THERE'S GOLD IN THEM THAR HILLS!!! Wicklow Mountains, worth their weight in gold!

Описание: The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in all of Ireland. Centered in County Wicklow, they spill over into counties Dublin, Wexford, and Carlow. If you're in Dublin, you might hear them called the 'Dublin Mountains,' but it’s all part of the same majestic range. The highest point stands at 925 metres — over 3,000 feet — a summit that often sits above the clouds and much of these mountains are obscured today unfortunately due to the weather.

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But it wasn’t just beauty the mountains offered — they were also rich in resources. For centuries, copper and lead were mined here. And for a brief moment in the 18th century… gold fever hit! Today, you can still find traces of these mines if you know where to look

Many of Ireland’s major rivers begin right here. The Liffey (that we all of course know if we’ve ever been to Dublin), the Dargle, the Slaney, and the Avoca all have their headwaters high in these hills. There are also several waterfalls including Ireland’s second tallest, Powerscourt, tumbling 121 metres down a cliffside. It's one of the most visited natural sites in the country. We won’t visit that one today although I will be making a stop at the beautiful Glenmacnass waterfall later.

Long before tourists with hiking boots and Instagram feeds discovered the Wicklow Mountains, people were living, building, fighting, and surviving in these rugged hills... and their stories are wild. These mountains have been home to people since the Neolithic period — that's over 5,000 years ago! Passage tombs ,standing stones, and rock art still dot the langscape, silent sentinels of a forgotten time

You probably already know that, around the 6th century, Saint Kevin founded a monastery near here at Glendalough. Over the next two centuries, it became a thriving village, spiritual retreat, and one of Ireland’s key centres of learning. Of course, success made it a target. Glendalough was looted multiple times by both rival tribes and Norse raiders. Then the Normans showed up and folded it into the Dublin church, and eventually, it was burned by the English in 1398. But it was never forgotten. It grew into a major spiritual and cultural hub during the early Christian period. I’ve made a separate film about that that you can seek out - Glendalough is really an incredible and fascinating place.

After the Norman invasion in the 12th century, the Wicklow Mountains became a natural fortress for Irish clans like the O’Byrnes and O’Tooles. For nearly 500 years, they launched raids against English settlers, using the rugged terrain as cover. The mountains were the perfect base for guerrilla warfare. From their strongholds, they harassed the English so much that the region earned the nickname “terra guerre” — the land of war. Not your typical postcard slogan. One of the biggest showdowns happened in Glenmalure, where English forces were crushed not once but twice—most famously in 1580 by Fiach McHugh O’Byrne, Wicklow’s answer to Braveheart.

Even during the 1798 Rebellion, rebels found refuge in these hills. But that resistance faded with the building of the the Wicklow Military Road by the British, in the early 1800s, which we’re on now. Think of it as the original scenic drive with a military twist—complete with barracks and checkpoints. But by the time it was done, the rebellion was over. Talk about being late to the party.

By 1841, the Wicklow uplands had a decent population of around 13,000. Then came the Great Famine, and the numbers dropped dramatically as people fled the harsh, unforgiving land.

Things turned around again in the 19th century, the railways rolled in, and tourism was born. Horse-drawn carriages would ferry eager visitors from Rathdrum into the mountains. Glendalough became the star attraction, and guides were already recommending scenic tours along the Military Road by the 1820s.

Today, the Wicklow Mountains aren’t just a historic treasure — they’re a living landscape, protected for future generations. The entire upland area is a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area under EU law. And in 1991, the Wicklow Mountains National Park was established to safeguard its biodiversity and scenery

The Wicklow Mountains are more than just peaks and valleys though. They’re a place where geology, ecology, and history all meet. A place where ancient stones speak, rivers remember, and skies open wide