As Dawn says, one needs to find new adjectives! I think I have used the words beautiful and awesome and stunning a thousand time in the past 3 weeks. So here goes a thousand  and one….I arrived in Glendalough just after 12pm and …it is beautiful!  The drive from Kilkenny was great, again all along the back country roads and then throught the Wicklow mountains. Large forests and picturesque farmyards all around. A much rougher countryside compared to Kerry and Kilkenny.

Glendalough means the  valley of the two lakes. These are called the Upper Lake and the Lower lake. History has it that in the latter part of the sixth century, St. Kevin crossed the mountains from Hollywood to Glendalough. The path he took later became known as St. Kevin’s Way. This track led to the development of Glendalough, and within 100 years it had developed from a remote hermitage site into one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland.

I am staying ay the Glendalough hotel, which is adjacent to the monastic site,   How much better can it be?   The ‘City’ consists of a number of monastic remains which you enter  through an ancient monument gateway which is unique in Ireland. Originally it had two stories with two fine granite arches. The projecting walls at each end indicate it had a timber roof. Inside is a cross-inscribed stone, indicating the boundary of the sanctuary or area of refuge.

Within the site is a massive round tower, standing 30 metres high and an interesting graveyard. I found numerous headstones from the 1700’s.The largest building at Glendalough is the cathedral, which was built in several phases from the 10th  century. There is an ancient granite cross with an unpierced ring, which is commonly known as St. Kevin’s Cross. Close by is the Priests’ House, a small Romanesque building with a decorative arch at each end. There is also St. Kevin’s Church  which is a stone roofed building . Across the path are the foundations of St. Kieran’s Church. Also the very beautiful St. Mary’s church.

I then took the 1.4km walk to the Lower and Upper lakes.  As you get to the Upper Lake, the first monument is the Caher, a stone walled circular enclosure between the two lakes. It is 20 meters in diameter and of unknown date. Close by are several crosses, which were apparently used as stations on the pilgrims’ route. Across the stream to the southwest is the Reefert Church,  or in Isish  Righ Fearta, “burial place of the kings.” The church dates from c.1100 AD.  Then another massively steep trek up to a rocky ledge over the Upper Lake ito St. Kevin’s Cell.  I confess I was expecting a cave (like St Francis) so I was a bit disappointed that there was just a marker for the place. It is believed to have been a “beehive” hut like those on Skellig Michael.

I walked the boardwalk route home again, a 1.6km walk past the two lakes and some farmyards. Got up close and personal with some sheep. I had dinner at the hotel tonight- just too tired to go out! Hot shower and now in bed ‘blogging’. I am really looking forward to getting to Dublin tomorrow and being in one place for a period of time. This one night here and two nights there, is truly an exhausting way to travel. But I think it was necessary to be able to see and do all the things I have in the past weeks. It has been a stunning trip. I will miss the country side, being city based for the next 10 days. I do have two day trip excursions planned from Dublin- watch this space for more details😎

The Arch entry into the monastic site

The 30m round tower, used to call monks to prayer

The cathedral

Arches in the cathedral

St Kevin’s Cross – solid circle

The Priest’s house

St Mary”/ church

The monastic site accross the river

In the forest

So many photo ops

Renferts.Church at the Upper Lake

Much enjoyed treat

The stone archway

Using filters

Love this pic

Gravestones

Panoramic shot of the whole site