Hollywood could not be further from its glitzy namesake in Los Angeles.
There is much about the history of pilgrimage at Hollywood that we do not know, but it is believed that the village played a very important role in the early and later medieval pilgrimage landscape of the King’s River Valley and was a stop for pilgrims en-route to the shrine of St Kevin at Glendalough.
Located at one of the main entry points into the King’s River Valley, the village is traditionally held to be the starting point of St Kevin’s road, a well known medieval pilgrim route.
The route of St Kevin’s road cuts through the Wicklow Mountains via the King’s River and the Glendassan Valleys. The road linked Hollywood to the ecclesiastical site of Glendalough. Over the centuries countless pilgrims would have passed through Hollywood when travelling to Glendalough.
St Kevin’s Way follows in the footsteps of St Kevin through the hills of Wicklow to the monastic ruins in Glendalough. The main start for the route is Hollywood.
However you can also start the route in Valleymount. The route is well marked and takes you through a wide variety of landscapes as it climbs towards the Wicklow Gap. From here the descent brings you to Glendalough and monastic ruins.
The route has been deemed difficult. It is 30km and long and can take up to eight hours to complete. It is marked with yellow markers.
It is suitable for walkers with a good level of fitness. It is advised to bring a bag packed with supplies and food as parts of the walk are located in remote areas with no shops nearby.
