Walking guide
Walking the Wicklow Way
Paddy Dillon · 2021
Guide to the Wicklow Way, which skirts the Powerscourt estate and valley above Ireland's highest waterfall.
Ireland · County Wicklow
Poulaphouca
Poulaphouca, officially Pollaphuca , is the name of a waterfall and bridge on the River Liffey between County Wicklow and County Kildare. It is primarily known for its hydroelectric generating station and the associated artificial lake, known as Poulaphouca Reservoir, Poulaphouca Lake, or Blessington Lakes.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Poulaphouca drops over a series of steps. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is County Wicklow, Ireland. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Poulaphouca itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from County Wicklow are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Spring snowmelt and rain make April to June the fullest months; October adds colour, and a hard winter can freeze the face.
Getting there
- Base town County Wicklow, Ireland
- Country Ireland
- Region County Wicklow, British Isles, Europe
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Poulaphouca
Ireland
Height—Width—
Most similar
Langfoss
Norway
Height612 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall and in Norway
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
330 m
612 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerLangfossAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Poulaphouca yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
The Rough Guide to IrelandRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to Ireland
Rough Guides · 2025
Current Rough Guide with Wicklow and Kerry chapters for Powerscourt and Torc.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Ireland
Lonely Planet · 2024
Current Lonely Planet covering Wicklow and Killarney National Park, home of Powerscourt and Torc waterfalls.
On the map
53.11694, -6.58722
Quick answers
Where is Poulaphouca?
Poulaphouca is in Ireland (County Wicklow). The nearest base is County Wicklow, Ireland. Its coordinates are 53.1169, -6.5872.
When is the best time to visit Poulaphouca?
Peak flow is April to June and October. Spring snowmelt and rain make April to June the fullest months; October adds colour, and a hard winter can freeze the face.
What can you do at Poulaphouca?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Poulaphouca?
The usual base is County Wicklow, Ireland. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Poulaphouca
Powerscourt Waterfall
Ireland · 121 m · 30 km away
Ireland's tallest waterfall
Devil's Appendix
United Kingdom · 93 m · 170 km away
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Aber Falls
United Kingdom · 37 m · 170 km away
Aber Falls is a waterfall located about two miles south of the village of Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd, Wales. The…
Sruth in Aghaidh an Aird
Ireland · 150 m · 180 km away
Sruth in Aghaidh an Aird , is Ireland’s highest waterfall, with a height of 150 metres . It is in the Dartry…