres (2,142 ft), and is Ireland's 152nd–highest mountain. We drove through the town of Rathdangan and hiked Keadeen mountain from the trailhead forestry car park. Keadeen Key facts We hiked 9.4km out and back to the 2 mountains. It took us 2 hours with small breaks Wet [...]

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Keadeen Mountain sits at an elevation of 653 metres (2,142 ft), and is Ireland’s 152nd–highest mountain. We drove through the town of Rathdangan and hiked Keadeen mountain from the trailhead forestry car park.

Keadeen Key facts

  • We hiked 9.4km out and back to the 2 mountains.
  • It took us 2 hours with small breaks
  • Wet gear was required as the top section is quite boggy
  • Parking is limited
  • Not suitable for kids in winter
  • Difficulty- Overall, it’s not too hard. 4 out of 10 for difficulty
  • Recommendation- A nice walk, and an easy summit

Keadeen Map

Below is a map of the walk to Keadeen summit.

Keadeen map

Keaden Carpark Start

The car park is located here. Come early to this mountain as parking is limited. Only 4-5 spaces are available for cars on this forestry road location.

Hiking Keadeen Mountain

The hike starts at the car park. Be sure to turn left straight away and not walk up the foresty road, as I did.

keadeen hike start

At the car park follow the trail footpath cut into the wood and not the forestry road. Once you find the path the trail to the summit is well-worn and easy to follow.

After about a 200m walk and a steady climb along the edge of the wood, you come to a fence. Cross over the fence and follow the fence line up the hill. The path is through a field but it is easy to follow.

keadeen hike wicklow

At the end of the field, you come onto an open mountain. From this point, it becomes very wet and boggy. Visibility was poor for us on the day of our hike but I’m sure there are amazing views from here.

Pass through the fence opening and take care on the mountain for deep boggy sections.

From this section, you will descend into a small valley and then back up another hill. The Cairn is then situated at the top.

Optional additional walk to Carrig Mountain

We decided to walk Carrig mountain as it was only a 4km walk to the top of Keadeen mountain, and we felt we needed to stretch our legs a bit more.

We walked back down the hill but now followed the fence line the whole way to Carrig Cairn.

The Cairn for Carrig Mountain was only a pile of stones but it was a nice little additional walk to finish off the hike. We used the same path to return back to the car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Seefin Hike Wicklow- Seefin Passage Tomb https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/seefin-hike-wicklow-seefin-passage-tomb/ Fri, 30 Sep 2022 08:42:42 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=5885 About Seefin Passage tomb Seefin passage tomb was built around 5,000 years ago. The passage tomb has a small passage 7m long through the centre. A stone at the entrance has carvings inscribed on its face. The kids love tracing the carvings and exploring the area looking for more. The roof of the tomb is [...]

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About Seefin Passage tomb

Seefin passage tomb was built around 5,000 years ago. The passage tomb has a small passage 7m long through the centre. A stone at the entrance has carvings inscribed on its face. The kids love tracing the carvings and exploring the area looking for more.

The roof of the tomb is open and you can view it from the top.

Seefin Wicklow passage tomb

Key facts about the Seefin Mountain hike

  • 2.4km out and back hike
  • 1-hour hike
  • Path well worn but no markers
  • The tomb at the top is 5,000 years old
  • Difficulty- Easy to moderate
  • Family-friendly but only in good weather
  • End of July it is filled with Fraughans
  • Recommendation- Great hike and the kids love it

Seefin Trailhead car park

The starting point of the Seefin passage tomb hike has 2 small car parks. One of the car parks has enough room for 3-4 cars. The other is the entrance into a wood.

Seefin car park

Below is the Google map of the car parks.

Seefin Hike

Seehin Passage Tomb hike is pretty straightforward. We did an out-and-back hike from the car park.

The walk starts beside the car park. Follow the trail up the side of the forest. The path is very clear to follow and walk along beside the fence for about 500m. The trail then splits and you need to turn left and walk up toward the summit.

Seefin start point

We walked this hike with our 5-year-old daughter and 1-year-old daughter. Our 5-year-old (Ourlitthiker) walked all the trail but got slightly tired near the end. It gets steep near the end and she found it hard not being able to see the summit.

We turned left when the fence beside the wood takes a sharp turn. The tree in the picture below is a good marker. The hike starts to get steeper from this point but it’s only 700m to the summit from this point.

seefin path Seefin hike

We used the new Deuter comfort Pro to carry our 1-year-old daughter. We got the kid’s carrier from 53 degrees north. The carrier has received a facelift from our old carrier with buckles, frames and attachments. We loved the new revisions and so does our tiny little hiker.

fraughans on seefin deuter kids comfort hiking bag

We hiked the trail at the end of July and we were surrounded by native Irish Fraughans which we munched on the whole way to the summit.

Map to hike to Seefin Summit

The summit of Seefin Passage Tomb

When we reached the summit of Seefin, we had a lovely picnic and admired the beautiful views of the surrounding west Wicklow sights.

seefin picnic with kids inside seefin passage tomb seefin passage tomb top

Conclusion

We loved this hike. It is a perfect little starter hike for small legs. Come early as there is limited parking. It’s a beautiful hike with great views of the Blessington lakes.

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10 Tips to Prevent Ticks while Hiking https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/10-tips-to-prevent-ticks-while-hiking/ Sat, 07 May 2022 21:10:25 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=8011 Top 10 Tips to prevent Ticks or "tick tacks" as our girls call them 😆 Last year I looked at a very informative live chat between @rozannapurcell and @ticktalkireland over on @thehikelife page all about Ticks, Lyme Disease and what to do if you found one on you or your pet. Our Hiking Tick history with Kids I previously had never [...]

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Top 10 Tips to prevent Ticks or “tick tacks” as our girls call them 😆
Last year I looked at a very informative live chat between @rozannapurcell and @ticktalkireland over on @thehikelife page all about Ticks, Lyme Disease and what to do if you found one on you or your pet.

Our Hiking Tick history with Kids

I previously had never come across a Tick in all my years of hiking, playing sports and outdoor activities and I wouldn’t have known what to do if I did. Fast forward a few months after watching the @ticktalkireland video and both our girls had a tick on their tummies, at the very same time 🤢.

Luckily we had our tick removers, froze the ticks in a zip lock bag, disinfected the area and watched out for all the signs of Lyme Disease. Thank God, they were both perfect and we have never come across one since 🙏

Pictures of the Ticks

Below I will share some tips and information, but to learn more follow @ticktalkireland

tips to prevent ticks

The picture above is the very place where the girls got the ticks, walking through the long grass, their tops must have lifted and the ticks latched onto their tummies.

What do Ticks look like?

What does a Tick look like on a human?

Picture 2 above shows the Tick buried headfirst into our kid’s tummy 🤢🙈

What to use to remove Tick?

tips to prevent ticks

The Picture shows the Tick Removers and Repellent Spray that we use. We used the Tick removers to remove the ticks in our kid’s tummies and found them very effective.

The above picture shows #ourlittlehikers repellent bracelet. We find the bracelet very good and she loves wearing it.

How to Prevent Ticks on Humans while Hiking

  1. Use a Repellent Spray. I spray all our hiking boots, bags and gear before a Hike.
  2. When you can wear pants, tuck them into your socks and tuck your t-shirts into your pants too.
  3. Try to avoid long grass if you can (although they can also be in short grass and woodland areas)
  4. Try walking in the centre of the woodland paths
  5. When possible, try to sit on your hiking bag, pad, blanket (shake it out afterwards) or a stone when having picnics.
  6. Do a quick Tick Check before getting into the car to go home.
  7. If you find a tick, don’t panic, use your tick remover (we keep ours in a zip lock bag in our 1st aid kit in our Hiking bag)
  8. Remove the tick with the tick remover by getting close to the skin where the head is attached and smoothly pull in an upwards direction, then disinfectant the area and your hands.
  9. Place the tick in a ziplock bag and write the name of the person, date and location on the bag and put it into your freezer when you get home. By putting the tick in a zip lock bag in the freezer it would help a lot if you start to develop any symptoms in the coming days like flu symptoms or sometimes not always a rash can appear or a bulls-eye rash. If this happens call your Doctor and they will do blood tests, test the frozen tick for any diseases like Lyme Disease and maybe give you antibiotics etc.
  10. Get a shower when you’re home from your hike and do a better tick check. Make sure to check the following places
    • legs, ankles
    • behind the knees
    • around the waistline, bellybutton
    • armpits
    • Back of neck, hairline, inside and behind the ears.

Check your Dogs for Ticks

Also, be sure to check your animals too.
I’m no expert in Ticks, so to learn more or if you have any questions check out @ticktalkireland

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Eask Tower Dingle Walk https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/eask-tower-dingle-walk-dingle-family-friendly-walks/ Sat, 30 Apr 2022 08:18:18 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=8338 Eask Tower Dingle walk was on our Dingle itinerary, as a "must-do hike in Dingle". The hike to Eask Tower is a short walk through a farmer's field that gives amazing views and is family-friendly. Eask Tower Walk Facts 2.4km out and back walk Start the walk here Quite steep at the start but Zig-Zag [...]

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Eask Tower Dingle walk was on our Dingle itinerary, as a “must-do hike in Dingle”. The hike to Eask Tower is a short walk through a farmer’s field that gives amazing views and is family-friendly.

Eask Tower Walk Facts

  • 2.4km out and back walk
  • Start the walk here
  • Quite steep at the start but Zig-Zag trails make it easier
  • Allow 1.5-2 hours to walk it and enjoy the views
  • Stunning views at the summit
  • Limited Parking, 5-6 car spaces
  • Not Dog friendly
  • €2 fee per adult- Kids go free
  • The farm owner collects the fee but also provides some great Irish humour
  • Farm owner lets you use their water to wash shoes at the end

Our Eask Tower Walk Experience

We started our hike to Eask Tower, late in the evening with the hope to try to get some kind of sunset. As we parked the car, the farm owner came out to collect the fee and provide us with lots of great stories. The kids loved chatting with her.

Starting the walk to Eask tower Dingle

The walk starts off by walking through a field owned by the farm lady. The walk is steep and filled with sheep poo but that adds to the whole experience. You pass through some gates before getting to the start of the Zig-zags.

When we reached the zig-zags it doesn’t seem as steep and we quickly reached the top section of the walk, where we could see the tower. We walked across the top of the hill until we reached the tower.

Luckily for us, an American family were also at the top at the same time and took a family photo of us, which we rarely get.

At the top, we relaxed and had a small picnic looking at the sunset over County Kerry and the Dingle peninsula.

Kids walking to Eask Tower

Our kids love the walk to Eask tower. Our 5-year-old ran to the top on her own. Our 3-year-old, did get carried at steep sections. We still bring our Deuter kids comfort for these sections to give her little legs a break when she needs it, our 1 year old got a free lift up and back with her Mammys Ergo carrier.

Summary of Dingle Family Walk

An easy 2.4km walk to Eask Tower and a true hidden gem of a walk. We highly recommend it. Our kids loved this walk.

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Waterford Top Family Friendly Walks & Activities https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/waterford-top-family-friendly-walks-activities/ Sun, 10 Apr 2022 16:19:15 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=7729 Waterford Top Family Friendly Walks Ardmore Cliff Walk Ardmore Cliff walk is a beautiful family-friendly walk in Ardmore County Waterford. Young kids love it. We walked this cliff walk route with our 3 young children. The walk is steep in places and has one small section with steps. Dangerous sections are fenced off. 4km loop, [...]

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Waterford Top Family Friendly Walks

Ardmore Cliff Walk

Ardmore Cliff walk is a beautiful family-friendly walk in Ardmore County Waterford. Young kids love it. We walked this cliff walk route with our 3 young children. The walk is steep in places and has one small section with steps. Dangerous sections are fenced off.

  • 4km loop, Buggy Friendly (except for about 15/20 steps. We carried the buggy up these)
  • We parked @cliffhousehotel (try to start early as there are not many car spaces)
  • Beautiful Coastal Views
  • Coffee horsebox near the end
  • It has a road walking section- Care required
  • Walks past the round tower
Waterford Top Family Friendly Walks

Visit Goat Island Beach after Ardmore Cliff Walk

Goat Island Beach  It is nearby, such a beautiful hidden gem with little caves. (The road down is very long and narrow, I was glad I wasn’t driving 🙈🤪)

  • Park here
  • Limited spaces
  • Very tight access road
  • Amazing little hidden gem of a beach
Waterford Top Family Friendly Walks

Lismore Castle and Gardens

Lismore Castle is so beautiful and there is also a playground beside the Carpark. The castle and grounds fees can be seen here. Our kids loved exploring the gardens and coffee shop treats.

Waterford Top Family Friendly Walks Waterford Top Family Friendly activity

Dromana Gate

Dromana Gate is a beautiful Hindu style Gothic Gate Lodge. You can park on either side of the bridge but be mindful of oncoming traffic while walking across it.

Mahon Falls

This is one of our favourite walks, that we do every year. Beautiful short flat walk to the waterfall which is also buggy Friendly. Make sure to call in to @crough_coffee before/after for some tasty treats.

  • Park here to walk down to Mahon falls (Free)
  • Come early on the weekend, this is very busy
  • 1.2 km walk to the base of the waterfall
  • Buggy friendly- Gravel path
  • Have a picnic and dip your feet into the water at the end

Waterford Greenway

The Waterford Greenway is one of Waterford’s famous walks and we love it. We have walked the whole greenway before we had kids. The Greenway is great for kids that love bikes and scooters, even if you only do a small section of it. If this is the case, we recommend walking through the tunnel section and exploring all the fairy doors.

Waterford Suir Valley Railway.

This is a train ride, great for kids and very fun. They get a little map to tick off all the different things they see along the way, the train stops for a few minutes at a fairy village where you stay on the train and keep an eye out for fairies.

  • It cost us €25 for 3 of us, kids under 3 go free
  • 10 km train ride
  • Stop to view the fairy village on the way
  • Bring ear muffs for smaller kids- it is very loud

Anne Valley Nature and Wildlife Walk

Anne Valley Wildlife walk is a beautiful buggy Friendly Walk. We recommend bringing your kid’s scooters/bikes. (Adult bikes not allowed) You can park on either side of the walk- Dunhill or Annestown Village. There is also a parking mid-way at Dunhill Castle. You can climb up into the castle where you will be greeted with spectacular views.

The Vee Mountain Pass- Bay Lough

Bay Lough at the Knockmealdowns. This is a Lovely walk to the lake. You can access the lake from the top or bottom car park. We walked up from the bottom car park.

  • The walk is not buggy friendly
  • It is steep but our 4-year-old daughter walked it all
  • 500m from the car park here
  • Amazing lake and very quiet
  • 1km from this car park here

Knockmealdown mountain and Sugarloaf Hill loop walk –

We previously wrote a blog post here on this so you can decide for yourself if it would suit your family. We hiked the Knockmealdowns in 2017 when we only had one little hiker to carry. Like all mountains climb with care, at the summit, there is a drop to one side, so if it’s foggy then turn around. Have the correct gear, navigation etc with you. There is also a section of road walking if you do the loop. The views are amazing 🤩

Knockmealdown waterford high point Hiking knockmeal mountain top Knockmealdown to sugarloaf loop Knockmealdown wtaer chp walking with a baby

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Caves of Kesh Sligo Hike- New Car Park- Map https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/caves-of-kesh-sligo-hike-new-car-park-map/ Mon, 03 Jan 2022 10:30:46 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=6133 Caves of Kesh We holidayed in Sligo in the Summer of 2021 and after a bit of research, we found that the Caves of Kesh are some of Sligo's best-kept tourist attraction secrets. The caves of Kesh were one of the best highlights of our Sligo holiday, we loved them. Kesh Caves Key information Length- [...]

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Caves of Kesh
We holidayed in Sligo in the Summer of 2021 and after a bit of research, we found that the
Caves of Kesh are some of Sligo’s best-kept tourist attraction secrets. The caves of Kesh were one of the best highlights of our Sligo holiday, we loved them.
inside the Caves of Kesh

Kesh Caves Key information

  • Length- 1.2km total (600m to caves)
  • Location- New car park here
  • Access- Good access
  • Path- Very steep in one section
  • Signage- Yes, easy path to follow
  • Rating- 8/10 (We loved this)
  • Child friendly? – Yes but care is needed
  • Map- Below

Caves of Kesh

Caves of Kesh Hike

We parked our car here in the new car park. When we decided to do the cave hike, the new car park was being constructed but it allowed us to park close to the start point and to have a safe place to unload the kids.
kesh caves car park new car park kesh

We started the hike by going through the metal gate beside the car park. We then walked through a flat meadowy field until we met a sign turning us left and across a timber sty.

The walk continues below the base of the mountain until it turns up sharp and very steeply toward the summit. The steep section is very short.

Path Slope

Be warned, one section is extremely steep and has a very slippy gravel surface. We advise bringing some good hiking boots and walking sticks as the footpath is extremely steep for a short section (100m). Halfway up the steep section, there is a chair for a break. After the steep section, it levels off very quickly and you get spectacular views across Sligo.
sligo caves path path to caves of kesh keash caves path

Advice for hiking with Kids

If you plan to bring kids on this hike, be warned there is a very sharp edge to the top section of the trail. We advise bringing straps (reins) for kids between 3-5, just to be on the safe side. Try to keep younger kids in their hiking bags for this section. This section with steep edges isn’t long, it’s only about 150 meters.

path to caves of kesh views from kesh caves

Inside Caves of Kesh Sligo

When we reached the caves, we were amazed at the outstanding views and the spectacular sunset that we were greeted with. We were truly lucky with our timing when we visited. The kids loved exploring and were totally amazed at the size of them. It was great fun and one of the highlights of our Sligo holiday.

Where are the caves of Kesh located?

Kesh Caves are located in County Sligo. They are on the west side of Keshcorran Hill. They are located to the rear of Keash village in Sligo, click here for google maps location to bring you to the newly constructed car park.

Caves of Keash Parking

Below is a map of the start point to walk the Kesh caves and the location of the new car park. The new car park can cater for 20+ cars. When we visited, the new car park was being constructed.

Map of Kesh Caves

How long does it take to walk the caves of Keash?

The walk to the Sligo caves is very short. We had very young walkers when we hiked to the caves. We hiked to the summit and back to the car in 40 minutes. This was with 3 kids ranging from, 3 months, 2,5 years, and 4-year-old. The kids loved it but they did find it very steep and slippy coming down.

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Moanbane and Silsean from Ballyknockan Wicklow https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/moanbane-and-silsean-from-ballyknockan-wicklow/ Mon, 29 Nov 2021 20:39:01 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=4676 Moanbane is the 85th highest mountain in Ireland and sits at an elevation of 703m above sea level. Silsean is 698m and is a 30-minute walk from Moanbane. Moanbane to Silsean hike- Key information Allow 2-3 hours to hike from Ballyknockan Parking and picnic tables at the start point Navigation Skills- Essential No signs or [...]

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Moanbane is the 85th highest mountain in Ireland and sits at an elevation of 703m above sea level. Silsean is 698m and is a 30-minute walk from Moanbane.

Moanbane to Silsean hike- Key information

  • Allow 2-3 hours to hike from Ballyknockan
  • Parking and picnic tables at the start point
  • Navigation Skills- Essential
  • No signs or visible trail to follow
  • Amazing views
  • 8 out of 10 for difficulty-Very steep
  • 11 km out and back hike

Starting point to hike Moanbane and Silsean

At the base of the mountain, there is a designated car park with 2 picnic tables and enough parking for 5-10 cars. We parked our car here.

Initially, couldn’t see a distinct hiking trail to walk the mountain. We started our hike to Moanbane by crossing the gate in front of the car park and walking in the direction of Silsean, first (RHS of the mountain).

Hiking to Silsean

We decided to hike to Silsean first, then we would cross over the ridge to Moanbane. After walking through the two flat fields at the start of the hike, we came to an open area below the base of the mountain. We walk towards a recently cut-down forest to the right as we looked at the mountain.

We follow the line of the fence ascending towards the summit until we reach the end of the fence. This section of the hike is EXTREMELY steep and very tough on the legs.

From here, we continue towards the summit. The landscape starts to turn very boggy with large peat mounds. After hiking 55 minutes from the car we see Silsean summit stone mount insight.

Hiking from Silsean to Moanbane

The summit of Silsean is distinct due to the large stone mount and the view over the Baltinglass lakes in the background. We turn left at Silsean summit, passing a small lake.  We walk in the direction of Moanbane while descending slightly and crossing the ridge between both mountains. The ground is very boggy in this location, with deep holes from water and peat.

We ascend again to climb the side of Moanbane but it is not too steep or long before we see a post in the distance marking the summit of Moanbane.

The summit of Moanbane is marked with a timber stake and a small lake.

Descending Moanbane to Ballyknockan

From Moanbane, we descend downward while trying to track back toward the base of Silsean. The descent is easy but navigation is required, as it’s easy to pick the wrong reference point to descent towards. Our descent was quick and easy. We walked into a herd of deer grazing while descending, it made for a great distraction on our descent.

Conclusion of Moanbane and Silsean hike

A very nice hike with two great summits. It took us 2 hours 10 minutes to summit both mountains and return back to the car. The hike is tough but very rewarding. Navigation is required on this mountain. We recommend the Viewranger app and a power bank for your phone.

Map of Moanbane to Silsean Wicklow hike

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Tonelagee Wicklow-Love heart Lake-lough Ouler walk https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/tonelagee-wicklow-love-heart-lake-lough-ouler/ Sat, 02 Oct 2021 06:43:07 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=4685 Tonelagee Mountain and Lough Ouler Tonelagee Mountain sits at an elevation of 817m. Lough Ouler is at the base of Tonelaglee, which provides the BEST viewing point over the famous love heart lake. The best views of Lough Ouler, Wicklow's love heart lake are from the top of Tonelagee. Key information about the hike Park [...]

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Tonelagee Mountain and Lough Ouler

Tonelagee Mountain sits at an elevation of 817m. Lough Ouler is at the base of Tonelaglee, which provides the BEST viewing point over the famous love heart lake. The best views of Lough Ouler, Wicklow’s love heart lake are from the top of Tonelagee.

Key information about the hike

  • Park here at Turlough hill
  • Allow 2-3 hours up and back
  • No clear markers but the path is very well defined
  • Difficulty- 6/10
  • Highlight- Wicklow landscape and Lough Ouler love heart-shaped lake
  • Hiking gear essential

Parking for Tonelagee & Lough Ouler Walk

We parked our car in Turlough hill car park here. The car park is large with lots of spaces. It is quite hidden away from the road, so don’t leave anything valuable visible in your car.

tonelagee parking

Tonelagee from the Turlough hill car park

The picture above shows the route that we took to hike to Wicklow’s love heart lake. We start the hike by walking over the sleepers in the car park and on the small viewing point. After a small 360 degrees twirl, we turn back toward the mountain and walk across the road.

Just as we step off the road, we need to cross a large drain. We just looked for everyone else’s crossing location and jumped across. Make sure to find the correct path. We spent some time, initially trying to find the footpath at the start. We have walked this path before and only found the path on the descent. This made the hike much harder than it should have been. Sometimes it is not really visible, due to the flowering heather but it is definitely worth finding.

Tonelagee Mountain

Once we are on the path, we cover ground very quickly and within 1 hour we reach the summit. There are no markers on the trail but the path is very prominent, when you identify it.  Be prepared and bring navigation equipment. On the top part of the mountain, the path is not as defined so be sure to stay orientated.

The hike up Tonelagee is not too steep or overly hard but it is easy to stray off course. Keep an eye on your OS map, we briefly lost the trail while descending. We consulted our Maps and found the trail 10 meters to the side.

Tonelagee mountain and Lough Ouler Map

Love heart lake wicklow map lough ouler

Tonelagee lake (Wicklow’s love Heart Lake)

We walked over toward Stoney Top to get views of Wicklow’s love heart lake. The lake is not visible from the summit of Tonelagee. When at the Cairn of Tonelagee, walk to the left hand side and follow the path until you see the famous Wicklow lake.

lough ouler hike

Caution— There are large cliffs near the viewing point of the lake be careful if there is a fog or if you have kids with you.

Time to hike to Lough Ouler Wicklow Love heart Lake

It took us 1 hour to ascend to the top of Tonelagee from the Turlough hill car park. The hike started on a foggy day but when we reached the top the fog started to lift, our views weren’t great. It is required to walk down to the rear of the mountain to get a view of the lake as it’s not visible from the summit.

Overall, allow 2 hours 30 minutes on the mountain to view Wicklows Love lake heart.

Optional Hikes after hiking Tonelagee

We have previously hiked St Kevin’s way and Turlough Hill which is the perfect starting point to walk into Glendalough. You could also continue your mountain hikes by walking onto Moanbane/ Silsean.

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Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/breastfeeding-in-the-outdoors-while-hiking/ Tue, 07 Sep 2021 19:02:52 +0000 https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/?p=4919 As it was World Breastfeeding Week a few weeks ago. I decided to write this blog post highlighting my tips showing what I have learned over the past four years of my breastfeeding journey with my girls in the great outdoors. Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking can be daunting but it has become a [...]

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As it was World Breastfeeding Week a few weeks ago. I decided to write this blog post highlighting my tips showing what I have learned over the past four years of my breastfeeding journey with my girls in the great outdoors. Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking can be daunting but it has become a large part of our hiking journeys.

breastfeeding baby on mountain baby carrier being used family hiking on mountain

When I first starting breastfeeding nearly 5 years ago, I taught I needed my breastfeeding pillow everywhere. On my 1st born, I found the first 6 weeks of breastfeeding hard mostly due to sore nipples, from a bad latch,  later I found out that she had a lip tie which didn’t help.  After that hurdle, it became very easy for me and I absolutely loved my breastfeeding journey.

Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking

When my firstborn daughter was 6 months old, we started becoming a little bit more adventurous with our hikes. We traveled all over Ireland climbing mountains with her on our back. Breastfeeding played a big part in that journey. It took that extra pressure off and allowed us to carry fewer baby-related items which also meant we didn’t have to stick to a routine. I could just feed her on demand when she wanted, wherever she wanted. I have fed both my girls until they were 18 months and now I am back feeding my third little girl, and I am loving it.

Croke patrick with babies toddlers helping Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking

Breastfeeding in the outdoors 11 top tips

Here are some tips that I have learned along the way that worked for me and made our hiking adventures in the outdoors easier.

1. Offer a feed in the car before you start your walk

By offering a feed in the comfort of your own car before you start your walk, you will start the hike with a happy and content baby. It will be one less feed to do on the trail. Sometimes this doesn’t work out, as they could be asleep from the car journey, I just pop the sleeping baby into the sling and keep walking until they wake up looking for a feed.

feeding before hikes lugnaquilla hike feeding in a car before hiking

2. Try to find a comfortable seat

If you didn’t want to buy or bring a pad to sit on, you could sit on your rucksack, a stone, or a log. Try to find somewhere dry and comfortable to sit on, you don’t know how long you could be there.

hiking bag hiking seat feeding with toddlers

3. Bring a small Umbrella

An umbrella is fantastic to use to protect you and the baby. The umbrella can block the sun, stop a light breeze and it can give you that extra bit of privacy if you are in a very public place. It also stops your baby from becoming distracted from being too nosey, which leads to her stopping mid-feed to look around.

4. Wear breastfeeding-friendly layers

Breastfeeding bras and tops are handy but you don’t have to go out and buy them, you can use what you have.

I wear a strap top, a loose-fitting t-shirt or top, and a zip jacket. All I have to do is pull up my top and pull down my strap top and bra, therefore you are completely covered, keeping your back, tummy, and chest warm while helping you feel modest and less exposed.

5. Wear a light scarf

I find a scarf handy as it acts as extra coverage and you can also use it as a blanket

6. Bring a rain cover

I bring the rain cover from my pram just in case I ever got caught out in the rain and needed to feed the baby and we couldn’t find shelter. You could drop it over your baby or use your rain jacket or poncho. In my bag I also have a little mosquito net just in case I need it for when you sit still there are more chances of little flies etc annoying you and your baby.

7. Feeding your baby in a Sling

When I use my ergo baby carrier, I loosen the strap on the side, that the baby is feeding at and get her into a comfortable position. I then hold her as I would when feeding her and the carrier acts as extra support for the baby.

baby carrier being used

8. Feeding your baby in a Deuter carrier

While Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking, sometimes I found that it might not suit to take our daughter out of the carrier to feed her. The weather could be bad and she could be protected in her carrier, we might be in an unsafe part of the hike, etc. We learned over numerous hikes, that if the baby is happy in her carrier that it might be easier to just feed her in the carrier. Sometimes, when you take them out of the carrier they might not want to go back in. They might just want to walk or to be carried to get a better view of the sheep, I learned to feed her while she sat in the carrier.

I just opened the side strap of the carrier, I kept her strapped in and I just leaned in and hugged the carrier and she would feed away, you could tilt the carrier a little to get a better position. This is easier to do when they are older, around 1 year old.

9. Feeding your baby when you have active toddlers with you

Now when we go hiking and I need to feed my youngest it’s harder to stop for long periods of time as my older two girls love to be on the move. To encourage everyone to stop, we put down a blanket and have little picnics (loads of snacks).

We let them empty out their hiking bags to look at the treasures, that they collected along their hike and sometimes I pull out a little notebook and pen to let them draw their favorite things that they have seen along the hike. When all of the above fails, I walk and feed at the same time.

Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking

10. Stay hydrated while Breastfeeding in the outdoors while hiking

While hiking, it’s important to stay hydrated and the same when you breastfeeding so make sure to bring extra water and keep hydrated, I usually hike with my husband, and he carries all these extra items in his hiking bag. We also bring Lifestraw bottles in case we run out of water. They are extremely handy and provide that little bit of security you need.

11. Relax and enjoy feeding your baby in nature

It can be stressful feeding in public, especially when it’s your first time. My advice is to try to ignore strangers passing by and relax, smile down at your baby and enjoy both the view of your baby and the view of the mountains or wherever you are.

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