The Experience
ur day tour to Wicklow departs from Suffolk Street outside the Old stone church in Dublin. We begin our journey southwards, traveling up past the Blessington lakes.Our first stop is Baltinglass where you will have half an hour to grab a coffee and have a good browse around the 12 Century abbey founded by Dermot Mac Murrough the then King of Leinster. This is a fantastic ruin with a combination of Cistercian and Irish Romanesque architecture. The arches are the Abbeys most prominent feature with alternate round and square pillars. Explore the ruins and discover some intricate carvings.
Experience the working side of Wicklow with a visit to a working Irish sheep farm. Meet your friendly local farmer Ed who will introduce you to his life, from the diverse farming practices of sheep farming to organic vegetable growing. The highlight of this stop is a sheepdog exhibition where farmer Ed will coral the sheep with his trusty border collies.
After a scenic rural drive we stop off in the Glenmalure Valley at the Glenmalure Lodge for lunch. You couldn’t have lunch in a more perfect setting. (Lunch is not included)
We then visit the beautiful valley and Monastic site of Glendalough. Here was where Saint Kevin settled in the 6th Century, evidence of which still can be seen via 10th/ 11th Century monastic site perched between the hills. Explore the monastic site and take in your surroundings and let your spirit run free. Here you get 1.5 hours to discover the area, before we continue our journey.
We continue on our route heading back to Dublin through the scenic Sally Gap, journeying along the military road which was built after the 1798 rebellion in an attempt to flush out the rebels who were in hiding in the Wicklow mountains. Take your picture at the P.S. I Love you bridge and see Lough Tay – aptly called the Guinness Lake - while surrounded with blanket bog and mountain peaks which are drenched in green and yellow in the summer and pink and purple in the autumn.
We arrive back in Dublin’s fair city at around 5:30 pm. Thanks for joining us!
ITINERARY
08:30 Depart Dublin
10:00 Baltinglass Abbey
10:45 Visit a working Sheep Farm
12:30 Glenmalure Valley & Lodge for lunch
14:15 Glendalough Monastic Site & Lake Walk
16:05 Lough Tay
16:20 Wicklow Mountains
17:30 Arrive back in Dublin
Vital Information
Please arrive 10 minutes before departure. Please be advised that bookings in advance are essential. Some walking is included in this tour- please bring warm clothing and sturdy walking shoes.
The Weather
This is not dependent on the weather.
Session Length
The tour will last approximately 9 hours.
Location
Ireland
