Wicklow Mountains National Park, Ireland

The Wicklow Mountains are located in the southeast of Ireland. The mountain rage runs in a north-south direction from the south Dublin across Wicklow and into Wexford. The mountains are made up of metamorphic rock and granite but after many tropical storms and ice sheets, much of the metamorphic rock eroded away and the granite that was once deeply buried became exposed. Then erosive forces of ice, wind and water shaped the new mountains over time into the rounded hills that can be seen today.

The Wicklow Mountains experience a marine west coast climate. Temperatures throughout the year range from 4°C to 23°C . There is abundant precipitation due to the orographic effect. The precipitation average is 6.21 cm. Summers in the mountains can vary dramatically with wide ranges in temperatures and conditions. Sometimes the weather can be dry and warm, or the weather can be cool and somewhat wet. Winters generally are wet and windy, with some cold clear days. Cold spells often occur during January and February. Unless it is a particularly cold winter, the temperatures rarely dip below zero during the day. Weather in the mountains often changes suddenly. It is possible to experience all four seasons on any given day throughout the year. The Irish are used to constant change and dress accordingly--no matter how clear it looks, always bring a jacket.

The Cloghoge Valley located in the Wicklow Mountains experienced a harsh rain storm in August 1986. This rain storm triggered four landslides, where rapid mass movement of soil transformed into high velocity that knocked down trees, stripped bark and piled mud and pebbles up to 5 m high on the side of trees. Active peat erosion is widespread in the Wicklow Mountains. There are two possible underlying causes of the erosion. One is that climatic change is either slowing peat accumulation or initiating erosion through storm damage. The second is that erosion could be from the influence of human disturbance through burning, trampling, drainage, deforestation or through industrial pollution.

The Wicklow Mountains have a great diversity of habitats which includes a blanket bog and heath and upland grassland being the most dominant. The Park also contains woodlands, glaciated corrie lakes and valleys, and exposed rock and scree. Botanists have identified and recorded more than 800 different plant species in the mountains. Some of the common trees that exist are Douglas Fir, and Silver Birch. The shrub layer includes Ivy, Honeysuckle and Bramble. The deciduous woodlands within the Park are of important conservation value due to the lack of native woodlands left in Ireland. The dominant tree within the main area of deciduous oakwood is the Sessile Oak. Wildflowers are also another common flora in the Wicklow Mountains, such as the Cuckoo flower and the Bluebell. There is also a large diversity of animals within the Park, including badgers, red deer and the Irish hare.

The primary purpose of Wicklow Mountains National Park is the conservation of local biodiversity and landscape. The Park is also an invaluable recreational space for locals and visitors alike where they can experience hiking, mountain biking, fishing, sailing and the wonderful outdoors.