War Hill

About War Hill

Situated on the high, boggy plateau between Djouce and Tonduff, this Hewitt offers a quieter alternative to the busier Wicklow peaks. The summit is a broad, heathery expanse, often damp underfoot, providing clear views across the Dargle Valley toward the Great Sugar Loaf and the distant Irish Sea coast.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name is likely a corruption of the Irish 'An Bharr', simply meaning the top or the summit. Over time, the phonetic shift from 'Barr' to 'War' gave the hill a martial-sounding name that has no known connection to any historical battle.
• •It is most frequently climbed as part of a ridge walk from the JB Malone car park. While its neighbour, Djouce, is heavily visited and served by sleepers and paved paths, the route to War Hill remains a more traditional, peaty trudge across open moorland.
• •The summit offers an excellent vantage point for viewing the source of the River Dargle, which begins its journey in the peat hags nearby before eventually dropping over the famous Powerscourt Waterfall.
• •Despite the aggressive name, the only conflict you are likely to encounter on this rounded, peat-covered shoulder is the struggle to keep your boots dry while navigating the saturated ground between here and Tonduff.