On Wednesday, 21st May, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Cllr. Paul O’Brien officially opened the Great Sugarloaf Restoration Project.
He was joined by the Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District Cllr. Dermot O’Brien, Director of Services for Wicklow County Council’s CERA department Theresa O’Brien, Bray Municipal District Manager Lorraine Gallagher, CEO of County Wicklow Partnership Brian Carty, elected members, stakeholders and members of the public.
Over time, erosion and overuse had damaged the popular trail on the mountain and its surrounding habitat. The ambitious path restoration works, which commenced in early 2024 have now been completed. These works included screening reports, helicopter airlifts of materials, hand-pitched path restoration, drainage improvements and replanting of the lower section of the mountain. These efforts will now encourage habitat development and recovery, providing a stepped trail and a designated safer route for users ascending and descending the mountain.
Funding for this project was provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), with Matching Funds from Wicklow County Council. A key priority of the scheme is to promote outdoor activity tourism as part of a long-term vision for sustainable rural development in Ireland. The Sugarloaf Mountain lies along the route of the Sugarloaf Way, which will eventually connect Bray Head to the Wicklow Way and other trails in the Wicklow Mountains.
Officially opening the trail, Cathaoirleach Cllr. Paul O’Brien noted, “This iconic mountain in County Wicklow is one of our most visited peaks, attracting over 1,000 visitors weekly throughout the year. We can now expect both locals and many visitors to enjoy an improved outdoor experience around the Sugarloaf, whether they come to the car park to admire the mountain, have a picnic, or climb to the top for magnificent views over County Dublin, County Wicklow and beyond the Irish Sea to the mountains of Wales. Today, I think it is fitting to say: never measure the height of a mountain until you reach the top.”
Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District Cllr. Dermot O’Brien also spoke at the event, stating, “What’s remarkable about this project is that investing in the land is ultimately investing in the people. Upgrading this iconic mountain trail is not just about restoration; it’s about renewing the relationship between people and place and restoring the paths without losing the poetry. The Wicklow Trails App represents a fusion of heritage and technology, ensuring that this process balances protection with participation.”
Emer O’Gorman, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, added, “We are grateful to the Department for their funding and support, which enables us to complete this and many other outdoor recreation projects. The project was a joint effort between Wicklow Co Co’s Outdoor Recreation staff and Bray MD, with stakeholders and landowners that took part in consultations and the expert contractors who completed the works, requiring a specific skillset for mountain path restoration.”
Theresa O’Brien, Director of Services, noted at the opening, “This and all our other ORIS projects can be completed successfully thanks to our outdoor recreation staff, who work collaboratively with landowners and contractors to ensure these amenities meet the highest standards for outdoor recreation. Howie Miller from Trailbreakers in Wicklow, and contractors Matt McConway and Frank McMahon and crews, have created a showcase site for traditional path construction techniques in the Leinster region. By training new contractors during this project, they have also contributed to building local capacity for future outdoor projects.”
Aaron Byrne, Rural Recreation Officer, emphasised, “The Sugarloaf project demonstrates how restoration and recreation can work hand in hand. It aims to align the finite capacity of the environment with the increasing number of recreational users in our mountains, benefiting both the mountain and its visitors.”
Wicklow Sports & Recreation Partnership Aisling Hubbard, who launched the Wicklow Trails App, noted, “This App is a one stop shop for all the trails information around Wicklow. The interaction with the App to date has been really impressive and we hope it will help people explore even more trails throughout Wicklow and discover hidden gems along the way.”
The Wicklow Trails App can be downloaded from Wicklow Trails
For further details about the Sugarloaf restoration project, please view the following video: Sugarloaf Wicklow
IMAGE 1: Members of the County Council, the County Wicklow Partnership, the Trail Breaker team, the Wicklow Local Sports Partnership and local representatives with Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Paul O'Brien at the opening of Sugarloaf Restoration Project and launch of the Wicklow Trails app. Photo Credit: Michael Kelly.
IMAGE 2: (L to R) CEO of CWP Brian Carty, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Paul O'Brien and Chairperson of CWP Board Liz Wall. Photo Credit: Michael Kelly.
IMAGE 3: Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Paul O'Brien, Sol Royo Erausquin, Garvan Hickey, Theresa O'Brien, Lorraine Gallagher, Cathaoirleach of the Bray Municipal District Dermot O'Brien, Meadhbh Quinn and local representatives at the opening of Sugarloaf Restoration Project and launch of the Wicklow Trails app. Photo Credit: Michael Kelly.
IMAGE 4: Aisling Hubbard, Carol Coad, Aaron Byrne, Bernie Byrne and Helen Lawless with the Trail Breaker Team at the opening of Sugarloaf Restoration Project and launch of the Wicklow Trails app. Photo Credit: Michael Kelly.
IMAGE 5: (L to R) Aisling Hubbard - Wicklow Local Sports Partnership, Brian Carty, Wesley Atkinson - National Parks & Wildlife Service, Liz Wall, Aaron Byrne, Bernie Byrne and Carol Coad. Photo Credit: Michael Kelly.
IMAGE 6: Image of the recently restored Great Sugarloaf Mountain. Photo Credit: Dermot O’Brien