Church Mountain

About Church Mountain

Standing as a prominent sentinel above Hollywood in West Wicklow, this rounded Hump offers a rewarding ascent via Saint Kevin's Way. The summit is unique for its collapsed stone structure—an ancient church built over a prehistoric cairn—offering clear, commanding views across the Blessington Lakes and the Poulaphouca Reservoir.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a literal translation of the Irish Sliabh an Teampaill, referring to the ruins of a medieval stone church on the summit which was remarkably constructed directly over a prehistoric passage tomb.
• •Until the mid-19th century, the peak was a popular pilgrimage site on the last Sunday of July, known as 'Mountain Sunday', where locals performed religious rituals at the ruined chapel.
• •Due to its isolated position west of the main mountain massif, the summit offers a fantastic perspective of the Wicklow high points, including the granite dome of Mullaghcleevaun and the sprawling Glen of Imaal.
• •The ascent often incorporates sections of the Saint Kevin's Way, the historic pilgrim path that leads across the mountains to the monastic site at Glendalough.
• •Despite being the most famous peak overlooking the village of Hollywood, you are far more likely to encounter a stray sheep than a film star on these boggy slopes.