Lugnaquilla
Take on Lugnaquilla, Wicklow’s highest mountain, with a full-day mountain adventure and spectacular views across the Wicklow Mountains.
Forget the usual summer camp. Glenmalure is about getting properly away from it all.
Deep in the Wicklow Mountains, this is a completely off-grid adventure where teenagers get the chance to swap screens and everyday routines for mountains, rivers, campfires, stories and the freedom of being outdoors.
With the whole venue exclusively ours, small group ratios and experienced, trained Active Ireland staff throughout, it is a chance to experience something genuinely different in one of Wicklow’s most spectacular settings.
The venue is exclusively ours for the getaway. No sharing the experience with other groups — just our teenagers, our staff and the Glenmalure valley.
Experienced and trained Active Ireland staff are with the group throughout, creating a safe, supportive environment while still giving teenagers the independence to enjoy the adventure.
Small groups mean more individual attention, better supervision and a much more personal experience for everyone.
No electricity. No phone signal. No distractions. This is a chance to disconnect from technology and reconnect with the outdoors.
Glenmalure gives us a fantastic base for some of our biggest outdoor adventures, with the mountains and river right on the doorstep.
Take on Lugnaquilla, Wicklow’s highest mountain, with a full-day mountain adventure and spectacular views across the Wicklow Mountains.
Make the most of the wild surroundings with a mix of outdoor challenges, team activities and adventures shaped around the group.
With the river running alongside the site, there is plenty of opportunity to explore, play and enjoy being outside in this beautiful setting.
Glenmalure is intentionally rustic. This isn’t glamping and it isn’t meant to be. It is a chance to experience a few days of proper outdoor living.
Teenagers will spend two nights camping under the stars and two nights in the dorm accommodation, giving them the best of both worlds.
Two nights sleeping outdoors, surrounded by the mountains and the sounds of the river. Campers will need to bring their own sleeping mat, sleeping bag and pillow.
Two nights in the dorm accommodation at the Glenmalure venue, with separate sleeping arrangements for male and female participants and staff accommodation.
There is no electricity and no phone signal at the venue. Facilities are deliberately basic, including a compost toilet and no showers.
Being off-grid gives the group a real opportunity to learn about looking after the outdoors, following Leave No Trace principles and respecting the landscape around them.
This is a valley with a serious history. Battles have been fought here, rebels have hidden in these mountains and the remote landscape has played a part in Wicklow’s history for centuries.
And then there are the stories…
Local folklore includes tales of Drumgoff Barracks, hidden treasure and a soldier whose ghost was said to remain behind after his death. Whether you believe the stories or not is entirely up to you — but they make for pretty good conversation around the campfire.
We won’t promise you’ll see a ghost. In fact, we’re hoping you won’t! But after dark, with the fire going and the mountains all around you, Glenmalure certainly has a way of making a good story feel a little more real.
When the day’s adventures are finished, the fun doesn’t stop. Evenings are spent together with campfires, games, stories, team activities and plenty of time to talk, laugh and get to know the group.
With no phones to disappear into, the evenings become a chance to properly switch off and enjoy being together.
Glenmalure is designed to give teenagers a real sense of independence — learning new skills, taking on challenges, looking after themselves and each other, and experiencing what they can do when they step outside their usual comfort zone.
It’s not about luxury. It’s about having an experience they’ll still be talking about long after they get home.
5th–9th July 2027
5 days / 4 nights
Glenmalure, Co. Wicklow
2 nights camping + 2 nights dorms
Small groups with trained Active Ireland staff
Exclusive use for the Active Ireland group
Glenmalure is deep in the Wicklow Mountains, so we want to make getting to and from the Getaway as easy as possible.
Families can drop teens directly to the Glenmalure venue, or travel by train to Rathdrum. We will provide a return shuttle from Rathdrum Train Station to Glenmalure at the start and end of the Getaway.
Full collection and return times will be confirmed with families before the Getaway.
5 days / 4 nights
Early Bird: €525
€125 deposit to secure your place.
Early Bird price applies when the balance is paid in full by 20th December 2026.
Balance otherwise due by 31st March 2027.
Including accommodation, activities and experienced Active Ireland staff throughout.