Although not widely understood or regarded as such, roads are an important part of our built heritage. This publication deals at once with a landscape, the intervention in that landscape by man, and the stories that intervention tells.

The landscape is one of the last remaining extensive high moorlands in Ireland, and the intervention is a road, built for military purposes and closely linked to an important historical event.

The publication examines the history of the road, and the topography of the zone through which the road passes, using it as a route to access and explore the natural history and local history of the areas through which it passes.

The Wicklow Military Road, built 200 years ago, provides today a cross-country route for light commerce, commuting, and relaxing touring. It proceeds from Rathfamham, County Dublin, for over 60 kilometres through a rich variety of terrain, including city suburbs, woodland, moorland, an upland village and high mountain passes, to come to an end at the hamlet of Aghavannagh in County Wicklow.

This publication, intended for a wide readership, weaves together the history with landscape and built heritage.