Overview
Ticknock is where Dublin goes when it wants a mountain without leaving the city: a short drive from the M50 to a car park high on the northern slopes of the Dublin Mountains, with Dublin Bay laid out below in clear weather. That easy access is also the catch, because the car park can be full at busy times, so come early or come on a weekday. Managed by Coillte, the forest runs from gentle strolls to designated mountain-bike trails. The surfaced forest road climbs towards Three Rock Mountain (444 m), and the route beyond it to the Fairy Castle cairn on Two Rock Mountain (536 m) crosses rough, exposed upland, with views over Dublin City, Dublin Bay, Bray Head and the Wicklow Mountains.
History and the landscape
The townland of Ticknock (Irish: Tigh an Chnoic, ‘house of the hill’) lies on the edge of the uplands, and the Fairy Castle cairn on Two Rock is thought to cover a Neolithic passage tomb. Housing has crept up towards the forest from the M50 side, but the wood itself is protected; in 2020 Coillte began replacing sections of commercial conifer with native oak, ash and birch, which is slowly giving the forest a more varied, seasonal character. Ticknock is on the Dublin Mountains Way and a traditional starting point for sections of the Wicklow Way.
Walking the trails
Coillte lists the Fairy Castle Loop as a 5.5 km moderate walk, taking about an hour and a half. It follows the Dublin Mountains Way on green waymarkers, passes Three Rock and reaches the cairn on Two Rock before returning past the former rifle range. Follow the walking map, wear footwear with grip and turn back if visibility or weather deteriorates.
- Kilmashogue route: for a longer and quieter outing, start from Kilmashogue Forest instead and add roughly an hour, with a steady early climb and wider ridge views.
- Accessibility: the forest road is surfaced but uphill, and beyond it the ground turns rocky and the summit is exposed, so weather can change quickly. Check the route and gradients for your group.
Mountain biking and orienteering
Coillte lists around 15 km of designated singletrack and forest roads. Use the cycling map, choose a trail grade that suits your experience and follow riding signs at junctions. Keep walking groups off bike-only sections. Storms and maintenance close sections from time to time, so check the Dublin Mountains Partnership or Coillte’s notices before riding.
There are also two permanent orienteering courses, a short 1.1 km and a medium 2.6 km, with maps and answer sheets to download from the Coillte website.
Art, sound and culture
The DLR Nature and Place programme has commissioned temporary outdoor installations from artists including Martin Healy, Méadhbh O’Connor and Robert Coleman. There is also an audio-walk podcast, ‘Ticknock: What’s Going On?’, by Listen and Breathe, made to play as you climb from the upper car park to Fairy Castle, blending ambient sound with spoken poetry.
Getting there and parking
- By car: from the city centre follow the R113 past Marlay Park, turn at the Taylor’s Grange junction and on to the forest entrance. The forest car park is signed, with standard opening hours of 6am to 10pm. Check current notices and keep entrances clear if it is full. The approach road is narrow and slippery after rain, and Kilmashogue Forest car park is the fallback.
- By public transport: use the TFI journey planner and check the uphill walking leg before setting out.
- By bike: the forest is connected to the city’s cycle network; check the Dublin Mountains interactive map for bike-friendly routes to the car park.
Practical information
- Opening hours: the car park is open from 06:00 to 22:00. Gates may close early in severe weather or for maintenance, so check Coillte’s notices.
- Facilities: check the Coillte page for what is currently available on site, and follow Leave No Trace by carrying out all waste.
- Safety: the car park may close in snow, ice or high-wind warnings, and you should not enter the forest during a Met Éireann Red Wind warning. Trails get muddy after heavy rain.
- Dogs: dogs are welcome; keep them under control and clean up after them.
- Navigation: maps to download on the Coillte site, offline routes on the HiiKER app, and OSI Discovery Series Sheet 50 for map readers.
Nearby attractions
- Marlay Park: a short drive away, with formal gardens, woodland and a playground.
- Glencullen: home to Johnnie Fox’s Pub and the start of several mountain routes.
- Tibradden and the Hell Fire Club: more Dublin Mountains walking within easy reach.
- Blue Light Pub: a traditional stop at the foot of the mountains for a post-walk pint.
Come on a weekday morning for parking and quiet, and if the wind is up, check the warnings before you set out: the summit is fully exposed.