JB Malone to Djouce Hike [JB malone memorial walk]

This trail from the J B Malone Car Park to Djouce Mountain (725m/2,379ft) located in the in the Wicklow Mountains National Park is a moderate 8 km hike that features fantastic panoramic views of Lough Tay, East Wicklow, the great Sugar Loaf and even the irish sea.

It will take you a bit more than 2 hours complete this hike depending of your speed and also how long you stop to admire the beautiful landscape around you.

If you are with young kids, a short walk to the actual J B Malone memorial ( the JB malone memorial walk), a large boulder rock located just 300m from the Car park. From there, you have a breathtaking views of Lough Tay and the surrounding areas.

Explore the full J B Malone to Djouce Hike profile below for trail map, driving directions, and more tips and details to help you enjoy this adventure in the Wicklow Mountains National Park.

JB Malone to Djouce Hike Snapshot


Hike Distance	8 km
Difficulty	Moderate
Duration	Approx 2 hours
Total Ascent	110 m (approx)
Trail Type	semi loop
Dogs	Allowed on Leash
Hike Trail Map	Dowload Trail Map
Dublin Drive Time	55 mn
Directions	Click here for Google Map
Town Nearest Hike	Enniskery (5km), Roundwood (10 km)
Beauty	Lac, Forest, panoramic view, mountain views
Activities	Picnicking, hiking trails, photography

Direction and trailhead: JB Malone Car Park to Djouce Hike

The JB Malone Car Park is a great starting point to go hiking on the Wicklow Way, to Djouce, or even to Maulin. There is only few parking slots so I would recommend to go early in the day as the car park can get busy, especially in the summer.

From the JB Malone Car Park itself, you have a beautiful view on the Wicklow Mountains and over Lough Tay, also known as the Guinness Lake.

The JB Malone Car Park is located just 55 mn drive from Dublin city center.

From Dublin take the M50 southbound then the M11 towacrd Wexford. You will merge to the N11. Just after the Kilmacanoge petrol station, take the N11/R755 exit toward Dublin/Roundwood/Glendalough .

Stay on the R755 for approximately 10 km (or 10 minutes!) until you see the sign for the Djouce Golf Club. Take the next turn right. Drive for another 4,5 km and the Car Park would be on your right. Note that you will come across another car Park just 50m before the JB Malone Car Park. You could park here as well (especially if the JB Malone Car Park is full), and start your walk from here. If it is the case, just start walking and take the first left into a stony trail that is in fact the Wicklow.

The Hike:JB Malone to Djouce Hike

Starting at the JB Malone Car Park, there is a little trail going into the forest. Take that trail and go up hill on the rocky trail for about 150 m. You will then reach a boardwalk made of old railway sleepers placed side by side, covered with chicken wires and staples for grip.

The boardwalk was put in place by the management of Wicklow National Park to protect the local environment that has suffered damage in the form of vegetation loss leading to the exposure of and damage to the underlying peat. The boardwalk is a way to counter the erosion and the damage cause by over walking allowing the surrounding vegetation to recover.

The other good thing about the boardwalk is that it makes the walk easy and suitable for small children.

Very soon you will reach the JB Malone Memorial. Here you have to stop and admire the beautiful view on Lough Tay, the Guinness estate and Luggala in the background.

Did you know?

The J. B. Malone memorial above Lough Tay in the Wicklow Mountains National Park was erected in honor of John James Bernard (‘J.B.’) Malone. Born in 1913 in Leeds in England, to Irish parents, J.B. Malone was the most influential force in the development of walking, particularly hillwalking, as a leisure activity in Ireland. He began to explore the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains on foot as a young man in 1932, and by 1938 he was writing a weekly column on walking for the Evening Herald which continued until 1975. These columns and his earlier books The Open Road (1950) and Walking in Wicklow (1964), inspired countless readers to exchange the city for the hills and to enjoy healthy exercise and the joys of the natural world. His informative writing was not confined to rural Ireland, however; he also produced over a thousand articles for the Evening Herald about places of note and the buildings of Dublin. In the forties he had a vision of a long, way-marked walking trail in Wicklow, and in 1979, when he was appointed Field Officer to the Long Distance Walks Committee, he began putting the 132 kilometre-long Wicklow Way in place. Opened in 1982, it was Ireland’s first Long Distance Walk, and the forerunner of the forty-four such trails that exist today. His book describing the route, The Complete Wicklow Way, was a best-seller. A passionate conservationist, JB’s contribution over a lifetime of writing to the conservation of countryside environment in Ireland and to the historic buildings of Dublin is unmeasurable. Active up until the last, he died in October 1989 and is buried in Bohernabreena Cemetery.

Now that you have taken some times to admire your surrounding it is time to carry on walking on the boardwalk. You will soon reach a forestry area and pass by a stile at the edge of the treeline. Now you start to go over White Hill until the boardwalk suddenly veers to the right, following the Wicklow Way around Djouce.The views from White Hill are spectacular with the Irish sea to the East and Dublin to the North.

At this stage, instead of turning right following the boardwalk, you carry on straight on a large rocky trail towards the summit of Djouce .

Once you reach the summit and if you are lucky to have a clear day, check out the fantastic view from the Trig stone. You can see miles from all direction. An if it is the first time you climb Djouce, the tradition wants that you add your stone to the pile of stone already there.

: First visit to Djouce Summit? Make sure you add your stone to the pyramid

: Pause at the Summit of Djouce

: View from Djouce

: Trig Stone Djouce

Leaving the summit, take the rocky trail that go down east to join the Wicklow way again. Turn right on the Wicklow way and walk on the side of Djouce until you reach eventually the boardwalk again. Now you can walk you way back down to the Car Park following the same route you took on the way up.

Descent from Djouce Mountain by Fearghal


Tips & Resources for JB Malone to Djouce Hike
TIP: It is really beautiful driving in the Dublin mountains. However, on the weekends, the road has a ton of cycling traffic. So, plan for a slow drive.
Weather condition can change quickly in the Wicklow mountains and the wind can be blow heavily. Always wear adequate clothing.
The start of the hike is easy when walking on the boardwalk. Once you leave the boardwalk to climb Djouce on the rocky trail, it is recommended to wear proper hiking boots
I would like to thanks Fearghal Breathnach for his beautiful pictures