Overview
Lough Bray consists of two glacial corrie lakes, Upper and Lower, set into the eastern face of Kippure within the Wicklow Mountains National Park. The area lies roughly 25 km (15 mi) south of Dublin. Their deep, dark waters sit in bowl-shaped basins carved out by ice more than 10,000 years ago, with steep slopes and granite crags rising above them. It is a quieter, more rugged setting than nearby hubs like Glendalough or Lough Tay.
The ground around the lakes includes private land, and informal access has caused erosion. Leave private grounds, gates and entrances clear, and treat this as a place to see and appreciate rather than somewhere to plan a route across.
Walking Routes
The trails around Lough Bray are not marked, and we do not describe off-trail routes here. For a marked mountain walk, choose one of the national park trails at Glendalough and follow the park’s route and weather guidance.
Key sights
- Eagle’s Crag – A prominent granite buttress that dominates the valley above the lakes.
- Lough Bray House – A private residence on the northern shore of Lower Lough Bray, built as a cottage around 1830 at the expense of the Duke of Northumberland for the Dublin surgeon Sir Philip Crampton, and later held by the Guinness family. It is strictly private.
- Kippure – Topped by its landmark TV mast, the mountain rises above the lakes.
History & Folklore
Local legend attributes the steep, gouged cliffs to Fionn MacCumhaill, who supposedly scooped up rock and soil while pursuing a wild boar. The geology is no less striking: both lakes are classic corrie basins, gouged out by glacial ice, and the moorland around them is strewn with erratic boulders, some up to 10 m across, dropped as the ice melted.
The surrounding moorland contains remnants of ancient field systems and old pathways, hinting at centuries of upland habitation. The Old Military Road (the R115) was itself cut by the British army after the 1798 Rebellion, to open up the Wicklow uplands. Lough Bray House remains the most visible marker of the area’s later, aristocratic past, and it is private.
Can you swim in Lough Bray?
We do not promote swimming here. Lough Bray is not a monitored bathing water: nobody tests the water and nobody is watching the shore. The water is cold year-round, the lake has steep drop-offs typical of glacial formations, and there are no lifeguards or changing facilities. See swimming in Ireland’s lakes for how that compares with the nine lakes in the country that do carry an official bathing-water designation.
Practical Tips & Safety
- Weather – Mountain conditions change rapidly. A waterproof jacket, windproof layer and warm hat should always be packed, even in summer.
- Navigation – Paths are faint in places and can disappear in mist. Carry a paper map and compass as well as a phone.
- Footwear – Sturdy hiking boots with good grip are essential, as ground on these slopes is often wet and boggy.
- Dogs – Keep dogs on a lead on national park trails, and well away from private grounds.
Nearby Attractions
The Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, just down the valley, is worth the stop in its own right: the former barracks has a small German military cemetery from the two world wars and a wayside grotto. The Sally Gap sits a few kilometres west, a classic mountain drive and the start point for longer summits like Camaderry or the rugged Camenabologue.