The first Glendale Lodge was built from long planks of timber, taken from crates which carried car parts to the Brittain Works in Rathmines, Dublin. The timber cabin consisted of a simple kitchen and small dormitory with four sets of bunk beds. Special events held by the Knights at the Lodge were 21st Birthday parties and watching the Eurovision Song Contest on TV (in black and white, of course).

Drinking water was drawn from a nearby stream, while fuel for the fire was taken from the turf banks on the nearby Featherbeds, courtesy of Lord Powerscourt. The height of the trees in the forest are testament to the latrine disposal method used in the early years!

The half-acre of land on which the Lodge sits was purchased for £5,000 (€6,350) in 1991 and soon after, in 1993, the Lodge was extended with the addition of a small dorm, a small bedroom and toilet / shower facilities. The extended Lodge was officially opened in 1995 by Mr Frank Nugent, former Venture Scout in the Group, and member of the first successful Irish Everest Expedition. Things remained like that until 2019, when the Group Council decided that the time had come for a replacement. The opportunity was also taken to purchase some valuable forestry for bivvying and hammocking.

The old Lodge was demolished by the Group in late 2019, with plans for the new Lodge to be built and completed in 2020. Unfortunately, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic turned these plans upside down, both in terms of the timescale for construction and costs of the new Lodge. However, the building work was finally completed, allowing the new building, with capacity for 28 people, to be opened in 2024.

Neatly nestled in the Glencree Valley, and within sight of Tonduff North & South, Djouce and Glencullen Mountains, the Lodge has been an oasis of calm (and sometimes not!) for thousands of young and not so young for many years. The woodland adjacent to the Lodge provides many recreational areas for games, outdoor activities, field studies, and nature study. There are miles of unspoilt walking country, with the famous Wicklow Way (long-distance walk) passing close by. Badgers, foxes, and red deer are regular visitors, and the site adjoins the largest oak glen in the country.

Glendale Wilderness Lodge is recognised by Gaisce, the President’s Award, as an ‘Approved Adventure Journey Provider’. 

We hope you enjoy your stay in Glendale Wilderness Lodge!

The Warden Team.