You’ll find Vartry Reservoir near Roundwood village and the stunning Wicklow Mountains.
Vartry Reservoir provides drinking water for Dublin and this massive expanse of water holds a whopping 5.6 billion litres!
It’s also a fine aul spot for an easy-going ramble with several well-trodden-trails available, as you’ll discover below!
Some quick need-to-knows about Vartry Reservoir
Although a visit to Vartry Reservoir is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.
1. Location
Vartry Reservoir is located at Roundwood in Wicklow, 50km south of Dublin. It’s located on the R 764 and the R755, midway between Bray and Wicklow Town in the beautiful Wicklow Mountains.
2. Three main trails
There is an upper and lower reservoir at Roundwood with three main walking trails. These are the easy 7.2km Lower Vartry Trail; the slightly shorter 6.4km Upper Vartry Trail and a 3km Woodland Walk, also graded easy.
3. Parking
Car parking is available at the trailhead of the Upper Vartry Trail and the Woodland Walk (here on Google Maps). There’s also a car park near the start of the Lower Trail (here on Google Maps).
About Vartry Reservoir
Vartry Reservoir began in the mid 19th century as a scheme to dam and partially redirect the Vartry River to provide fresh water to Dublin.
The work was carried out by the Dublin Water Works Committee. The construction of the lower reservoir was completed in 1863.
The reservoir has a maximum depth of 18.3 metres and a capacity of 11.3 billion litres.
The project included piping and filtering the water which is then stored in an open service reservoir in Stillorgan in the southern suburbs of the city.
In 1923, a second embankment further upstream was constructed to create the upper reservoir. It has a maximum depth of 13.4 metres and holds 5.6 billion litres of water.
An overview of the Vartry Reservoir walks
Photo left: Russell Taylor. Top right: Wojtek Piatek. Bottom left: rick734’s (Canva)
There are a number of Vartry Reservoir walks that you can head off on and they vary massively from a length perspective.
Each of the trails is relatively easy going and they make a great alternative to some of the tougher walks in Wicklow.
1. Lower Vartry Trail
- Difficulty – Easy
- Distance – 7.2 km
- Time – 2 hours
- Starting Point – Roundwood Village at the T-junction between the R755 and the R765.
- Waymarker colour – Blue
- Map of trail
The Roundwood Reservoir Lower Vartry Trail takes you on a scenic loop around Lough Vartry (the lower reservoir) on traffic-free paths and country roads with superb water views.
Look out for the hollowed out Ballaun stone near the water’s edge. It was probably moved from a monastic site.When the reservoir is low, you can also see the old bridge that once crossed the River Vartry.
2. Upper Vartry Trail
- Difficulty – Easy
- Distance – 6.4 km
- Time – 90 minutes
- Starting Point – near Roundwood at the Knockraheen Entrance on the east side of the reservoir
- Waymarker colour – Green
- Map of trail
The Upper Vartry Trail is an easy loop hike with a few steep inclines.
The way-marked route skirts around the upper reservoir with superb views of Sugar Loaf and the Djouce Mountains before heading through areas of woodland.
3. Woodland Trail
- Difficulty – Easy
- Distance – 3km
- Time – 45 mins
- Starting Point – near Roundwood at the Knockraheen Entrance on the east side of the reservoir
- Waymarker colour – Pink
- Map of trail
The lovely Woodland Trail at Roundwood Reservoir is a pleasant family-friendly amble around part of the lower reservoir. There is pedestrian access from the village along an 800m footpath to the trailhead.
The walk follows the steep-sided cutting linking the upper and lower reservoirs in the shade of towering 100-year-old Scots Pines. Look out for Great Crested Grebes that raise their brood on floating nests!
Things to do after the Vartry Reservoir walks
One of the beauties of Vartry Reservoir is that it’s a short spin away from many of the best places to visit in Wicklow.
Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Vartry Reservoir (plus places to eat and where to grab a post-adventure pint!).
1. Food in Roundwood (2-minute drive)
Photos via Tochar House on FB
Just a short drive form the trailhead, Roundwood village has several cafes, pubs and restaurants for refreshments or you can pick up picnic snacks and coffee from Roundwood Stores. The Sugar Mountain Cafe and Bistro serves speciality coffee, pancakes and light snacks or try the An Tohar House pub for a well-earned pint.
2. Victors Way (5-minute drive)
Photos by The Irish Road Trip
Victor’s Way is a real surprise! It’s an Indian Sculpture Garden designed for encouraging meditation. The park covers 22 acres and has quirky and interesting artworks carved from black granite. It’s great to stroll quietly through woodland, passing small water features in this privately owned garden.
3. The Sally Gap Drive (5-minutes to start point)
Sally Gap is actually a crossroads in the Wicklow Mountains just west of Roundwood village. The Sally Gap Drive is a very popular circular route with incredible views taking in the likes of Lough Tay, Ballinastoe Woods, Djouce and Glenmacnass Waterfall.
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.