County Wicklow extends from Bray, 19km (12 miles) S of Dublin, to Arklow, 64km (40 miles) S of Dublin
Sitting at a seaside cafe in the cheerful suburban town of Bray, you can look off to the southern horizon and see the mountains of County Wicklow casting their shadow your way. Wicklow's northernmost border is just a dozen or so miles south of Dublin, making it one of the easiest day trips. The beauty of the mountains, with its peaceful Vale of Avoca and isolated, contemplative monastery site, Glendalough, make it one of the most rewarding.
Bray is a stylish, upscale town, but it's also busy and bustling, so many people choose to head to County Wicklow by way of the sweet harbor town of Greystones, a place you might not tell your friends about, for fear of spoiling the secret. It has no special attractions except its charming self, and that's enough.
Beyond Greystones, a raised granite ridge runs through the county, peaking at two of the highest mountain passes in Ireland -- the Sally Gap and the Wicklow Gap. Once you're among the mountains, the best way to soak up the scenery is to strike out on foot on the well-marked Wicklow Way walking path, which wanders for miles past mountain tarns and secluded glens. You can pick up a map at any tourism office, and then choose a stretch of the path to explore. If you're staying in the car, you'll want to track down the picturesque villages of Roundwood, Laragh, and Aughrim.
Just over the border of County Wicklow lies County Carlow, one of Ireland's smallest counties, bordered to the east by the Blackstairs Mountains and to the west by the fertile limestone land of the Barrow Valley and the Killeshin Hills. Its most prominent feature is the 5,000-year-old granite formation known as Browne's Hill Dolmen. It's believed to have the largest capstone in Europe, weighing a colossal 100 tons.
