Wicklow Mountains & Glendalough Lakes

Another day back on a day-tour bus—this time to the countryside south and east of Dublin. We started with a walk up Killiney Hill, a short drive from Dublin. We got a great view of Dublin and its coastline.

We drove through heather-covered peat bogs (who knew they weren't just in the lowlands?) to get to Lough Tay, also called Guinness Lake, in the Wicklow Mountains. It's nicknamed Guinness Lake because the Guinness family originally owned a home there.

After lunch in a traditional Irish pub (Guinness beef stew!), we carried on through windy mountain roads to what remains of a monastery at Glendalough. The structures that remained date from the 1100s.

From there, we walked on part of the long-distance trail system called the Wicklow Way to the two lakes there -- upper and lower Glendalough.

Throughout the day it was pretty windy, and occasionally rainy, but mostly it was as sunny as it probably gets in Ireland.

Back onboard the bus at the end of the day we toasted to a great experience with a small taste of Glendalough whiskey.Läs mer