About Little Sugar Loaf
Little Sugar Loaf is a rocky twin top at 342 metres above Kilmacanogue. The reward is the panorama. The hill sits just north of the N11 between Kilmacanogue and Bray, its north side looking over Bray and its east side across to Bray Head, a familiar cone above the Dublin commuter belt.
The rock underfoot is Cambrian quartzite, part of the Bray Group – very hard, very old and stubborn against erosion, which is why the summit stays as a bare, knuckled ridge while the lower slopes carry woodland and open heath. The geological survey places it in the same belt of ancient rocks as Bray Head and the Great Sugar Loaf. Because the sea is so close, the top gives long views in every direction, and the terrain changes quickly as you go up, from shaded forest path to exposed, wind-scoured rock.
The walk
The marked way across the hill is the Belmont Way, a strenuous linear route of about 5 km through woodland, farmland and the shoulder of Little Sugar Loaf. Follow the marked trail from a signed trailhead and arrange transport at the far end, or turn back partway.
The summit is separate from the marked route and involves steep, rocky ground. Check current access and conditions before heading higher, and take the final stretch slowly. The top is bare, rocky ground with two tops that give slightly different angles on the coast, so only go up if access is clear. Wind and wet rock call for respect.
The view
The view is the point. On a clear day it runs east over Dublin Bay and the Irish Sea, and south down the coast past Bray Head to the sharp cone of the Great Sugar Loaf and the Wicklow Mountains piling up behind it. Sit on the rock, let your legs recover, and watch the ferries cross the bay.
Name and history
The Irish name Giolspar is a transliteration of Giltspur – gilt spur. It comes from a 12th-century land arrangement in which Diarmait Mac Murchada, king of Leinster, was owed an annual rent of a pair of gilt spurs, and the name stuck to the hill.
Little Sugar Loaf also holds a quiet place in climbing history. Sir Chris Bonington, who went on to lead expeditions in the Himalaya, made his very first ascent here in 1951, aged 16, taking the bus out from Dublin to Bray and walking up the slopes.
Practical tips
- Parking and access: use the signed trailhead parking on the Belmont Way, and check the Wicklow Uplands page for the current route. Don’t park on the lane or block gates.
- Footwear and conditions: the summit scramble is uneven rock that gets greasy in the wet. Wear shoes with grip, and bring a waterproof year-round; the coastal wind bites in autumn and winter.
- Public transport: check current timetables for services to Kilmacanogue and Bray before leaving the car at home.
- Facilities: don’t count on any on the hill. Bring your own water and food.
- Fire safety: the heath dries out in summer; check for local council fire notices before you go and never bring anything lit onto the slopes.
Nearby
Wicklow County Council says there is no through route on the Bray–Greystones Cliff Walk, so do not plan a walk along the cliffs between the two towns. For a separate coastal outing, use the open Bray Head loop near Bray and follow the signs and barriers.
Bring something windproof for the top, and don’t expect a path the whole way – the last stretch to the summit is a scramble over bare quartzite that gets slick in the rain.