The Garden of Ireland
Nestled in Ireland’ s ‘garden’ county of Wicklow lies a particular gem that is quintessentially Wicklow and quintessentially Irish. If Ireland is the land of saints and scholars, then Glendalough (valley of two lakes) is surely the capital. And if a 6th century monastic settlement that stands strong today wasn’t enough, the sorroundings are enough to capacitate any digital cameras storage space as this land of almost make-believe is a geological feast for the eyes!
Round Tower and St Kevins Church at Glendalough
Often a feature of our Dublin based customized tours of Ireland such as our 12 Day Luxury Tour, Glendalough is always a guest favorite. When we go there it is usually a short hop from where we are staying in the nearby 5 * Powerscourt Hotel Resort. This is a modern luxurious masterpiece that capitalises on the tranquillity of the Wicklow National Park by which it is situated.
Monastic City
Glendalough is perhaps best known for the Round Tower which is the standout feature that remains from the ‘monastic city’. Despite its 6th century construction by St. Kevin’s monks, it still stands strong today at 30 meters height. As does St Kevin’s Church, better known as St Kevin’s Kitchen, a 12th century addition to the many monastic architectural structures still evident today in Gledalough. In fact there are quite an array of churches still in good tact here that have been erected through the centuries, to walk around them and amble around the trails gives you a great insight into the life of the monastic settlers.
Scenic views aplenty at Glendalough
St Kevin clearly knew what he was doing when he set up here, there is a cave which we refer to as St Kevin’s Hermitage which looks out on the most serene lake setting. Also visible from the monastic city are stone crosses, probably praying spots, and a most curious circular stone wall, the purpose of which remains a mystery today! We often hear are guests form their theories of what it is or what it was used for.
Close by are all the other ingredients for a truly luxurious private tour of Ireland such as the Avoca Restaurant in Kilmacanogue just outside of the Glen of the Downs. Also, if you’re part of a golf tour of Ireland, Delgany and Powerscourt golf clubs are just a stone’s throw away. A little further away are the K Club and Mount Juliet which feature on our South West and East Golf Vacation package. Of course at Executive Hire we pride ourselves on redefining what ‘Customized Tours Ireland’ means, and you can play golf and do site seeing day trips – mix it and match it to suit your small group tour or family vacation!
Thanks for reading, hope to see you at St Kevin’s Kitchen soon!
Mike Ryan
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