Around Dublin (9/8)

Across the Wicklow Mountains

We headed off out of Dublin to Glendalough, the site of an old monastery, in the two smaller vehicles with the dogs as well. Selecting the type of route via GPS can be hazardous. The shortest route had us wending our way through housing developments and I'm sure it was the slowest as well! We eventually got onto the Military Road which was pushed through the heart of the Wicklow Mountains during the campaign to plush out Irish rebels (rebel – anyone not on your side) after ann uprising in 1798. The Wicklow mountains are treeless, covered by a vast expanse of blanket bog and heather. The heather was in flower, so areas of the mountains had a purple tinge to them. The trip was slow because it is a favourite area for the cyclists – they take their life into their hands and are not concerned about riding three abreast along the very narrow roads.

Restored? buildings at Glendalough

Glendalough is located in a beautiful steep-sided wooded valley containing two lakes, and looks like it was a glacial valley at some stage. There was a monastic settlement here established by St Kevin (a hermit) in the 6^th century and although it was constantly sacked by the Vikings, it flourished for over 600 years. English forces razed some of the settlement in 1398 and the settlement started to decline from that time until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539. It remained a place of pilgrimage for some time. Most of the buildings are thought to date from the 10^th to 12^th century and some were restored in 1870.

Having had a look at the buildings and cemetery near the car park, we walked around the first lake and found evidence of much older structures near the top lake. Time did not permit an interesting (but apparently more rugged) walk around the top lake or even rock-climbing on the crags above – a well known climbing area.

Powerscourt

We returned for a drink at the hotel, but couldn't compete for the waiters' attention against the tour buses so after half an hours waiting for our order to be delivered we just left and made do with what we had in the van.

After lunch we headed for Powerscourt, a stately home which was started in 1731 on the site of a Norman Castle. It was gutted by fire in 1974 and remained a shell until the Slazenger family bought it. They have developed an up-market shopping centre and restaurant on the ground floor, but it is the gardens which have pride of place. These gardens were established in 1875 by the 7^th Viscount Powerscourt who brought decorative urns, statues and gates home from tours of Europe. The gardens, which are divided into “rooms” are again beautifully tended are inspirational for the ornamental gardener, and the associated nursery and plant shop are there to keep them happy. As it was late and the rain was threatening, we did a quick walk around and headed back to camp.

A celebratory meal

As Wendy and Ralph were heading back to Manchester the next day, we had a celebratory meal at a nearby restaurant “Carpe Diem” that Jeff and Sandie had discovered during one of their bridge tournaments. A good time was had by all.