Answers to common questions

  Q. How do I get permission to film in the Dublin Mountains?

A. See below details per landowner.

Coillte lands: see link to Coillte’s Licences webpage, and link to details on insurance requirements and fees for all licences including filming licences. Applications for licences must to be made 3 weeks before the event date.

South Dublin County Council Lands: Filming Applications to South Dublin County Council must be submitted at least 5 working days in advance of the date permission is required for filming. For further information you can download the application form here. This can be submitted, along with Public Liability insurance cover with a specific indemnity for South Dublin County Council through e-mail to communications@sdublincoco.ie. When this application has been received, it is circulated to relevant departments in the Council for consideration. If no additional information is required and providing there are no objections to the filming request, a decision is issued by the Council with conditions attached and upon receipt of appropriate payment (if applicable).

Dublin City Council Lands: email filming@dublincity.ie or ring 012222679 regarding filming on DCC property. 

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Lands: see link to webpage.

National Parks and Wildlife Service lands: see link to webpage.

Q. Where can I find a map and route descriptions for the Dublin Mountains Way? 

A. There are a number of paper and on-line sources that show the route of the Dublin Mountains Way. Via the DMP website you can download the DMW brochure, for a paper copy please email your postal address to info@dublinmountains.ie, more detailed section maps are available via this link.

External Map Sources

Sport Ireland Outdoors: Dublin Mountains Way

Hiiker website and App: Dublin Mountains Way

East West Mapping: paper maps Dublin & North Wicklow Mountains (scale 1:30,000), digital map via app North Wicklow.

OSI: Discovery Series 50 (scale 1:50,000), Adventure Series: Wicklow North (scale 1:25,000)

 [last updated 13.11.20]

Q. Are there ways to get to the Dublin Mountains without a car?

A. There are public transport connections to the Dublin Mountains at Shankill (Dublin Bus and DART), Tallaght (Dublin Bus and LUAS), Barnaslingan (Dublin Bus Route 44) and Glencullen (Dublin Bus Route 44B - weekdays only) all connecting with the Dublin Mountains Way. From Marlay Park (Dublin Bus) it is an approximately 20 minute walk along the Wicklow Way to Kilmashogue leading to Ticknock and Tibradden. Transport for Ireland’s Journey Planner App is a useful resource. [updated 13.02.20]  

Q: Where can I report issues with way marked trails e.g. a missing or turned sign?

A : Please report any problems with way-marked trails and permanent orienteering courses by email to info@dublinmountains.ie. Please include the location and if possible a photograph of the issue. [updated 21.10.19]

Q: Where can I look for accommodation options in the Dublin Mountains?

A : South Dublin County Councils Dublin's Outdoors website includes a listing of accommodation offerings.  Dun Laoghaire Rathdown's Tourism Office and website can assist with accommodation searches. The GAP's (Glencullen Adventure Park) website also includes a listing of accommodation. [updated 21.10.19]

Q: Can I ride my horse on DMP lands?

A: You can only ride your horse in a Coillte forest if you have a permit to do so, see link to Coillte's on-line permit application system. Otherwise horse riding is prohibited. [updated 21.10.19]

Q. What is Leave No Trace?

A. Coillte has adopted the Leave No Trace message as the environmental code for users of our forests. This is the national message and replaces the old country code. We ask all recreation users to follow the Leave No Trace approach and thereby ensure the protection of our forests and natural environment and the better enjoyment for other users. Leave No Trace expects YOU to take personal responsibility for your actions.

Q. Is access allowed to all lands within the Dublin Mountains?

A. Access is allowed to all the public lands within the Dublin Mountains which includes Coillte forest lands, National Park Lands, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, South Dublin County Councils and Dublin City Council lands. The DMP members allow Permissive Access on foot to its lands. Small areas may be restricted from time to time for Health and Safety and other operational issues or for biodiversity and nature conservation. We ask all visitors to heed all warning signs or employee directions, they are there to protect you and this valuable recreation resource.

Q. How do I know what land is accessible?

A. We have begun a process of signing all the public lands with trail head signs and threshold signs. We are also marking entrances with "walkers welcome" or "mountain access route" signs to help guide you to public lands or lands where public access is allowed. The DMP is also working with East West Mapping to produce a Dublin Mountains Map that will show all the public access land clearly.

Q: Are forests in the Dublin Mountains wheelchair accessible?

A:  Unfortunately due to the natural gradient of the forest roads and trails in the Dublin Mountains no sites can be currently designated as wheelchair accessible.

Q: What is a Grid references and how to use them ?

A: Every point in Ireland can be picked out by a letter and unique number e.g. Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow is O 223  173 - this is the national grid reference.

Locate the square with the correct letter - always a large blue letter in our example "O".
Now locate the  vertical grid line to the left of the point you wish to find and read the figure labelling the line on the top or bottom margin e.g. "22". Now estimate tenths from the grid line to the point you wish to find "3". These are the EASTINGS always read first!
Next locate the  horizontal grid line below the point you wish to find and read the figure labelling the line on the right or left margin e.g. "17". Now estimate tenths from the grid line to the point you wish to find "3". These are the NORTHINGS.

Q: Can I bring my dog to DMP lands?

A: Not always. Access is not always allowed for your dog on all our lands because of environmental considerations and danger to farm animals on adjacent lands.

You can however bring your dog to some Coillte Forests. Forests are a great place to walk your dog. However, remember that other visitors use the forest and they may not be as fond of YOUR dog as you are and dogs can also cause disturbance to wildlife and live stock on adjoining farmland. Therefore YOU  must be aware of what your dog is doing in the forest and be sure that they are under effective control.

Effective control means that your dog will come at your command,  if not your dog must to be kept on a lead.

Q. How do I know how far or how difficult the hiking/walking trail is.

A. We have graded all our trails in the DMP lands as multi access, easy, moderate and strenuous. We also give the length, expected time, meters of climb and whether the trails is  linear or loop.

Q: How can we support the work of the Dublin Mountains Partnership ?

A: The DMP is encouraging the increased use of volunteers in the area and is involved in two initiatives. You can assist the work of the DMP by getting involved in either of these two initiatives or by learning and practicing the Leave No Trace principles on your visits outdoors.

Volunteer Ranger Service - volunteer rangers are members of the general public who agree to join the volunteer ranger service and work with the DMP to improve the recreation experience for visitors. The work of the rangers will involve patrolling the lands to assist users and promoting the Leave No Trace message, leading educational activities, surveys etc.

Mountain Meitheal - Trail conservation work.

The DMP is working with Mountain Meitheal ( www.pathsavers.org ) on a project to improve trails in the Dublin Mountains. Work takes place every second week end during the season (late February - November) and current projects are listed on their website.

Q: Are there bins in the DMP recreation sites ?

A: In general the Dublin Mountains Partnership  expects all visitors to bring their rubbish home,  we apply the Leave No Trace message, "pack it in, pack it out".  If you can bring it with you, you can bring it home with you.  So please keep our forests and mountains clean and take your rubbish home.

Q: Can I bring a large group?

A: Yes. However you may need a permit and you should contact the recreation manager  to obtain such a permit.

Q: Is mountain biking permitted on DMP lands?

A: Ticknock is the official mountain bike trail system in the Dublin Mountains.  Mountain biking is not permitted on any other DMP lands or any Coillte forests in the DMP area.  Coillte have four other designated mountain bike trails in Ballinastoe, Co. Wicklow; Derroura, Oughterard, Co. Galway; Portumna Forest Park, Co. Galway; and Ballyhouras, Co. Limerick/Cork.  Family cycle paths are available in Curraghchase Forest Park and Portumna Forest Park.  Check the Coillte Outdoors website for more information http://www.coillte.ie/our-forests/recreation-map/.  The DMP will be looking to expand the Ticknock mountain bike trails in the near future.

Q: Can we camp in the Dublin Mountains?

A: Camping is not allowed in the public lands in the Dublin Mountains for safety reasons.  For camping with scouts, guides or youth groups you should contact the recreation manager for a permit. Camping for scouts and guides is also available at Larch Hill - the national Scout Centre which is located in the heart of the DMP area. Contact Larch Hill for details.

Q: Are there opening and closing times for the Forest Car Parks?

A: Forests in the Dublin Mountains area have a specific closing time. This will be posted on the site. After dark, forests are not recommended as places that people should be in for a variety of reasons. We would ask all visitors to respect the signs and adhere to the closing times and vacate the forest prior to those times for their own safety.

Q: Car parking in the Forest. Do you charge for car parking?   

A: There is no parking charge at our forest car parks in the Dublin Mountains area.

Q: Can I use an off road vehicle?

A: Off road vehicles are not allowed to be used in the forest or on other public lands and are currently banned under Coillte's bylaws. Failure to comply with this can result in the seizure of the vehicle and a hefty fine.

Q: What should we do in the event of an emergency?

A: In the event of an emergency you should contact the following numbers:-

If an accident happens in a remote area we would such suggest you contact the local Garda, on 999 who will contact the Mountain Rescue or similar emergency service.

In the event of coming across a fire in the forest or on the open mountain please ring the local Garda, who will contact the forester/recreation manager and the fire services. Again you can also ring them directly on 999.

Q. What happens the forest land after a clear fell?

A. Coillte is committed to sustainable forest management and maintaining a sustainable yield of timber. After a clear fell Coillte establishment team (they plant new forests) will quickly assess the site for replanting and generally within a year the brash (residue) will be cleared from the site and cultivation complete for replanting. It generally takes two to three years for the forest to "green up" and the rotation (forest cycle) to begin again. The opening up of new areas through clear felling and subsequent replanting adds to the biodiversity of the forest, creating new habitats for mammals and birds. Young vigorous are also excellent carbon sinks soaking up carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas.

You can see forest management plans for the Dublin Mountains by visiting http://www.coillte.ie/faqs/