Leaving Dublin on a Friday evening we climb up to the Military Road as it weaves its way through the rugged Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin. A thin ribbon of asphalt the only visible sign of mans intervention in the purple, heather clad landscape. The road was quite a feat of engineering when constructed by the British Redcoats in the aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion. Its purpose – to allow easy access to a region untamed by the power of the most powerful empire of the time. The route traverses some of the loveliest scenery in Europe, including the serenely beautiful ancient lakeside monastery at Glendalough. Today, in altogether more peaceful days, the road ends in Aughavannagh Valley, a quiet mountain glen only 40 miles south of Dublin.

County Wicklow is situated on Ireland’s east coast and is known as ‘The Garden of Ireland’. It manages to pack amazing variety into a relatively compact area including stunning mountain scenery, long golden beaches and a wealth of historical attractions from ancient monastic settlements to fine period houses and estates. Long glaciated valleys punctuate a wild and untamed expanse of mountains whilst in the valleys between, pretty villages provide welcoming pubs and restaurants.

Wicklow contains some of the most appealing landscapes in Ireland – the equal of the more famous areas of Kerry, Cork and Connemara. For an area so easily accessible from air and ferry ports, the area is blissfully devoid of mass tourism; indeed one of the greatest challenges for the visitor is to find high quality accommodation with character that can accommodate larger families or groups.

Deep in the mountains off the beaten track lies Aughavannagh (from the Irish Acadh Bheannach – the Middle Field) – a great bowl of a valley dominated by the 3000 foot Luqnaquilla Mountain. Here, tucked away up a leafy lane off a quiet country road lies Aughavannagh Cottage, a beautifully restored old Irish farmhouse and our favourite weekend destination in the whole country.

It has accommodation for up to seven and it’s easy to get to from Dublin and is an ideal spot for golf, hill walking, sailing and fishing – or just lazing about enjoying the beautiful Irish landscape.

The cottage has a lovely kitchen with a huge old farmhouse table and oil fired range as well as a modern hob and oven. There’s a really pretty sitting room with turf fire, TV, video and stereo system. There are two beautiful double bedrooms – always an argument about which one has the better views!, a twin room and one single bed room – all with fabulous views as well as two bathrooms – one upstairs and one downstairs. There’s also a utility room with washing machine and dryer. The house is set on 5 acres with loads of space for sitting outside and there is garden furniture and a barbecue.

Nearby there are many pretty villages (including ‘Ballykissangel’ of BBC TV fame) complete with welcoming pubs and restaurants. The village of Aughrim (recent winner of Irelands Tidiest Town) is 20 minutes away and the lovely beach at Brittas Bay is a little over half an hour down the valley to the sea.

In this beautiful setting, secluded but not remote, it’s hard to believe you are only an hour’s drive from Ireland’s vibrant capital city of Dublin. It’s great for day trips to the Guinness brewery and Trinity College, Dublin provides fabulous shopping on Grafton Street or an opportunity to visit to one of the cities famous pubs.

Back in the mountains, it’s always worth calling in to the Glenmalure Lodge pub over the pass in the next valley to Aughavannagh. Here, Pat and Anne and their friendly staff serve creamy pints of Guinness to sheep farmers, lumberjacks, postmen and various assorted locals and visitors alike. The welcome is as warm as that to be found in the glens or cities anywhere else in Ireland.

For those keen on enjoying Irelands growing reputation for great food, the Brooklodge Hotel (20 minutes from Aughavannagh) provides tempting dining opportunities at its famed Strawberry Tree restaurant where the emphasis is on organic produce sourced fresh from local suppliers. If some personal pampering is required, The Wells spa provides a range of treatments adjacent to the hotel. Meanwhile for the young and young at heart, both Clara Lara Fun Park and Greenan Maze & Museum are also within a 20 minute drive, providing additional leisure opportunities.

Every time we stay In Wicklow we enjoy beautiful unspoilt scenery, easy access to Dublin, a range of things to do and at the end of each day, beautiful accommodation.

http://www.holidaywicklow.com

Wicklow Cottage

I love pictures that make really big things look smaller. For some reason pictures like that always reming me of the Father Ted eppisode where he is teaching Dougal about Small and Far Away!

Opened to the public in 1981, Wicklow Way became Ireland’s first long-distance walking route, incorporating 127km of designated scenic walkway between Dublin’s Marlay Park and Clonegal in County Carlow to the south of the capital. Wicklow Way comprises seven specific routes which are designed to be tackled in stages or individually if you don’t fancy taking in all 127km. Along the way, walkers have marvelled at some of the most beautiful scenery in the country in the form of spectacular mountain ridges, glens, valleys, stunning panoramas and the general magnificence of the greenery of Wicklow – Ireland’s ‘Garden County’.

Beginning in Marlay Park, take time out to wander around the grounds of Marlay House and the small craft shops before taking the first steps on Wicklow Way as you head towards the lush greenery of the Dublin Hills and through the immense Two Rock and Tubradden mountains where the route sweeps through a valley towards Ballybrack. If you’re feeling the effects already, you may want to take some time-out at the famous Johnny Fox pub, although your reward for continuing will be to cross the beautiful Glencullen River even sooner. The route then ascends through forestry towards Prince William’s Seat – a collection of pillars and rocks – before quickly dropping back down towards Enniskerry as Knockree Hill looms large in the distance marking the end of this leg of the route. Ample accommodation options are on hand to rest here for the night before beginning the next instalment of the trip between Knockree and Roundwood.

This leg of Wicklow Way takes you around Knockree Hill and across the scenic Glencree River Valley for an up-hill walk which is fully rewarded when you are greeted by the truly majestic sight of the formidable Powerscourt Waterfall and Deer Park. The scene here is one of almost unattainable beauty, where rolling green forestry is interspersed with ornate gardens, the waterfall and looming mountains to the distance. From here you will soon be walking through open countryside and across the Dargle River before you begin to ascend Djouce Mountain. The walkway continues to rise as you take in the serene views at White Hill before you dip back down through the dense Ballinastoe Woods which yield the breathtaking vista of Lough Tay and the immense Luggala Valley which brings you to Roundwood to complete this section where you will find many shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels.

The previous two legs of this tour weigh in at a challenging 20km each, however, the route between Roundwood and Glendalough is a relatively straightforward 12km. Despite the relatively short length of this leg of the tour, there is an immense amount of spectacular scenery to be discovered. Head into the epicentre of the Wicklow Mountains where the valleys of Avonmore, Glenmacnass, Glendasan and Glendalough all meet at Laargh. Scenically this ranks as one of the most beautiful parts of Wicklow Way and time should be dedicated to exploring the valley areas. The route will bring you to Glendalough itself after taking in the dense Brockagh Forest where some truly atmospheric views of the surrounding countryside greet you on exiting the wooded areas.

The next instalment of Wicklow Way sees you crossing the main valley floor, Glendasan River (over a footbridge) and the Poulanass waterfall. It is here you cross into the Lugduff Valley where you begin to ascend the Mullacor Mountain crossing marshy boglands on a boardwalk. After taking in the surrounding landscape the route descends you into the Glenmalure Valley which dons awesome 360 degree views of the Lugduff valley, Fraughan Rock Glen and Wicklow’s highest mountain – the Lugnaquillia in the distance. Many use the villages of Greenan and Rathdrum to stay over for the night.

One of the more demanding legs of the journey is next – the 21km trek from Glenmalure to Moyne. The Way routes you through the southern upland section and back up into the rolling hills of south Wicklow, ending with panoramic views of the Carlow flatlands. The slopes of the Slieve Maan Mountain are where this journey begins before taking in the famous Military Road before ascending a further 350m across 6km which will lead you to the upper reaches of the Carrickashane Mountain before dropping you down slightly to the beautiful Ow River Valley at Iron Bridge. The bridge marks the 75km point since the beginning of the trail at Marlay Park – a milestone for those who have stuck with the route from the beginning. Some use this point to get transport to take them to one of the hotels and B&B’s of Macredin, Greenan, Rathdrum or Moyne, although keener walkers take up the challenge of the ascent which takes in the Ballyteigue Bridge and the slopes of the Ballygobban Mountain and Sheilstown Hill. It is at this point that the physically challenging mountain terrain parts of the trek give way to gentle slopes and leafy scenery of Clonegal where the route ends.

Before you get to the end however, there are two more designated trails to take in. The stage between Moyne and Shillelagh begins with a straightforward walk around the foot of Ballycumber Hill towards Tinahely. You will begin to notice the pretty colours of the wildflowers that punctuate the area – especially in sunnier months – as you walk underneath the gaze of Muskeagh Hill and on to the crossroads of Mullinacuff and Stranakelly where you will find the perpetually popular Tallon’s Pub which marks the 100km mark of Wicklow Way – the perfect place to toast your achievement – especially if you’ve been on the trail since Dublin.

The final leg of this wondrous journey is split into two parts: the walk through Raheenakit Forest and the Stokeen, Moylisha and Urelands hills and the final stretch of the journey along the valley of the River Derry where Wicklow Bridge marks the boundary between Wicklow and Clonegal – the end of this epic and unforgettable journey which is usually enjoyed with a pint of the black stuff and a certificate to mark the achievement of negotiating the entire Wicklow Way.

Getting Around

Wicklow Way is one of the best reasons why to visit Ireland and getting here and around is incredibly easy, as access to the route is situated on the outskirts of Dublin. If you are flying to Dublin we recommend you to hire a car from Dublin airport. Car hire in Dublin is a cheap and convenient way to travel without having to rely on public transport, and is good for people who wish not to walk and prefer to drive along and admire some of the scenery along the way. However you can get to Marlay Park by bus from Dublin City centre. The bus No.16 runs regularly from Santry, through Dublin City to Marlay Park. The route is also served by the Glendalough Bus Company which starts and finishes in Laragh or Glendalough.

I think I will attempt to make this post as brief as possible, considering London’s post really wore me out! (Wow, apparently everything about London ushers in some sort of fatigue!)

So Ally and I get into the Dublin airport, take a taxi back to Shanowen, and have 20 minutes to spare before we are heading out to Kilkenny and Glendalough for a planned excursion trip. As soon as we see our friends however, we both catch a second wind, reliving our awesome trip to London. In fact, the entirety of the weekend seemed like one big day, and this Sunday’s trip was just an extension of it!

our PaddyWaggon tour guide

We got on our PaddyWagon tour and headed straightaway out of Dublin. Our first stop was Glendalough to see some ruins and an ancient graveyard. It was absolutely beautiful. The brightness of the greens in Ireland are absolutely breathtaking. Washington, Seattle especially, is very green as well, but not this green. Irish green makes me want to drop everything an become a landscape painter. Seriously!

Glendalough

A few of us strolled along a peaceful path, shrouded by trees that must have been centuries upon centuries old. It was quite amazing. Even my lack of sleep couldn’t deter my appreciation of the nature before me. Basking in the beauty of the valley that the Glendalough ruins were in, I also got glimpses of other simple wonders. The adorable sheep, for example.

The next stop on our day’s itinerary was Kilkenny. Along the way we stopped at the Wicklow Gap for a photo opp. We drove by the locations where scenes from Braveheart and P.S. I Love You were filmed just prior to our stop at the Gap. Pretty cool! I need to see P.S. I Love You sometime soon….

jessi and cait @ the wicklow gap

The drive to Kilkenny I spent sleeping. I literally could not stay awake. Good thing this wasn’t a walking tour!

When we got to Kilkenny we stopped for some crappy sandwiches that EUSA provided for us. But food is food, and I ate my fill. Along with a few cups of coffee. I bought an awesome print drawing of a Hawthorne tree at the gift shop there. Hawthorne trees are where Irish folklore says the fairies live. I really liked the print and the significance it holds, so I am excited to proudly display it when I return home!

The Kilkenny Castle was next on the list. It was a self-guided tour, so overall it was a little disappointing. But despite others’ complaints I still enjoyed my time there. History is history, and a castle is a castle! I thought it was pretty fascinating!

My peak of exhaustion was upon me, and Ally was fading as well. The ride back to Dublin I dozed off again, but I managed to stay awake for a majority of the talk our tour guide had with us on Ireland. We asked him questions from politics, to social systems, to healthcare, and beyond. Very smart guy. I enjoyed that alot. That was probably one of the most informative pieces on Ireland I have heard thus far!

That night I went to bed at 11pm, absolutely exhausted! But I must say, the trip was a good one. I enjoyed it! I can’t wait for our next excursion to Belfast! That one should be quite the trip!

This monring Alasdair and Doug took me to Glendalough Valley, located in the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Glendalough (Gleann Dá Loch, meaning “Glen of Two Lakes”) is a glacial valley located in County Wicklow, renowned for its medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin, a hermit priest, and destroyed in 1398 by English troops [Wikipedia].

The Upper Lake at Glendalough.

We crossed a small stream to get to the Reefert Church. I spent a wonderful 30 minutes wandering around the ruins and taking photographs from various angles.

The path up to Reefert Church

According to Dr Deborah Vess, this church dates from the tenth century and is the burial place of the O’Toole family, seven of whose princes are buried on the grounds. The Church is known as “The Burial Place of Kings.” One of the reasons why so many princes were buried here is the possibility that this was the location of Kevin’s tomb

Reefert Church

The following series of photographs are different views of the Reefert Church, now without its roof.

Reefert Church from the path

According to Dr Deborah Vess, The earliest life of Kevin, first recorded in the eleventh century, tells us that an angel visited Kevin and told him to move “eastward of the lesser lake” and there he would have his place of resurrection. The local chieftain Dima and his eight sons helped Kevin more there, and Kevin told them, “My sons, cut away the thorns and thistles and make a beautiful spot of this place, for here you yourselves will be interred, for here there will be erected after some time a temple in my name and under its altar you will be interred.”

Reefert Church through the window

Reefert Church through the archway.

Reefert Church through the archway

Another view.

Reefert Church

So today was the last day of our trip throughout Ireland. We started off with an awesome breakfast buffet at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin. After that we got together with the group and started our way off to the Glendalough.  Glendalough is the most well perserved early monastery. Literally churches and stone towers that were built a thousand years ago are still perfectly standing. We walked through the cemetery on the grounds and then to different areas of the monastery. We walked around the stone and grass for the next twenty minutes and then headed across the river to explore the countryside.

While I was over there photographing the river, I remembered how I read that the monks who lived here at the monastery sought after God through nature. Of course the gorgeous Irish countryside but still it was neat hearing that. Because, that has been something I see Christ in a lot. Sometime when I am all alone sitting in a just feeling the wind or watching a tree move, I feel like God is so close to me. In these moments I can that this world he created is beautiful But even though he orchestrated all the heavens and earth, I am worth more to Him than that. I felt that a little bit today, and I can obviously see why these monks sought that solace as well.

Well after leaving the Glendalough we headed back to Dublin and had the rest of the day to ourselves until the farewell dinner. We all decided to head over to the Guinness Factory. We jumped in a taxi and got dropped off at the front gates. And from the moment I walked in I knew this was very different. The quote on one of their pamphlets claimed that this was Dublin’s most visited attraction.

We got our tickets and went up to the first floor via stairs. When I reached the opening, my jaws dropped, because I had walked into the Disneyworld of Beers. Literally this place had everything, okay maybe not huge roller coasters but incredible displays and the whole building was shaped like a Guinness Pint. Well we were all very hungry so we took the lift up to the fifth floor were we mostly ate Guinness stew (thanks for the recommendation Spence and John). It was incredible.

After walking around for a bit we travelled up to the famous Gravity Bar which once we reached it showed a 360 degree view of Dublin from on top of the Guinness Factory, also we were handed free Pints of Guinness.  After exploring for a bit we decided we needed to go back to the hotel. So thats what we did. We still had an hour before the dinner so I walked up and down Dawson Street and just enjoyed one of the last moments of the trip. I then meet up with all the members of the Tauck tour for our final dinner and ohh was it a great one. It was really neat also just sitting with the family all together knowing that this could be the last time for a while(not to long). Overall this trip has been incredible, we have seen many things and I am so happy that I could share them with you all as well. But in the end it isnt the places we have been but the people and family I have been with. They have really all been wonderful and to my family I cant wait to see them all soon again. So from Dublin one last time, thank you all.

Escaping from the ferry terminal in Dublin was much quicker and easier than anticipated and I even managed not to get lost whilst heading for the N11 out of the city!  It took a while to get my head around converting the speed limits from kph into mph as my van only shows the latter.  Traffic lights also took a little getting used to as there is not an amber phase when they turn from red to green.  Usually meant sitting there like a lemon after the lights had turned green!

On researching the trip campsites appeared to be a bit thin on the ground throughout Ireland, so we found and booked one before we left.  It was in the village of Rathdrum on the outskirts of the national park.  I have to admit that my heart sunk when we arrived early evening on the Saturday as it was absolutely packed to the rafters.  We were shown to a small space squeezed between massive caravans where I sat down for a quiet sulk.  I have to admit that I am not a big fan of organised campsites, much preferring to head for the hills and wild camping.  However this was a holiday with my partner who is not a massive fan of camping full stop, so a compromise had to be made.  Whilst I graded it poorly she gave it top marks for the facilities.  Anyway what did I expect arriving at a site an hour outside a capital city, next to a national park on a hot sunny Saturday!  Anyway for me it was with relief that we headed to the hills for a walk the next day.

Tonelagee (Toin le Gaoith) 817 metres

It was a stunning drive up the Glenmacnass valley where we parked above the waterfall.  This was obviously a popular local beauty spot with lots of people milling about taking photos of the falls.  We joined them for a while.

I wanted to ease my partner into climbing Irish mountains gently, this hill looked like it should fit the bill with a high level start and not too steep slopes.  Almost immediately from the car park the route was pathless and there was an unbridged river crossing, luckily the water levels were very low.  A steep high bank lay in the way of the the main mountain ridge which was pretty tough going with waist high vegetation hiding slimy bogs.  This soon eased and a faint path was found that slowly but easily took us onto the minor summit of the north east ridge, giving the first view of the main summit.

From the col the onward route looked impossibly steep and was littered with huge boulders.  However a good path wound its way through the rocks and soon brought us to the edge of the plateau.

A few peat hags had to be crossed before walking across marshy ground to get the the summit trig point.  On a clearer day I would imagine that the views from here would be extensive.  However it was a hot humid summers day and much of the surrounding scenery was lost in the murk.

We watched a red deer eyeing us nervously from a distance before making the descent towards Stoney top.  A feint path then led us above the rim of the steep corrie containing Lough Ouler before its steep descent.  As the summit had been too windy for lunch we made a beeline for some rocks next to the loch.  We were soon struggling though some deep tough vegetation hiding ankle breaking boulders, I suddenly became less than popular.

Luckily after lunch we managed to pick up a rough path circling the loch before it descended alongside Lough Brook giving us an easy descent towards the Glenmacnass river.  It then suddenly vanished into a mass of tussocks, why paths disappear just when you really need them?  The mile or so back to the car park seemed endless as we tried to find a dry easy line down the valley, its amazing just how much difficult vegetation can slow you down

We arrived back at the busy car park tired and rather wet from the knees down!

Glendalough – The Spinc – Mullacor 657 metres – Derrybawn Mountain 474 metres

When we returned to the campsite it had quietened down considerably so we decided to stay a couple of more nights so we could visit Glendalough.  I usually avoid tourist hot spots but seeing that we were tourists we thought that we should go and check it out.  A massive patrolled car park surrounded by burger vans and a large volume of people did not really fit in with the beautiful surroundings.  This was however soon left behind as we took a trail across pastures heading for the Pollanass waterfall.  An old stone cross led the eye towards the upper lake and the mountains.

Pleasant easy walking took us past the waterfalls and along forestry tracks to the start of the trail leading to the top of the Spinc.  The trail throughout its length is made up of a wooden boardwalk to protect the fragile bogland from the large amount of foot traffic this popular walk gets.  Hundreds of steps lead up endlessly through dark conifers, with no view it is a case of head down and get the climbing out of the way.  Suddenly the trail emerges from the forest to a platform giving views down the valley to the lower lake.

The view up the valley leads the eye into the Wicklow mountains.

We were among a steady procession of people as we walked the length of the Spinc gradually gaining height and getting better views of the cliffs that fall directly into the upper lake.  In fact we got a bit carried away and walked straight past the path we had planned to take, climbing the highest part of this trail and beginning to descend before I looked at the map and realised the mistake.  With gritted teeth we turned around and walked against the tide of people.

Once off of the main trail we were suddenly in a world of solitude as we followed an empty path that contoured above a forest filled valley.  The plan had been to climb to the summit of Mullacor but as we reached its peat hagged col the cloud that had been plaguing us all day descended and covered the summit.  With a fine drizzle falling we could not face a boggy climb with no views so we found a forestry track that contoured around the hill without losing height.  It was one of those really warm humid summer days so we decided to get wet from the rain rather than bake and get soaked inside our waterproofs.  Even out of the hill fog all views had disappeared into a thick grey haze, a bit of a disappointment.

The forestry track brought us to a col beneath Cullentragh mountain and we took a well defined path along a narrow (well for Wicklow) ridge towards Derrybawn mountain.  A superb airy walk where I imagine the views would be stunning in clear weather.

A very steep path through deep heather brought us eventually back to the valley bottom where we walked to the beach at the head of the upper lake.  We could see why so many tourists are drawn here, not many capital cities can claim scenery like this almost on their doorstep!

I have a lot of photos (about as many as there are blisters on my feet) to go through and edit… I will attempt to put together a slide show with most of the pictures, or at least the good ones, but I don’t know when I will have the time.

Meanwhile, I have something for you to look at – some of my sort of favourite pictures. Dublin was awesome. There is no other way to explain it… Late night walks with Americans, beer at the pub, live music, huge mountains, a crowded mini buss, depressing art, climbing a mountain, cute bartenders,  a pretty horse in the middle of nowhere, bunk beds, sing-a-long, a five foot straw, ghosts, sheeps and some more that I can’t even remember. 

Maybe you will get an idea by looking at the pictures.

Für alle, die dabei waren und die es interessiert: meine Irland-Bilder von der Wandertour in den Wicklow Mountains unweit Dublin. Auf das Bild klicken, um es größer zu sehen.

Come join us at a NEW venue, Lilly’s Irish Pub in Glendalough, today at 1 PM SLT (4PM Eastern, 9PM GMT)! If you’ve never heard Cat Agus Cu before, you’re in for a real treat. Come and hear Irish and Scottish traditional music, some jigs and reels, drinking songs, and some cry-in-your-ale ballads performed LIVE via stream at Lilly’s.

More about Cat Agus Cu here.

SLUrl to Lilly’s here.

About the Venue: Lilly’s is a casual modern-day small Irish pub. It’s got a big dance floor and some seating at tables, at the bar, and on couches. It’s in a Mature sim so “language” is OK. Voice is disabled for the sake of DJ’s and performers.

As I landed in Dublin on Friday morning, the first time I arrived in Ireland came to mind.

My passport now filled with large Irish stamps, my first trip in October of 2007 seemed to be in the distant past. I remember entering the taxi rank on the first day with my parents who had come to meet me, and the images that have stuck with me from that first ride into a sunny Dublin: bright colored pubs, fish and chip shops, the bustle around O’Connell St bridge crossing the Liffey.

That October, just off an early flight from Paris, the first thing I noticed walking through the airport in Dublin was the Irish on the walls, the distinct celtic font welcoming visitors to the country. My next surprise was the pleasant and cheerful immigrations officer (although not always the case in Ireland, but that’s a subject for another entry..) that was excited to welcome me to his country for the first time.

The pleasant surprises continued again at the hotel, when a cheerful paddy named Paddy thanked us for bringing the good weather from across the pond, and became our secret source of inside information over the course of our stay. He not only pointed us in the direction of restaurants and particularly beautiful areas of the city, but when we expressed an interest to see Ireland outside of Dublin, to take in the rolling hills and the expanses of green, he got out a map and charted a course for our day’s journey.

The first time I arrived in Dublin, I was in a unique situation. From the moment of arrival I was looking at the city with a skeptical eye, as my travel partner and I had selected it as a possible resting point for the middle of our lengthy trip. After months of packing up my bag every few days, the idea of settling somewhere, even for just two weeks, was increasingly attractive. I walked the streets of Dublin for the first time thinking, ‘Could I live here?’

This thought is extremely ironic now, as I do live in Dublin, and not just for two weeks (equivalent to months for the quickly moving backpacker) but full time. Sometimes, when I’m walking through St Stephens Green, I remember the first time I entered the gates of the park, on my way to Grafton Street, and thought I wouldn’t mind strolling this path each day. Now, I walk down Grafton Street daily on the way to work, and often eat lunch on one of the benches in Stephens Green.

That October, our unofficial tour guide Paddy sent us south of Dublin to Glendalough, (meaning Glen of Two Lakes in Irish) in County Wicklow. This 6^th century monastic settlement was built in a glacial valley, and upon arrival, it was easy to conclude that those monks knew what they were doing when choosing this location. A peaceful spot surrounded by rolling hills, this visit was my first exposure to the pensive side of Ireland, a landscape that inspires thought and appreciation for the world around us.

A stroll around the lakes brought us through a wooded canopy, within feet of interesting birds and wildlife, and away from the bustle of the city. As with many trips in Ireland, the journey was half the fun as well. The thin, winding roads and locals who drive them very quickly made for an afternoon full of laughter and only a little bit of fear.

Few places have held my interest like the emerald isle. Trips to Connemara, County Kerry and Sligo have all left me wanting to explore even more. This small island has much to offer the traveler, and hopefully, on your first visit you will be as lucky as I was, and bring the sunshine with you.

Tja, wie das oft so ist, man erlebt ne Menge, fängt einen ellenlangen Reisebericht an und schreibt ihn dann nie fertig. Genau das ist jetzt mit meinem Geschreibe über das Wochenende zu zweit mit Liebstem in Galway, Connemara und Gorey passiert. Ich sage nur so viel, es waren 6 schöne Tage, wir haben einen kurzen Blick auf die Aufbauten des Volvo Ocean Race erhascht, Connemara mit dem Auto unsicher gemacht, mehrere Begegnungen der 3. Art (Schafe) gehabt und einige der verwunschensten Friedhöfe und Flüsse Irlands gefunden. Sehr zu empfehlen ist so neben natürlich Connemara ganz besonders die Gegend um Waterford, insbesondere Carrick-on-Suir und die kleinen Dörfer an der Suir gelegen.

Furnace Lake, Connemara

Wunderschön auch das bekannte Glendalough, auch wenn wir erst einmal den Strömen an Wochenendlern entkommen mussten, und sich die Parkplatzsuche als Abendteuer erwies. Erst einmal den Unmengen an Familien mit Kleinkindern entkommen, fanden wir einen anstrengenden aber lohnenswerten Anstieg auf die westliche Bergflanke des Tals. Es wurde gewarnt, dass dieser Teil des Berges nur mit angemessener Wanderbekleidung zu besteigen sei, und obwohl man aus den Schweizer Bergen holperige Pfade gewohnt ist, war es eine schöne Tortur den Hang hinauf auf genagelten Holzplanken. Aber der Ausblick und der kalte Cider oben tröstete schnell darüber hinweg.

Ormonde Castle, Carrick-on-Suir

Nur so viel dazu, Fotos gibt es wie immer auf Facebook, und den umfassenden Reisebericht gibt es bei einem Kaffee oder einem Gläschen Wein oder einem Pintchen Cider gerne direkt bei mir.

Ballykissangel Geocache Location

Nun ist es erst einmal ruhig geworden reisetechnisch. Einersets haben die vielen Ausflüge doch das Budget strapaziert, andererseits kam auch der Wunsch es mal ein bisschen ruhiger angehen zu lassen, oder auch mal ein wenig mehr allein zu sein. Ein wunderschönes Wochenende mit sehr viel Sonne, Baden und Lesen am Strand kam auch noch dazu. Da entsteht nicht unbedingt der Wunsch, in die Ferne zu schweifen, wenn man doch (bei passendem Wetter) den Traum direkt vor der Haustüre hat. Wetter als passendes Stichwort um einmal ein wenig Frust abzulassen. Alle Romantik Irland betreffend ist bei mir verflogen. Naja fast. Aber dieses unbeständige Wetter macht selbst jemanden wie mich, die ich Hitze und Sonnenschein nicht unbedingt immer schätze, verrückt und bisweilen depressiv. Fast vermisse ich Basels stehende Hitze im Sommer und Wiens kühlende Winde durch die Stadthausschluchten in der Innenstadt und mit dem Geruch des nahen Wiener Walds vermischt mit Teer und Chlor vom Freibad nebenan bei mir zu Hause.

Upper Lake, Glendalough

Ansonsten, Arbeit, Ärger, Freude. Ein wenig die Musik wiederentdecken, neu entdeckte Musik anhören (Danke Nicole :=) ). Gerade stelle ich fest, dass ich mit Amy MacDonald ganz gut etwas anfangen kann.

View of the Upper Lake

Ach ja, Wetter. Meine Beobachtung von vor vier Jahren, dass es in Irland die schönsten, bedrohlichsten, dichtesten, sonnenbeschienendsten und interessantesten Wolken gibt, die ich bisher gesehen habe, kann ich bestätigen. Es ist wirklich unglaublich. Nur ein paar mehr von den sonnenbeschienenen wären gut. An einem Tag gibt es das Wetter, das andere Orte in einem ganzen Jahr bekommen. Am Morgen wache ich früh auf, weil die Sonne schon vor fünf Uhr aufgeht und sich selbst von den dicksten Vorhängen nicht abhalten lässt. Gehe ich um 8 oder 9 Uhr aus dem Haus so kann es warm sein, eiskalt oder schwül. Im Laufe des Vormittags dann halbstündige Schauer, bei denen man nicht einmal eine ausgewachsene Dogge vor die Tür jagen würde, weil man Angst hätte sie zu ersäufen. Rechtzeitig zum Lunch dann ein kleines Stückchen blauer Himmel, das pünktlich zum Ende der Mittagspause durch einen Sturzregen abgelöst wird, der einen klatschnass im mittlerweile schwülen Büro sitzen lässt. Abends holt man sich dann die Mutter aller Erkältungen, während die immer noch feuchten Kleider klamm und kalt werden. Willkommen bei Wetter Irland – Ein ganz normaler Tag.

Woods, Glendalough

Die Tortur wird allerdings hin und wieder mit den wunderschönsten Regenbögen belohnt, jetzt weiss ich auch, wieso sie den Ruf haben, verwunschen zu sein, Pott mit Gold und Leprechaun inklusive. Die Regenbögen, die ich vor Irland gesehen habe, verdienen den Namen nicht einmal, diese pieseligen blassen Viertelkreise. Ein irischer Regenbogen, der was auf sich hält, geht den gesamten Halbkreis von Boden zu Boden, erstrahlt in den sattesten Farben, und hält sich mindestens fünf Minuten.

Courtown Beach

Hm. Reisen, Regenbögen, was bewegt mich sonst noch so? Sport derzeit. Jaja ich weiss, nicht selber. Aber ich habe dem Fussball, das ich sowieso bisher nur halbherzig verfolgt habe – und nur um des Samstagabendbieres und der väterlichen Tradition willen – abgeschworen. GAA sage ich nur. Gaelic Athletic Association. Heisst auf deutsch Rugby, Gaelic Football (die Iren nennen das Europäische Fussball oftmals Soccer) und Hurling. Ich möchte mich jetzt nicht in den Regeln der einzelnen Spiele verlieren, nur soviel: Sie haben alle die speziellen Tore gemeinsam, mit den langen Posten zwischen denen man auch Punkten kann. Der Ball darf nicht nur gekickt, sondern auch gefangen, geschlagen (Hurling) etc. werden. Insbesondere Hurling hat es mir angetan. Hier wird der Ball (in etwa so gross wie ein Baseball) mit einem Holzschläger, dem Hurley geschlagen. Zwischendurch kann er auch kurz getragen (vier Schritte Regel wie in etwa im Basketball) werden, muss gekickt werden oder wieder auf den Hurley (oder irgendwie so). Es gibt übrigens keine Abseitsregel. Für die Regeln besucht doch http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling . Zitate: „brutal field hockey in the air“ „Eine der schnellsten Mannschaftssportarten der Welt“ etc. Das klingt doch schon nach Spass sage ich!

Wexford vs. Dublin Hurling

Um mein gewecktes Interesse zu befriedigen sind wir dann gleich letzten Sonntag zum Hurling Match Wexford gegen Dublin nach Kilkenny gefahren. Der Witz des Tages war ja, dass man mit dem Auto querfeldein nur ca. anderthalb Stunden bis Kilkenny benötigt, und mit den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln aka Bus Eireann 5 Stunden, weil man den unheimlich langen Umweg über Dublin machen muss. Der Match war gut besucht, wenn auch nicht ausverkauft, da es eher zwei schwächere Mannschaften waren, die gegeneinander antraten. Leider war unsere Heimmanschaft Wexford die schwächere, wie sich herausstellte. Was uns natürlich nicht vom Anfeuern abhielt. Angenehm aufgefallen ist mir auch, dass die Fans – egal welcher Fraktion sie nun angehörten – alle zusammenstanden. Keine Spur von Aggressionen, jeder konnte für sein Team schreien, natürlich waren die Blocks gemeinsam lauter, aber so etwas wie eine Fankurve gibt es nicht. Alles sehr relaxed um nicht zu sagen familiär, irisch halt. Ich muss unbedingt rausfinden, wo ich zu Hause in Wien weiter Hurling schauen kann (ein weiterer Grund ins Irish Pub zu gehen schätze ich).

Wexford vs. Dublin Hurling

Dies muss als Update reichen, weder Reisebericht noch tiefschürfend philosophisch fürchte ich. Mir ist übrigens klar, dass ich trotz meines Gejammeres über das Wetter fast nur Bilder mit Sonnenschein in diesen Artikel eingefügt habe. Wer macht schon Fotos bei Regenwetter :=).

Today I want to continue showing you the most beautiful places I visited during my stay in Ireland.  Because there are so many wonderful places I decided to show you just four of them… If you like to get some more information I will be pleased to answer your questions!

View Larger Map

Powerscourt is just 20 kilometers away from Dublin and was one of our first stops when we got our car. The garden and landscaped park belong to the most beautiful of the country. The mansion is the central point of the areal. It was build up in 1731 but completely destroyed in 1974 by a fire. The famous gardens are decorated by statues and mosaicked grounds.The garden is divided in different topics – the Italiangarden, Japanese garden and Walled Garden (oldest feature of Powerscourt Gardens)  just to name a few of them. All of the exotic flowers, trees and plants are a feast for the eyes. The magnificent surroundings of the Wicklow Mountains intensifies the atmosphere even more. Powerscourt House and Gardens is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the beautiful landscape of Ireland.

Powerscourt House

Powerscourt terrace

Japanese Garden

Walled Garden

• GLENDALOUGH

Glendalough, the valley of the tow lakes, is renowned for its Early Medieval monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century. The present remains in Glendalough tell only a small part of its story. The monastery in its heydaywould have included workshops, areas for manuscript writing and copying, guest houses, farm buildings and dwellings for both the monks and a large lay population. The buildings which survive probably date from between 10th and 12th centuries. Monuments in the Lower Valley are for example the gateway, the round tower, the cathedral and the priest´s house. The round tower served as landmark for approaching visitors and was even used as a store-house or as place of refuge in time of attack. The whole area is so fascinating and you feel like going on a time travel.  

St. Kevin´s Church & Round Tower

Cementary

The Priest´s House

To be continued…

Saturday June 13th @ 12 noon

Glendalough, Co Wicklow, Eire

Labyrinth @ the Visitor’s Centre car park

WWIP is for World Wide Knit in Public and WWWKIP is for Wicklow World Wide Knit in Public and The Travelling Sisterhood of Wicklow Knitters are celebrating the day in one of the most spectacular places in all of Ireland. We hope you will join us! We meet at 12 for a few hours.

We meet at the Labyrinth at the Visitor’s Centre car park in Glendalough.

Bring your own food and drink, suncream, blankets/chairs, your wool and your needles and hooks or who knows, perhaps you have a drop spindle or some embroidery to bring. Or perhaps you just want to come along to see what everybody else is up to with their yarn. Whatever you do, just don’t forget your yarn mojo – and a brolly, just in case!

In case of bad weather, we will de-camp to the Glendalough Hotel just around the corner.

Now, I just wonder if you will join us? You are very welcome, that’s for sure!

Holiday Rental in Mindarie

If you’re looking to move to Perth at the end of 2009, or are thinking of visiting family and friends over Christmas, then this might be the perfect holiday home for you.

Located in the picturesque suburb of Mindare, just 30 minutes North of Perth, this house offers all of the creatures comforts you could possibly need, with a few added luxuries thrown in for free.

Available for rent from the 28th November 2008 through to 3rd January 2009, the house comes with plenty of living space, a private garden and a large pool. Great for kids and lots to do for the whole family, Mindaire is nearby to plenty of sporting facilities and just minutes from a beautiful sandy beach.

This could be the perfect place chill out in the sun or park your cases when you first arrive.

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> Find out MORE about the property.

> See MORE pictures of the property.

> Find out MORE about the area.

> Find out MORE about price and availability of the property.

> EMAIL for a booking enquiry.

While Dh is mowing the lawn I thought I would just take a moment out of my frantic packing and preparing to post.  We’re leaving this afternoon (sometime) and heading over to Glendalough State Park for the weekend. We’re only staying two nights and I doubt we’ll be there late on Sunday, but who knows.  maybe the kids will just have that much fun that they never want to leave.  It’s not probable, but it is possible I suppose.  DH and I just love hiking around there and after about the first half hour both kids are ready to quit, and we usually push them to hike most of the day since it is so nice there.  I can hardly wait to hike the ice ridge trail again and do the wild flower walk, since there are wild flowers this time of year.  Last could times we’ve alked that one it’s been to late in the year for wild flowers.

So I’m excited.  The world is hot and smells like lilacs today and packing isn’t stressing me out to bad.  DS did wake up at 4 this morning, but DH let me nap for about three hours already, and DS is napping now.  Oy 4 is early.

Well I better go check the rice I’m cooking.  Maybe if I have time I will be able to post something for you to enjoy tomorrow while I’m gone (but don’t count on it).  I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Wir waren heute auf einem eintägigen Ausflug in Kilkenny mit Paddywagon Tours. Unser erster Stop war Glendalough – ein Tal mit einer Ansammlung von uralten Klosterruinen.

Ich hab die Busfahrt von Dublin nach Glendalough geschlafen, also hab ich danach Jutah gefragt, ob der Tourguide was über Glendalough erzählt hat. Sie meinte “Ja, da hat früher ein Kevin gewohnt“. AHA!

Aber bevor ihr runterscrollt…
Um euch ein bisschen irische Stimmung zu schicken – klickt einfach mal auf PLAY:

Ich hab dann doch noch mehr über Glendalough in Erfahrung bringen können. Dieser Kevin war der Heilige Kevin von Glendalough und ist heute Patron von Dublin. Er zog sich in die Natur von Glendalough zurück und lebte dort in Einklang mit Mutter Natur im 6 Jahrhundert nach Christus. Unser Tourguide meinte, dass er sogar so naturverbunden war, dass Vögel ihre Eier in seine Hände gelegt haben. Und bei dieser beeindruckenden Landschaft in Glendalough kann ich das dem guten Kevin auch gar nicht verdenken.

In Glendalough wächst das grünste Gras, das ich bis jetzt gesehen hab. Wanderwege führen durch ein Sumpfgebiet, Schafe blöken von allen Ecken, Wasserfälle und Bäche lassen das Moos und das Gras ergrünen und Bäume spiegeln sich im See, an dem Glendalough liegt.

Glendalough liegt in den Wicklow Moutains. Jutah war von den großen Bergen beeindruckt, mich als Österreicherin hauten diese Hügelchen jedoch nicht vom Hocker. Selbst die Wurzeralm ist doppelt so hoch, wie der höchste Berg der Wicklow Mountains.

Wir hatten leider nur 2 Stunden Zeit in Glendalough, danach gings weiter in die Stadt Kilkenny. Zum Wandern und Spazieren gehen ist Glendalough jedoch wirklich empfehlenswert. Ich war selten von Landschaft so begeistert, und das obwohls fast die ganze Zeit über geregnet hat.

Fotos von Kilkenny folgen dann morgen!

Pictures taken at Glendalough.

Here are a some pictures from the places I visited on my vacation. If you click on the city names, you can see the entire set on Flickr. I have only a few shots from Birmingham, because I’ve been to England before and only took pictures at the concert.

Belfast:

Birmingham

Dublin:

Glendalough: