Roundwood is a small, picturesque village in nestled amongst the glorious Wicklow Mountains in the heart of Ireland's Garden County, County Wicklow.

Understand

Roundwood is on the main route from Dublin to Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains making it an ideal stop-off point for travellers between the capital & Glendalough's monastic village. At 238 metres above sea level, it is one of the highest villages in Ireland.

Roundwood has a close association with two former Presidents of Ireland, Seán T. O'Kelly who lived locally and Erskine Childers who is buried in the nearby Church of Ireland Derralossary churchyard.

Get in

By bus

Roundwood is served by the privately owned St. Kevins Bus Service [1], which runs twice-daily between Dublin, Bray & Glendalough. Buses cost €13 one-way, €20 return and offer a fast reliable service which takes roughly 1 hour from Dawson Street in Dublin City Centre. The route takes in some of Wicklow's most breathtaking scenery and is highly recommended on a summers day.

By bike

Taking a bike is another popular method of travelling to and through Roundwood. Although no separate cycling paths exist along the way, the public roads to Roundwood from both Bray and Glendalough are particularly picturesque. Due to one or two steep climbs the cycle can be moderately challenging at times. Travelling from Bray there are two steep hills early on, however once these overcome the rest of the journey is a gentle cycle on the flat. The village is within a few hours of Bray and acts as a perfect stop-off point for cyclists to Glendalough.

By car

The most convenient way of reaching Roundwood is by car. It is on the R755 road which is part of the main route between Dublin to Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains. Travellers from Dublin should take the N11 in the direction of Wexford & take the R755 turn-off at Kilmacanogue.

By foot

Roundwood is located mid-way along the famous Wicklow Way walking route and is therefore an ideal stop off for hikers in the Garden County. Hikers looking to stop off in Roundwood as part of their Wicklow Way journey should consult sheet number 56 of the Irish Ordinance Survey maps.

Get around

All of Roundwood's attractions can be easily reached on foot or by bicycle. Slí na Sláinte maps advertising recommended walking routes around the reservoir can be located at 'The Old School', a white building next to the village pharmacy. These clearly marked-out routes range from one hour to 3-4 hours and take in the best of the local countryside.

Do

• Skirmish Paintballing (Go through Roundwood in the direction of Dublin and take the right fork as you exit the village. Proceed for three miles to the next right turn, with a sign for Vartry Drive. Turn right at the junction and Skirmish can be found are half a mile down the road, on the right hand side), ☏ +353 86 844-4007, info@skirmish.ie. €50+ depending on Paintballs used. 
• The Wicklow Way. 
• Sli ná Sláinte Walking Trails (Signs can be found at the Old School building on the main street & routes can last from one hour to 4 hours, taking in the lakes & forestry en-route.). 
• Horse Riding in Tomdarragh Equestrian Centre, ☏ +353 85 800-9585. Located a 10 min drive from Roundwood Village, Tomdarragh Equestrian provides people of all ages and standards with the opportunity to horse ride in good facilities under the guidance of qualified instruction. 

Buy

Shopping in the Roundwood area is focused primarily on the needs of local residents and is therefore is only of use to travellers wishing to purchase food and provisions.

On the main street:

• Centra. The major convenience store in the village and stocks food, newspapers, wine and alcohol. 
• Keily's Hardware Store. This store stocks BBQ supplies in addition to the usual hardware store items. 

Eat

• The Roundwood Inn, Main St, ☏ +353 1 281-8107. Serving more traditional Irish and continental dishes, this is a 17th century family-owned inn. Specialities include seafood and shellfish dishes. Bar menu available. Mid-Range. 
• Heather's Bistro, Main St. 08:00-17:00. Heather's Bistro is a recent addition to Roundwood's eating establishments. Heather's offers a large selection of Continental dishes and is well known locally for its attractive desert menu. Mid-Range. 
• The Coach House, Main St. The Coach House is one of Roundwood's most well-known pubs for visitors. 
• Roundwood Food & Wine, Main Street, Roundwood, County Wicklow (Located on the main street through Roundwood), ☏ +353 1 201-2021. 09:00-21:00. Roundwood Food and Wine offers a truly international range of wines, including Georgian, Hungarian, and all the favourites. On licence available to drink in. Fine Italian coffees and food. 
• Woods Restaurant. The restaurant is situated at the Glendalough end of the town in a newly refurbished stone building. Inside you will find Byrne’s bar at one end and Woods restaurant at the other. The décor is contemporary and of a very high standard, with the restaurant finished with polished floorboards, large antique cabinets decorated with artisan food products and large well spaced tables and very nice leather upholstered chairs. 

Drink

Roundwood has a good selection of pubs filled with local patrons & traditional rural Irish charm.

• Kavanagh's Pub. 
• Tochar House. 

Sleep

For a village of its size Roundwood offers travellers a broad selection of good quality places to sleep. From small family owned B&Bs, to the large camping site and more-expensive guest houses operated by the local pubs, there is something to suit all budgets.

• The Coach House Pub & Restaurant, ☏ +353 1 281-8157. 
• Fannings Tochar House Bar, Main St, ☏ +353 1 281-8247. 
• Roundwood Caravan & Camping Park (Located at the outskirt of the village, 2 minutes from the church in the direction of Bray.). 
• The Skylark's Rest, Lough Dan Road, Roundwood (500 metres from the village on the road to Lough Dan), ☏ +353 87 091-0342. A small hostel catering for budget conscious visitors to the area. 
• Wicklow Way Lodge B&B, ☏ +353 1 281-8489. 
• Woodstock B & B (Located 200m from the Church in the Direction of Laragh), ☏ +353 1 281-8005. 

Go next

• Glendalough's monastic village, round tower and lakes.