Glendalough and around

I will be visiting Glendalough in mid september, I have no car and I am starting from Dublin.

I initially thought to take St Kevin bus service there and back to Dublin on the same day but I see there is so much to see (in term of hikes in the nature, especially) that I probably wanna stay there 1 day.

I thought of taking the St Kevin bus there and then take it back to Dublin the day after (I see there are some hotels in the area).

Do you think once in Glendalough there will be stuff to see I can easily walk to, in the surrounding Wicklow Mts? Also, is there a way to get to Kilkenny from there? Would you advice to do all of that, or should I stick to a guided tour? I am just not keen to depend on a tour so I am trying to have this experience alone, but I cannot be there longer than 1.5/2 days