The small range of Wicklow Mountains emerged some 420 million years ago when the Eurasian and American tectonic plates collided. It is made up of a granite heart, covered by layers of schist. Extremely eroded, the hills are covered in peat, which gives them their austere, desolate appearance. In addition to wildlife and plants, the centre also showcases the mining past of this region which was a major centre for lead and silver mining.