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Voykit pocket guide · Ireland
Roundwood
An Tóchar
Base in Roundwood for 1–2 nights only if you are hiking the Wicklow Way or driving to Glendalough; otherwise sleep in Glendalough or Bray.
Roundwood is a small hill village in County Wicklow, about 6 km north of Glendalough, sitting beside the Vartry reservoirs that supply Dublin's water. It has a handful of pubs, a caravan park and a B&B, and it works best as a walking base on the Wicklow Way or a quiet overnight stop on the R755 between Dublin and Glendalough. There is no railway and no bus after early evening, so a car or a booked bus seat decides your day.
- Country
- Ireland
- Local name
- An Tóchar
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (short days, wet trails, many places closed)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including pubs and taxis.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Three and Eir run the networks; prepaid SIMs (also 48, Tesco Mobile, GoMo) sell in phone shops and newsagents, no registration fuss.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire, coast guard, mountain rescue 112 · Alternative emergency number 999
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Type G three-pin, like the UK; European and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–15% if service is not included.; Pub: Not expected when ordering at the bar.; Taxi: Round up.; Tour guide or driver: €5–10 per person for a day tour.; Hotel porter: €1–2 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water is safe; occasional local 'boil water' notices are posted by Uisce Éireann.
- Toilets
- Free in shopping centres, museums, pubs (as a customer) and many petrol stations; some public toilets charge 50c.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in a village café | €3–4.50 |
| Pub main course (Roundwood Inn, Byrne & Woods) | €16–26 |
| Pint of stout or lager | €5.50–7 |
| Taxi, 5 km (3.1 mi)Taxi, 3.1 mi (5 km) | €12–18 |
| Victor's Way adult entry | €10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DUB · Dublin Airport
- About 1 h 15 min by car via M50 and M11/N11; no direct bus to Roundwood, so change in Dublin or Bray.
Typical fares
- St Kevin's Bus, Dublin (St Stephen's Green) → Roundwood
- about €15 one way, twice daily (check)
- Local Link Bus 183, Wicklow → Roundwood
- about €5 one way, 4–5 times daily (check)
- Taxi Roundwood → Glendalough
- €15–25 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk or bike inside the village; everything else needs a car or a booked seat. St Kevin's Bus runs twice a day from Dublin (St Stephen's Green) via Bray and Roundwood to Glendalough; Local Link Bus 183 runs 4–5 times a day from Wicklow town via Ashford and Rathnew, continuing to Laragh, Glendalough, Blessington and Naas. Both are check-worthy for 2026 timetables.
See and do
Known for
- Vartry reservoirs and Dublin's water supply
- Wicklow Way access
- Glendalough day trips
- Sally Gap and Lough Tay drive
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Glendalough | St Kevin's Bus or Local Link 183 to Laragh/Glendalough, or 10 min by car on R755 | About 15–25 min |
| Sally Gap and Lough Tay | Car or bike on R759, turning off R755 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the villageCar or bike on R759, turning off R755 1.2 mi (2 km) north of the village | About 20 min to the gap |
| Wicklow town | Local Link Bus 183 via Ashford and Rathnew | About 30–40 min |
| Bray | Car on R755 and M11/N11, or bus to Bray for DART trains | About 30–40 min |
| Blessington | Local Link Bus 183 west, or car over Sally Gap | About 40–60 min |
| Enniskerry | Car via R755 and R117, or hike over Djouce on the Wicklow Way | About 30 min by car |
Sleep
- Village centre (Main St)
- Walk to pubs, the Coach House rooms and the R755/R765 junction; best for one night without a car.
- Togher Beg / east lake shore
- Caravan and camping park plus the outdoor activity centre; open June–Aug only.
- Oldbridge and the Wicklow Way
- 4 km (2.5 mi) west of the village; B&B on the trail, quiet, needs a car or a walk in.2.5 mi (4 km) west of the village; B&B on the trail, quiet, needs a car or a walk in.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dia duitjeea gwit |
| Thank you | Go raibh maith agatguh rev mah agut |
| Please | Le do thoilleh duh hull |
| Where is the toilet? | Cá bhfuil an leithreas?kaw will un leh-rass |
| How much is it? | Cé mhéad é?kay vade ay |
| Cheers | Sláinteslawn-cha |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names quickly; avoid: Over-formality; it reads as coldness
- Conversation: Banter, weather and sport; self-deprecating humour; avoid: Opening with Northern Ireland, religion or the Famine
- Pubs: Buy your round; chat at the bar; avoid: Leaving a round without buying one
- Identity: Say Ireland, or the Republic when you need to distinguish; avoid: 'Southern Ireland' and calling it British
- Driving: Lift a finger from the wheel to thank drivers who pull in for you; avoid: Stopping on narrow bends for photos
Scams and watch-outs
- No railway and no evening bus: the last Local Link and St Kevin's runs leave before nightfall, so plan the return or book a bed.
- Lough Dan 3 km west is private land: do not walk around the lake.
- Mountain weather changes fast; the Wicklow Way boardwalk to Djouce is exposed and boggy off the path.
- Victor's Way is an adults' sculpture garden, not a family fun park; wear stout shoes and expect a soggy site.
- Mobile signal is 4G/5G in the village but patchy in the hills.
Roundwood is a quiet village and feels safe day and night. The real risks are mountain weather, boggy ground off the Wicklow Way boardwalk, and having no bus after early evening: check the last departure before you set out.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Roundwood yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Vartry reservoirs and Dublin's water supply
- Wicklow Way access
- Glendalough day trips
- Sally Gap and Lough Tay drive
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Discover Ireland — County Wicklow: www.discoverireland.ie/wicklow
- Wicklow County Council — Roundwood: www.wicklow.ie
- Transport for Ireland — Local Link Bus 183: www.transportforireland.ie
- Wikivoyage: Roundwood, revision 5324532 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5324532
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
RoundwoodAn Tóchar
Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoil
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Roundwood; the US embassy and most others are in Dublin. The nearest Garda station is in Roundwood or Ashford (check opening hours).
English is spoken everywhere; Irish is the first official language but not needed in the village.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/roundwood). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.