Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop

Walking Trail · Dublin

Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop is a 6 km moderate waymarked loop in Dublin, starting near Sandyford.

Distance
6 km
Climb
210 m
Shape
Loop
Time
1.75 hours

Grade

Activity Grade Difficulty Time
Walking Moderate Moderate 1.75 hours

Getting there

Starts at Ticknock forest entrance car park, near Sandyford.

Directions to the trailhead

Trailhead coordinates
53.25323, -6.24611
Ordnance Survey sheets
Discovery Series Sheet 56

The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.

About the trail

This is a lovely looped walk on forest road and path through the Three Rock Wood with wonderful views over Dublin from Three Rock Mountain and Fairy Castle.

Dogs
Yes

Who manages it

Coillte Dublin Mountains Partnership

Coillte, Head Office, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow Tel:++353 1 2011111 Fax:++353 1 2011199

Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.

Elsewhere

Trails nearby

Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.

Common questions

How long is the Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop?

6 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 210 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 1.75 hours.

How hard is the Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop?

Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.

Where does the Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop start?

Starts at Ticknock forest entrance car park, near Sandyford. The trailhead is at 53.25323, -6.24611.

Can you bring a dog on the Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop?

Yes. The register records dogs as allowed. Much of the Irish trail network crosses working farmland, so keep a dog under close control near livestock.

Who manages the Ticknock - Fairy Castle Loop?

Coillte Dublin Mountains Partnership. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.

More in Dublin

Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.