Long time, NO talk about my incredible solo trip to Ireland back in April of this year! While in the Emerald Isle, I went on several day trips (including Cork County and the Cliffs of Moher) across the country, including a magical 4 hours in Glendalough, Ireland – a gorgeous glacial valley tucked in the Wicklow Mountains that’s home to a 6th century monastery. Truly, getting to visit Glendalough felt as if I was in an Irish lakeside fairytale come true!

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4 Hours in Glendalough, Ireland

Day Trip Operator:

Just like my day trips to Cork County and the Cliffs of Moher, I used Paddywagon Tours for my half day trip to Glendalough. Paddywagon Tours is an affordable and well-known tour operator with several tours leaving from Dublin (and a few other Irish cities!) for the day. I LOVED how convenient the pickup location was for these tours, too, as it was *just* a couple of blocks from my hotel, making for an easy morning stroll.

About:

Located in a glacial valley with two stunning adjacent lakes within the gorgeous Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough is home to a 6th century monastic heritage sight. This 6th century monastic heritage sight was founded by St. Kevin who resided there as a hermit and attracted followers of the Christian faith who aspired to do the same. Indeed, Glendalough is a placed of pilgrimage and has been for over 1,500 years. While not much is accurately known about St. Kevin’s time at Glendalough, stories have been passed down over the centuries, some of which are of Irish mythology (which is contains a fascinating array of stories in itself!). Surrounded by natural beauty with an upper and lower lake, the Wicklow Mountains, the remains of two mining sites, and the monastic settlement, truly Glendalough is a peaceful place to simply reflect, enjoy your surroundings, and feel pride for those that have done the same before us. Learn more here, including information on the first-ever pilgrimage aka a series of walks on St. Kevin’s day on June 1, 2024!

Takeaways:

Glendalough is indeed an incredible place. Upon exiting the tour bus for approximately 90 minutes to stroll at the Glendalough (including the heritage site and adjacent lakes and trails to/from it all!), I was able to see the monastic heritage site and both lakes amongst the breathtakingly gorgeous Wicklow Mountains. Upon first glance, I found myself walking across stunning cobblestone bridges like I was *in* an Irish fairytale (!!!!!) to the monastic heritage site. At the monastic heritage site, there is a cemetery of crosses (which is *very* hard to get a slot in nowadays as its super prestigious), the monastic tower, and the cell where St. Kevin would pray and practice his faith as a hermit. Truly, it was an incredible experience to see where so many have come before us to practice the faith that they loved and were so passionate about exploring and touching others’ lives with. Glendalough is such a place filled with love, hope, and beauty!

To top it all off, after a visit to the monastic heritage site, I started my stroll on the trail to the upper and lower lakes nearby. On the way to the lakes, I saw … a waterfall (!!!!!) amongst stunning beautiful green moss. HOW MAGICAL!!!!!! And, well, the perfect home for fairies! The walk (if I recall!) is about a mile and SO worth it to be in a forest amongst waterfalls, mountainous views, and lakeside gushes of wind (when in Rome – am I right?!?!). At the lakes, it was SOOOO relaxing amongst the wind and showers of rain here and there to simply be in the moment. Bodies of water, especially lakes, given my childhood Summers spent at East Grand Lake in Northern Maine, have a special place in my heart!

And, on the bus ride home, our tour guide shared some beautiful Irish mythological stories as we drove through the Wicklow Mountains on our way back to Dublin. While I don’t remember a ton about the stories that she told us, I do remember just enjoying how perfect this morning and the moments were at and around Glendalough. It is such a special place!

Wrap-Up:

Being at Glendalough was such a magical experience. I seriously felt as if I was in an Irish lakeside fairytale. Sadly, no fairies to be seen this time around, but maybe next time!

XOXO – Katie <3