One of our first day trips outside of Dublin was a Paddywagon tour that included stops to Glendalough and Kilkenny. We weren’t quite ready to rent a car yet and it sounded nice to just ride and enjoy the scenery from the warmth of a bus.
The drive down South to Glendalough was about an hour and a half. We weren’t sure what to expect but we were captivated by the beautiful Glendalough Upper Lake. The lower and upper lakes are located in the Southern side of the Wicklow Mountains National Park. We walked through the cemetery and by the lower lake and then only had enough time to take in the view of upper lake for a few minutes. We knew we wanted to go back and do the loop hike around the lake and sure enough we were back in a few weeks to hike with some friends.
The hike we did a few weeks later provided beautiful views of the lakes and the surrounding area. Even though we were rained on for half the hike, the view was worth the cold, soggy socks. The uphill is steep but man-made steps are provided. I wouldn’t recommend this hike for beginners but it could be manageable if you take lots of breaks.
After our brief stop in Glendalough, we got back on the bus and headed further South. We drove through the Wicklow Gap and saw nothing due to the fog! We were supposed to see Turlogh waterfall and a beautiful landscape but all we saw was white. We were able to see the view on a different trip with family! When we arrived to Kilkenny an hour and a half later it was pretty chilly so we did our best to see the sites but quickly decided that a pint in a warm pub sounded like the best way to spend our time. There’s lots to see in the small medieval town; Kilkenny Castle, Black Abbey, St. Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower, the canal walk, St. Mary’s Cathedral, and the Smithwick’s Experience, to name a few. We walked by almost all of the above but saved our money on entrance fees and instead headed to Left Bank. We sat by the cozy fire and had some of the best fish and chips we’ve had in Ireland to this day.
Kilkenny is a lovely little medieval town with winding cobblestone streets that you can easily walk through in an hour. It has everything a tourist is looking for in an Irish town; good pubs, a castle, and historical churches. We can’t wait to go back and spend more time outside but we wouldn’t mind being stuck in Left Bank for a few hours again either.
We’ve been back to Glendalough and Kilkenny several times to hike or just to enjoy with visitors. The Wicklow area is beautiful and it’s close enough to the city for a nice day trip.