Great Sugar Loaf — Local services in The Municipal District of Bray

The mountain is a height of 501m above sea level, looking quite daunting to the amateur hiker gazing at the mountain from the road on the way. At least, I most definitely felt quite daunted even though I have reasonable fitness.

The car park at the start of the trail has ample parking, although it has the potential to be quite busy during nice weather days.

The trail starts off with a steep incline on a simple to walk wide gravel path. Without walking very far up the path, turning around there is a stunning view of the farms surrounding the area.

As the mountain ascends higher up, towards the peak walking becomes a bit trickier with a bit of a rock scramble where you need to walk carefully over the rocks and loose gravel.

It takes about 30 minutes to reach the top of the mountain from the car park if you walk at a consistent speed without breaks. Views from the top are definitely worth it! I have heard that on a clear day it's possible to see Wales on the horizon. There is plenty of flat surfaces to sit down and enjoy the view before embarking on the descent.

There are looping walks around the mountain which are easier to walk and provides different views...

We did the Great Sugar Loaf trail by taking 133 bus from Dublin. Get down at Kilmacanogue and cross the M50 to the other side using foot over bridge. Google maps shows that one should get down at Kilmurry but the Kilmacanogue stop is much closer to the trail.

Take the small road near Pluck's restaurant till the first signal and then it will be small lane till Kilmacanogue GAA pitch. The trail after this is tricky as it is not well marked, there is a lot of plant growth as well hiding the trail. Just keep following the green small trail as shown on Google map and it will lead to summit of Great Sugar Loaf.

The final portion of the climb is full of rocks, wearing a shoe with strong and gripping sole will be ideal. Views from the top are surreal. A very convenient hike through...

Rating just the mountain itself, and not parking or accessibility. This is just a few notches up from a walk in the park in terms of both length and difficulty. Leave at least two hours daylight to get up and back down but you'll probably get it done quicker. Ideal for people of all ages and even dogs. A bit windy at the top but that's the price you pay for the view. There's a small section of rocks where you need to use hands right near the top but it's not like rock climbing or anything. Just take your time and you'll be fine. At the top, you'll be met with a panoramic view of the Irish sea to one side and Wicklow to the other. You can also see up and down the coast to...