Wicklow Mountains Military Road

Built by British forces after the 1798 rebellion to control the Wicklow Mountains, this 56-kilometer military road climbs from Rathfarnham through the Sally Gap and Glenmacnass Valley to Laragh village. The original route served to patrol the “Wicklow Wilderness” where Irish rebels found refuge among the granite peaks and peat bogs. Modern overlanders follow forestry extensions that branch off the main road, accessing remote valleys like Glendasan and the abandoned Ballyknockan lead mines where 19th-century workings still scar the mountainsides.

Moderate difficulty suits stock 4WD vehicles, though the bog tracks require careful route selection during wet periods. Best traveled April through October when the mountain passes stay clear. No permits needed for the main route, but Coillte forestry tracks may require permission for overnight camping. The reward is classic Irish highland scenery — rolling peat moors, stone circles, and the ruins of Glendalough’s 6th-century monastic city. Fuel and supplies in Roundwood village.