Roundwood Reservoir Vartry Trails

The Official Opening of the Roundwood Reservoir Vartry Trails

Under a blue sky and glorious sunshine, the official opening of the new Roundwood Reservoir Vartry Trails took place on the 9th of June. Guests of honour to mark the special occasion were An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, along with Ministers Andrew Doyle and Simon Harris and Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Frank Curran.

Local councillor Shay Cullen and Sean Pierce, Chair of the Roundwood and District Community Council, welcomed the visiting dignitaries and the estimated 800 – 1,000 people who came out to share in the celebrations, which included a BBQ, live music and an inaugural run.

This milestone is the culmination of several years of planning and the devotion of many volunteers who shared the goal of developing a series of looped trails integrated in the historic and picturesque setting of the Vartry Water Supply Scheme.

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, Ministers Andrew Doyle and Simon Harris and Cathaoirleach Shay Cullen meet with board members of Wicklow Uplands Council at the event.

A selection of three looped trails of various lengths, offer over 20km of trail along the banks of the Vartry Reservoirs and the woodlands and wetlands that surround it. Thriving wildlife, mountain views, marked trails and the close proximity to one of Ireland’s highest villages, Roundwood, creates an appealing choice for recreational visitors and it is hoped that the local community will now benefit greatly from its construction.

In addition to the natural upland vista, the Vartry Reservoirs and its buildings are a wonderful example of built heritage and the engineering feat achieved at the time. The Lower Reservoir, which provided Dublin with its first supply of fresh clean water, was constructed between 1862 and 1868 by damming the River Vartry valley. Due to increased demand, a second embankment 3.5km upstream was completed in 1923 to form the Upper Reservoir. The stone ‘valve’ or ‘draw off’ tower constructed c.1865 and its tower-like gateway is one of the most iconic buildings found in the region and is certainly one of the most photographed.

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar cuts the ribbon to officially mark the opening of the Roundwood Reservoir Vartry Trails.

The management of this extensive project, which saw the participation of a number of stakeholders, was undertaken by the Roundwood & District Community Council (RDCC).

A dedicated team of Rural Social Scheme and Tús participants assigned to the project through Co. Wicklow Partnership were tasked with some aspects of the masonry work and the overall maintenance of the trails.

In close cooperation with Dublin City Council/Irish Water, the project required the installation of three bridges including an impressive 200metre long boardwalk at the Mullinaveige Bridge in place of using the busy R755 Roundwood to Kilmacanogue Road. This key component addresses safety concerns and was specifically funded through the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure 2017 programme administered by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs.

The RDCC successfully secured considerable funding under the Forest Service’s ‘Neighbourwood Scheme’ towards the management of the woodland area, trail development, way marking and the provision of interpretative map boards and information signage in the Upper Reservoir dam area.

Grants were received from IPB Insurance’s ‘Community Engagement Fund’ and Wicklow County Council, with continued local fundraising and commitment, enabling this wonderful amenity to become a reality.

For more information on the trails, please visit: www.roundwood.ie