Glendalough and Powerscourt

 (Day seven recap of my late April Ireland trip.)

Ireland day seven dawned in Kilkenny to overcast, rainy skies.  Sadly, our good weather luck had finally ended.  Kim and I endured an awful night's sleep thanks to rock hard beds in our hotel.  Despite being extremely tired, both of us managed to get up and drag our sleepy selves to breakfast.  We then packed up our suitcases and boarded the bus for another early departure.  I was sad we'd only had a short afternoon and evening in charming, medieval Kilkenny.  I really liked this town - there appeared to be many things to see and do.  A revisit was added to my growing "for next time" list.

There's a Hollywood in Ireland!

On the road again!  Today's first stop was the ancient monastery of Glendalough.  Traveling through foggy sheep-filled farmlands, our guide Pascal remarked:  "Did you know there's a Hollywood in Ireland?"  Sure enough, we passed by a road sign pointing towards the famed village.  Another few miles of traveling brought us through the Irish town of Hollywood, which turned out to be a very tiny hamlet.  However, in honor of it's name, a white "Hollywood" sign graced one of the nearby hills - an exact replica of the famous one in California.  Well, almost.  We noticed a few of the letters had fallen over so now it just read "Hollyw."

Entrance to Glendalough Monastery

Soon the farmlands gave way to winding mountainous roads.  These were the Wicklow Mountains we were now traveling through.  After seeing so many barren fields on our travels, it was a shock to pass through steep, rugged terrain topped with thick forests.  The road narrowed and got even more curvy.  At one point a truck heading in the opposite direction barreled through, causing our driver George to hastily pull onto the tiny roadway shoulder to avoid getting crunched.  (He groused that the truck should've used a nearby pullout.)  George handled all this tricky driving like a champion, and got us safely to the Glendalough visitor center.

Round tower and gravestones

A heavy mist greeted our arrival at Glendalough.  Donning raingear and warm clothing, Kim and I made a beeline for the restroom, narrowly beating a busload of schoolchildren.  After everyone had taken advantage of the facilities, our tour group gathered inside the visitor center for a short film.

Perfect weather for visiting a cemetery!

Once the movie had finished it was time to tour the monastery grounds.  By this time, the mist had transformed into proper rain.  I'd packed a waterproof cover for my camera and was mighty glad I did, as it was now called into service. 

Ornate Celtic cross

Our guide led us over a bridge spanning a lovely creek, down a grassy lane to a large arched stone gateway.  This arch was the original entrance to the monastery grounds.  My group huddled under the rock walls, umbrellas and hoods up, while our guide talked about what we were about to see.  

It was interesting to read the tombstone inscriptions

Glendalough was founded by St. Kevin in the sixth century and was in operation through the age of Saints and Scholars, until it was destroyed by the English in 1398.  A few monks continued to live within the ruins until all monasteries in Ireland were abandoned in 1539.  But the faithful continued to visit Glendalough, especially on June 3rd, which was St. Kevin's Day.  One of the popes of the times stated that seven visits to Glendalough had the same indulgence value (forgiveness of sins) as one visit to Rome.

Cathedral ruins

Our guide finished her gateway talk and led us onto the grounds.  Ornate tombstones were everywhere, many of them topped with a Celtic cross.  A round stone tower rose 110 feet above the cemetery.  Our first stop was underneath this tower, where our guide explained that round towers like this one were unique to Ireland.  It likely functioned as a bell tower, storage loft, beacons for traveling pilgrims, and a refuge of last resort during Viking raids.  As with other towers I'd seen in Ireland, there was no ground floor door.  The entrance was placed higher up on the wall, for both structural reasons and safety during an attack.

The old cathedral walls

After checking out the tower, our guide led us toward a tall stone wall.  This was the ruins of a large cathedral.  Stepping through the doorway, I entered the interior of this roofless structure.  While the four stone walls were still mostly standing, the wooden roof had rotted away centuries ago.  Built in stages between the 10th and 13th centuries, this building was the largest of the Glendalough ruins.

Our group walking to St. Kevin's Cross

Not far from the cathedral's walls stood St. Kevin's Cross.  Carved from a single block of granite, this plain cross towered 10 feet above us.  Because of the hardness of the material used, no Bible stories were carved into it (most Celtic crosses were carved from softer sandstone, allowing ornate depictions.)  A local legend states that anyone who can wrap their arms around the entire width of the cross body and close the circle by touching fingertips will have their wishes granted.  I didn't try this - at the time I was too busy taking pictures while listening to the guide and trying to keep my camera dry at the same time.

Old stone church known as "St. Kevin's Kitchen"

Beyond St. Kevin's Cross I noticed two very picturesque small buildings nestled under a tall, wooded hill.  One had a round tower protruding from its rooftop.  Known as "St. Kevin's Kitchen" these buildings were actually used as churches.  Our group walked down to the buildings and had a chance to peek inside.

Lots of folks walking through the cemetery

Nested up against a treed, fog-shrouded hill, this little church made for a lovely scene.  The rainy, foggy weather actually added a touch of mystery to the place.  Perfect weather to photograph an old cemetery and ancient ruins!

Another view of St. Kevin's Kitchen

In ancient times, Glendalough monastery would provide sanctuary for anyone who was under threat.  These refugees could stay for up to 90 days, but on the 91st day they had to leave - unless the person decided to become a monk.  

Tombstone covered with lichens

After touring the tiny chapel building, our group was free to roam around the monastery grounds for another hour.  Some of my fellow travelers decided to head back to the visitor center for a warm drink and escape from the damp weather.  But of course I opted to stay.  The photo opportunities in this old graveyard were plentiful.  I was like a kid in a candy store!

Some graves were adorned with flowers

Being the good friend she is, Kim tagged along with me as I explored the cemetery with my camera.  Some of the tombstones were so weather-worn the inscriptions were unreadable.  Several of the really old headstones were covered with moss and colorful lichens.  Many other ancient grave markers were tilted at unusual angles.  It's a wonder they hadn't completely fallen over.

Celtic crosses and the old church

After several minutes, Kim was looking pretty wet and miserable so I told her to go ahead and get coffee without me.  I planned on using every minute of this free time to capture as many photographs of the place as I could.

Kim taking a photo

Enjoy yet another photo dump.......

Some of the tombstones looked ready to fall over

Old cathedral wall

Three dark tombstones

More leaning tombstones

The tall round tower was impressive

I hung around until all the tours left and had the place to myself

I roamed around the place for the rest of my allotted time.  With about 10 minutes left before I was due back at the bus, I looked around and realized all the crowds had left.  Only a handful of people remained, scattered about the area.

Cathedral wall

With no one to get in the way, I quickly returned to the ruined cathedral for a few pics sans people.

St. Kevin's Cross

And I made one final visit to St. Kevin's Cross for an unobstructed selfie.  Then I hightailed it back to the visitor center.  I wasn't the last person on the bus, but it was mighty close!

Arriving at Powerscourt

It was a wet group that boarded our bus.  Jackets were hung on seat backs to dry and the windows began to fog from all the dampness.  George guided his bus back down the curvy roads of the Wicklow Mountains.  Our next stop was a mere 45 minutes away.  We were headed to the lovely gardens of the Powerscourt Estate.

Cafeteria lunch at Powerscourt

Powerscourt Estate and gardens were located at the end of a long driveway.  Entrance to the site required passage through a very small archway.  It didn't appear our bus would fit through the arch's narrow opening.  We all collectively held our breath as George slowly edged through.  Looking out my window it appeared there was barely an inch to spare.  But of course George cleared the arch without incident.  That's our driver!

The grounds were immaculately landscaped

It was past noon when our group reached the huge buildings of the Powerscourt estate.  Before partaking of the sights, everyone headed to the cafeteria for a bite to eat.  Several tour groups had the same idea, and the lunch line was long.  The food offerings were very different from what Kim and I were used to.  No hamburgers or hot dogs here!  When our turn finally came, Kim ordered a sausage roll and I chose a slice of quiche.  The quiche came with my choice of three "salads."  From about 10 salad options I picked a macaroni salad, (weirdly with ham and pineapple!) one with peas, and what appeared to be a three-bean variety.  Although my quiche turned out to be quite tasty, I couldn't say the same for the salads.  

One of many statues

Hunger now satisfied, Kim and I headed outside for a tour of the fantastic gardens at the Powerscourt Estate.  Lucky for us the rain had stopped, allowing us to enjoy the scenery without getting wet.

Large pond with fountain

One of the grandest estates and gardens in Ireland, Powerscourt is a popular attraction.  The huge manor was built in the 1730s by Richard Wingfield, the first viscount of Powerscourt.  The gardens were laid out between 1745 and 1767 and then redesigned during the Victorian era (1858-1875.)  The large house was nearly destroyed by fire in 1974, and the rebuilding process is ongoing to this day.

Looking back on the mansion

Immediately outside the mansion was a sweeping lawn.  Sculptures were placed along a walkway leading visitors downhill to a large pond, complete with a tall fountain.

 

Lovely big tree

There were several different gardens within this huge greenspace.  After walking around the pond, Kim and I stumbled upon the Japanese Garden. 

Blooming shrubs in the Japanese garden

It was quite lovely!  Many of the bushes and flowers were blooming - a bright explosion of color.

Pink azaleas

I saw lots of rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom.  Although the colors were stunning, it wasn't all that different from the vegetation I see back home in Oregon.

Lots of red here!

As a matter of fact, I thought the Japanese garden was very comparable to the one I've visited in Portland.

Japanese garden pond

But of course, I love photographing flowers in bloom, so my camera was not idle.

So much color!

After spending some time in the Japanese garden, Kim and I wandered into an adjacent wooded area, that appeared to be showcasing many types of large trees.

I loved the bark of this tree

As we continued down the path, Kim and I spotted a stone castle tower peeking out of the foliage.  This was called Pepperpot Tower, modeled after a favorite pepperpot from Lord Powerscourt's dining table.

Walking past some giant trees

Visitors were able to climb a spiraling staircase inside the tower for a fantastic overview of the gardens.

Castle tower in the garden

About this time, it began to sprinkle again.  Worn out from several full days of touring and a lack of sleep the prior evening, I began to lose interest in the garden.  Kim and I decided to head back into the mansion building and chill for awhile.  Unusual for me to cut out early, it was the only part of the entire tour where I wasn't the last one still out exploring the attraction!

Kim does her statue impression

The break was needed and most welcome.  It was nice to have a slow pace for once.  We explored the gift shops and sat around people watching, which turned out to be fun.  

I have to say, of all the places I visited during this tour, Powerscourt was my least favorite.  Maybe because I was tired, maybe because of the dreary weather.  But also I think I was more into seeing ancient ruins - huge gardens and large estates didn't pique my interest as much.  

Our driver George and his brand-new bus

When our time at Powerscourt was up, Kim and I headed back out to the bus.  The next stop was Dublin, our base for the remainder of the tour.  Because transport wasn't needed in the big city, this would be our final ride with George.  Kim and I thanked him for his excellent driving and posed for a selfie.  Then I took a pic of our driver standing proudly beside his brand-new bus.  Not only was George a good driver, he was also a really nice guy.  Thanks for everything George!

George was an amazing driver and a great guy too!

After Powerscourt, the mighty town of Dublin beckoned, our final city on the Rick Steves tour.  There's so much to recap from our first evening here that I'll have to cover it all in the next post.  So stay tuned!