Because, these past few months, I have eaten a surfeit of sugary treats aka slices of cake and put regular exercise on the back burner the land of healthy living seemed as distant as the far reaches of the solar system. It was time for a change, so this week I munched my way through gargantuan quantities of fruit & vegetables. And I walked, walked and walked some more. As I live beside the sea, my neighbourhood is a pleasant place to stroll around but if I was to pound the same route continuously I could very easily get bored. Variety is after all the spice of life so it was time for a change of scenery.
Even though it’s a couple of years shy of a decade since I lived in the scenic Dublin suburb of Killiney I hadn’t forgotten what a great place it is for walking; there are glorious views and the hilly terrain is ideal for improving fitness. So for one of this week’s walks I pitched up at the main entrance to Killiney Hill Park usually know simply as Killiney Hill. Blogging piques my curiosity in different ways and whereas previously I would have walked straight past the plaque beside the entrance gates this time I stopped to read it. I am glad I did because it outlines a little of the history of the park. The Queen’s Jubilee Memorial Association bought the land, which is now Killiney Hill Park, to commemorate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in 1887 and opened it as a public park in June of that year.
There are many routes around the park and I opted to head straight to The Obelisk a folly built in the 1740’s by John Mapas, with unskilled labour, as part of a poor relief scheme. The Obelisk is at the park’s highest point which is 170 meters above sea level. From this height you can see the full magnificent sweep of Killiney Bay which is sometimes compared to the Bay of Naples minus of course the sunshine. I took some photographs which don’t unfortunately do full justice to the view. And then having marched to the top of the hill I marched down again.
When I lived in Killiney I was regularly stopped by tourists asking for directions. To what you might ask. Was it to the 6th century monastic site?
Er, no.
Was it to the best surfing spot?
No, not exactly.
What they all wanted to know was where Bono (U2 front man and prominent citizen of the global humanitarian village who I have written about here) lives. The gates you see pictured below are the front entrance to his home on the seaward side of Killiney Hill.
When I live in the area (in a modest abode I hasten to add) if I ever drove or walked past his house there were usually some fans, oftentimes from far-flung parts of the globe, waiting patiently outside. When I stopped to take these images I chatted to two Danish tourists who had just seen Bono drive out the gate, I hope it made their trip to Dublin memorable.
Note: Killiney Hill Park is open all year around from dawn to dusk.
Just Add Attitude 
The greenery in the pics is amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your comment. The greenery in Ireland is often vivid *thanks* to the rain.
When we did a tour through Beverly Hills I thought I’d be seeing these wonderful mansions.. nope.. we drove and looked at gates..it should have been promoted as a Gate Tour, lol. Oh.. you know, I just have to get to your country some day, it’s so beautiful… xoxo Smidge
Gosh that must have been a bit disappointing but I hope the gates themselves were interesting. Thanks for the nice comment about Ireland obvs I only show the good bits but Killiney Bay is lovely. xoxo B
That surf looks pretty good.
I know very little, well actually truthfully nothing, about surfing but this spot is popular with surfers.
You got some great shots. I really enjoy these posts where you introduce us to a new place.
Thank you so much.
Killiney Hill Park looks stunning, I’ve never been there but will definitely have to add it to my list of places to go this Summer… Must pack my U2 just in case Bono is out for a walk aswel…!!
Thanks for your comment. Killiney Hill Park is well worth a visit, the views are amazing. Hope you see Bono!
hi, please help!
we’re looking to do a walk of killiney hill on saturday with a few friends and 2 kids aged 7. never done this before but we’ve heard the view is amazing (and i can see from your blog). could you offer some advice please? are the trails marked and is it suitable for kids? i hear there is a park, is this on the same route? and finally is there car park and do we need to pay?
would really appreciate it. i havent been able to find anything else online.
Hi Joy,
Yes, there is a car park – if you go up Dalkey Avenue which turns into Killiney Hill Road on the left hand side at the first (I think) roundabout you will find the entrance to the car park. As far as I remember the trails are not marked but it’s fairly easy to navigate your way around and yes the views are amazing. There is no entrance fee and I think it would not be too hard for seven year olds (but to be honest I am not absolutely sure about that but there are places you could stop and rest). I hope that helps.
Enjoy your walk
Best wishes from B at Just Add Attitude
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