Ireland 2023 - Day 13 - Glendalough

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On Weds., Doris and I took the 11:30 am St. Kevin's Bus from Stephen's Green, to Glendalough, 90 minutes to the south. You arrive at the old Monastic site at 1:00 pm & leave again at 4:30 pm. The bus route goes through the attractive Wicklow Mountains, just south of Dublin city limits.    

Glendalough, in an impressive lake & mountain setting, was founded as a Monastic site by Saint Kevin, in the 6th Century. The area has a long heritage as a Christian Abbey, place of worship and even pilgrimage destination, until 1398, when English soldiers demolished the churches.

note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again (with some exceptions). 

	at the visitor center		European Smoketree		fast moving main creek
		a small creek behind a coffee kiosk		Glendalough Hotel
	Round Tower, about 100 ft. high
		the Cathedral		< from the front and side >
	main creek again		walk to upper lake		Wicklow Mtns. National Park info office
		upper lake		lakeside walk		an atmospheric place
	maybe St, Kiernan's Church ?		my sister Doris & I		see note

note -  The last image of Glendalough comes from the Museum of Archeology, in Dublin, as seen a few days later.  

For avid walkers, there are plenty of trails, and you can stay in the old Hotel & easily get in 2 or 3 full days of walking. The Wicklow Way extends both north & south of Glendalough, so 3 to 5 miles out & back each way would provide two good walking days, with views of attractive Irish landscapes. 

The more immediate walking trails, starting from the Hotel and heading west on both sides of the Upper Lake, seem to have family-friendly terrain & road surfaces, and we saw many parents with kids in strollers or walking along. There are more trail than mentioned here.   

This area must get a lot of rain, because tiny to medium waterfalls seem to be everywhere, part of the charm of the place.    

Glendalough - I was glad that Doris & I had a chance to go there, and, it was an unexpected treat that St. Kevin's Bus was less than half full. Less crowded is a late season benefit and it was good to be out of the City, walking near a lake & some woods. 

Go to next page - Tara & Nowth/Newgrange

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