Knocksink Wood Nature Reserve
Around 2 to 3km depending on which paths you link · Steep valley sides; short sharp climbs rather than sustained ascent elevation
About
Knocksink is the wood in the ravine immediately below the village, on the Glencullen River, and it is the walk locals do when they have an hour and no intention of going near Powerscourt. It became a statutory nature reserve in 1994 and covers about 52 hectares, roughly 129 acres, of steep-sided river valley: sessile oak on the drier slopes, wet mixed woodland lower down, and, unusually, a scatter of springs and seepages including petrifying springs, a priority habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. It carries one of the most diverse woodland invertebrate faunas in Ireland, which is a sentence that means very little until you stand in it in June and hear the place working. Paths and boardwalk sections follow the river; after heavy rain some of it turns properly muddy, so this is a boots walk rather than a trainers walk. The old education centre on the site closed some years ago and has not reopened, so there are no facilities: no toilets, no cafe, no ranger.
Highlights
- ✓A statutory nature reserve and Special Area of Conservation on the Glencullen River, five minutes from the Square
- ✓Sessile oak on the slopes and wet woodland in the valley floor, with springs and petrifying-spring habitat
- ✓One of the richest woodland invertebrate faunas recorded in Ireland
- ✓Boardwalk and riverside path sections that make a genuine wild walk out of a village stroll
Tips
- →Boots, not trainers. The lower paths hold water and the valley sides are slippery after rain.
- →There are no facilities of any kind: no toilets, no kiosk, no ranger. The education centre closed years ago.
- →Parking at the wood is very limited. Walking down from the village is the sane approach and takes about ten minutes.
- →It is a nature reserve, not a park. Keep dogs under close control and stay on the paths through the seepage areas.
Best Season
Accessibility
Steep, uneven and often wet woodland paths with steps and boardwalk sections, and no facilities of any kind on site. Not suitable for wheelchairs or for anyone unsteady on rough ground.
Last verified 2026-08-06
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