Travel Tales: Glendalough

In my early teens, our extended family vacationed in Ireland. The second day there, we visited Glendalough National Park
in County Wicklow. We were tired from the flight and I didn't understand why it was so important to go there. Little did I

know that it would be one of the best days of my life.

Wicklow Gap

It was a 45-minute drive through the West Wicklow Mountains, rising to the Wicklow Gap at elevation 1,500 feet, before

dropping into the Glendalough Valley. My father is accustomed to speeding over New York highways and was challenged by

driving on the left-hand side of the mountain roads, which were narrow, winding and lined by stone walls. Every time someone

shouted, "Look!" in response to the spectacular scenery, we had to quickly add, "But not you, Dad!" And whenever he had to

turn, the whole car had to agree on which lane he should turn into and where he had to look for oncoming traffic. Getting

there really is half the fun!

Welcome to Glendalough

When we arrived in the Glendalough National Park, my father lay down to recover from the drive and we went into the Visitor

Centre to figure out why we'd bothered to go to the park. We learned that the name Glendalough means "Glen of Two Lakes," and

that glaciers carved out the spectacularly beautiful glen.

Monastic City

From the Welcome Center, it was an easy walk to the Monastic City, which houses a series of churches, monastic settlements

and cemeteries, originally founded by St. Kevin in the late sixth century. The oldest collection of buildings is clustered

around St. Kevin's Church and the 100-foot tall Round Tower. They are in extraordinary condition for stone buildings

constructed more than a thousand years ago. We also saw St. Kevin's Cross, which confers luck on anyone who can fit his or

her arms around it. We had fun trying. It was fascinating to read tombstones from the 1700s.
Source: Georgia College & State University

Lower Lake

Right after the Monastic City is the Lower Lake. According to an amazing history and virtual tour of Glendalough by Dr.

Deborah Vess of Georgia College & State University, the Lower Lake is where the monks, most famously St. Kevin, spent a lot

of time in self-examination. Biographers talk about St. Kevin fighting a "monster" here; Dr. Vess thinks that this was a

metaphor for his inner self.

Upper Lake and Trails

From there, the trek up to the Upper Lake is manageable for most people. The trails continue higher into the mountains, and

the long hike is worth it for the incredible views toward the top. My cousins and I encouraged the rest of our family by

yelling, "Top or bust!" A few members of my family decided to try one of the harder trails; we didn't know until afterward

that we had actually gone off the trail. When we found the path again, and met up with our family, we saw a beautiful

waterfall and a sign that warned about "dangerous cliffs ahead" and told us that we needed boots, a compass and a map to go

any further. This encouraged us to turn back, but we'll be prepared for next time! After my entire family completed the

breathtaking walk, we now have a new motto: "Wicklow, baby, that's how we roll!"