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Glendalough is a historically important monastery & village in County Wicklow in Ireland. Glendalough lies roughly 90 minutes south of Dublin City by car.

[edit] Understand

The English name Glendalough comes from the Irish Gleann Dá Locha which translates to "The valley of the two lakes".

St. Kevin founded a monastery here in the sixth century which continued to expand for 600 years, but was destroyed in 1398. The buildings which survive date from the 8th and 12th centuries. The most famous is the round tower which is 34m high and 16m in circumference at the base. A cathedral, stone churches and decorated crosses also survived.

Glendalough is a historic site, whose Gaelic name translates to “valley of the two lakes. It consists of the 6th-century monastery founded by St. Kevin and the famous round tower, standing 112 feet high with a base measuring 52 feet in circumference.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

One convenient way of reaching Glendalough is by car. Travellers from Dublin should take the N11 in the direction of Wexford & take the R755 turn-off at Kilmacanogue. From Kilmacanogue follow signposts to Glendalough through Roundwood & Laragh.

Drivers should be aware that in the busy summer period car parking places may be hard to come-by due to the large amount of visitors. This is particularly true on Sunday & the August bank holiday Monday.

[edit] By bus

• St. Kevins Bus Service.

The St.Kevin's Bus Service is a locally owned bus service which has been operating between Glendalough & Dublin for almost a century. The journey takes in some of the best Wicklow scenery, therefore it is a great chance to relax & enjoy the Garden County en-route to Glendalough. Buses leave from Dublin (Dawson Street) at 11:30am & 6:00pm. The journey takes roughly 90 minutes to Glendalough & costs €13 for a one-way ticket. Return buses leave for Dublin at 4:15pm (4:30pm Sunday).

Further route & timetable information can be found at this location.

[edit] Get around

The only way to see everything that Glendalough has to offer is on foot. The monastic village, lakes & round tower are all within a short stroll of the bus stops, car parks & hotels. For the more outdoor minded visitors there are several walking routes around the area which can vary from a board walk around the forest to more intense walks in the nearby hills.

[edit][add listing] See

- St Kevin's Cross

One of Ireland’s most unusual and largest high crosses can be seen at Glendalough. The huge cross is carved from one single piece of granite. The cross is unusual in that it is not pierced through the ring like most Irish High Crosses. (In other words there is no opening through the ring of stone intersecting the haft and arms of the cross. This is certainly the only high cross I have seen in Ireland that is unpierced like this. The arms of the cross are over a metre in length. A local legend surrounding the St. Kevin’s Cross at Glendalough says that anyone who can wrap their arms around the entire width of the cross body will have their wishes granted.

- The Round Tower

The famous Round Tower is about 34 metres high and is 16 metres in circumference at the base. It is still in near perfect condition even though it is almost 1,000 years old!

- St. Kevin's Bed

Just to the west of the church is a small raised platform with a stone walled enclosure. This enclosure held a small enclave of monastic stone huts. Close to this is St. Kevin’s Bed. This cave set in the rock face about 8 metres above the lake is said to have been a place of solitude and prayer for St. Kevin and later St. Laurence O’Toole who used the cave a as a retreat. The cave is partly natural and partly man made and runs 2 metres back into the rock.

[edit][add listing] Do

Glendalough is famous for its spectacular settings: lakes, hills, a very old monastic site.

It's very busy on a Sunday when the weather is good, people come for a walk to enjoy the nature. You can go around the lakes and into Laragh on good paths; if you want more, climb the hills which also have tracks but can be a challenge at times (wearing walking gear is recommended).

Activities

Angling Anglers can enjoy excellent angling facilities in Co. Wicklow. Game fishing is available on a number of rivers including the Avonmore, Avoca and Aughrim. There are also a number of fisheries including one in Annamoe and in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow.

Cycling Because of Wicklow’s diverse landscape it offers a varied range of routes and so makes it ideal for both the novice and experienced cyclist although the higher you climb the more spectacular the views. Bikes can be hired in Rathdrum and Roundwood.

Equestrian Enjoy the unique Wicklow landscape on horseback. There are numerous equestrian centres to choose from which offer lessons, trekking and lots more. The nearest is just a few kilometres away in Annamoe.

Golf Wicklow is a haven for golfers with courses to suit all levels from championship courses to pitch & putt. Don’t forget you also get to enjoy the spectacular scenery while you are playing. There are golf courses in Roundwood, Glenmalure, Aughrim, Druids Glen.

Swimming For safety reasons swimming is not permitted in either of the Glendalough lakes but there is plenty of opportunity for swimming in swimming pools in Bray, Wicklow town and Arklow. There are also a number of beaches within about 30 minutes drive where you can dip your toes in Wicklow town, Arklow and Brittas Bay.

Walking / Hiking / Climbing County Wicklow is recognised all over the world for the beauty of its landscapes and it presents a diversity of walking challenges from leisurely beach and wooded walks to gentle hills and to testing wilderness mountain climbs.

The most famous walk is the Wicklow Way which stretches over 132 kilometres from south Dublin to nearby Co. Carlow across some of the most unspoilt countryside in Wicklow.

Walk in the footsteps of St. Kevin by following St Kevin’s Way from Hollywood in West Wicklow to Glendalough (26km). The mountains around Glendalough are an ideal challenge for the experienced climber.

Kids CLARA LARA FUNPARK

Clara Lara is a unique outdoor adventure Park, a couple of kilometers from Glendalough, dedicated to providing healthy and creative fun for families and groups of children. 30 acres of beautiful countryside in the Avonmore River valley with tree houses, Tarzan swings, rope bridges, rowing boats, water slides, rafts, canoes, junior go-carts, B.B.Q.s, mini golf, picnic areas, a restaurant and lots more. Open weekends in May and everyday from June to September.

Scenic Drives

Sally Gap From Dublin drive via Glencullen, Kilternan and The Scalp into Enniskerry. From here you can visit Powerscourt Estate and Gardens, which include the highest waterfall in Ireland. Continue to Sally Gap, a notable crossroads situated between Kippure Mountain and the Djouce Mountain, where the road leads to Glendalough, by Glenmacnass and Laragh.

Wicklow Gap The Wicklow Gap links East and West Wicklow and it is a wonderful scenic drive which starts from Hollywood and meanders across the mountains to Glendalough with spectacular views en route. Laragh, Glenmalure, Aughrim, Avoca, Rathdrum, Laragh From Laragh on the Rathdrum Road take the Military Road through the scenic Glenmalure. Drive on to the picturesque village of Aughrim and back through Avoca, the home of ‘Ballykissangel’. Stop at the Meetings of the Waters and then head to Rathdrum where you can take in the historic Avondale House, home to Charles Stewart Parnell and head back to Laragh where you can take in Clara Lara Fun Park on the way.

Attractions Festivals & Events

The Walking Festival takes place annually in October and starts from Laragh.

The Bealtaine Festival takes place in May and is an ‘Arts’ festival to celebrate the older members of the community. The events are varied and include drama, music and dance and are open to everyone.

The Festival of St. Kevin takes place in June and the St. Laurence O’Toole Festival take place in November.

The Wicklow Gardens Festival takes place in the summer from May until August where many unique gardens are open to the public.

Historic & Ecclesiastical Sites

Monastic City Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. This early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the ‘Monastic City’. The ‘City’ consists of a number of monastic remains, and the most impressive being the Round Tower which stands 30m high. The main group of monastic buildings lie downstream near the Round Tower.

Museums/ Visitor & Education Centres Glendalough Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre is adjacent to ruins of the monastic settlement and has an interesting exhibition and an audio-visual show. Guided tours of the Monastic City are available in multiple languages all year round by advance booking. The Visitor Centre also holds Free Summer Lectures related to Irish heritage and history.

Open Farms

Parks & Gardens Wicklow is known as the ‘Garden of Ireland’ because of its diverse landscape and beauty but it also boasts a myriad of wonderful gardens both formal and informal as well as a number of parks and woodland walks. You can visit Powerscourt Gardens and Waterfall (the highest in Ireland) in Enniskerry. Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford are also well worth a visit. Avondale House, in Rathdrum, is set in 500 acres of forest with short and long walks.

Services Cinema

If you fancy a trip to the movies you have to travel to the Bridgewater Centre in Arklow or Bray in Co. Wicklow for the nearest cinema – the journey takes about 30 minutes.

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Night Life

Lynham's Laragh Inn, Laragh, Co. Wicklow: Internationally famous rendezvous- family orientated, traditional restaurant - "Olde Worlde" feature ceili house bar. Good food, drink and eclectic ambience in Irish setting. Tel: 0404 45345

The Wicklow Heather: This is a traditional Irish Restaurant with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. A full menu is served from 9.00-21.30 daily. Tel: 0404 45157

Glendalough Hotel: Bar food served - max. capacity 200 people.There is live entertainment most Saturday nights offering a good mixture of music.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Derrymore B&B, ☎ +353 (0)404 45493, [1].  edit

The Irish youth hostel organisation is called An Oige, it runs a nice youth hostel in Glendalough, [2].

• The Glendalough Hotel, town center, Tel: 0404 45135, Fax: 0404 45142, [3].

There are also many B&B's in Laragh and Glendalough, so if you arrived early enough in the day you could decide on the spot where to stay.

• Glendalough Youth Hostel, The Lodge, Glendalough, Co. Wicklow (From Dublin Airport to Glendalough Hostel: At Airport Roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the M1 (signposted Dublin). Leave the M1 at junction 3, then at roundabout take the 3rd exit onto the M50 (signposted M50 Southbound). Continue forward onto the M11 (signposted Wexford). Continue forward onto the N11. Branch left, then at roundabout take the 4th exit onto the R755. Continue forward onto the R755 Entering Roundwood. Bear right onto the R755 Entering Annamoe. Continue forward onto the R755 Entering Laragh. Bear right onto the R756 (signposted Glendalough). Branch left onto the R757. You will need to follow thw signs for the Monastic Settlement-our Glendaloch Youth Hostel is on the road to the Upper Lake.), ☎ Tel: +353-(0)404-45342 | Fax: +353-404-45690, [4]. checkin: 2pm; checkout: noon. The 5 star all en-suite Glendalough hostel is set in a wooded valley amid spectacular countryside ideal for fishing, rock climbing, pony trekking and hiking in Wicklow. The county of Wicklow, just south of Dublin is known as the Garden of Ireland. Central Wicklow is a mass of domed granite mountains, penetrated by deep glens and wooded valleys containing some of the finest scenery in Ireland. To the west, the mountains give way to gentler country on the edge of the central plain. Staying in Glendalough for a night or two is a great way to forget about the hustle & bustle of everyday life and just relax. The county is rich in history and culture, with five heritage gardens and many archaeological and historical remains. When you get there, say hi to Trish or Mark, they are awesome!!  edit

[edit] Get out

Derrymore House is the only B&B in the valley of Glendalough. There are many more B&B houses in the surrounding villages of Laragh and Annamoe.