In the county of Wicklow, 200 kilometers from the beautiful Dublin, the Glendalough Valley is located, which means “valley of two lakes” in Irish. The road to the valley lies through a small village called Hollywood: there is an opinion that American Hollywood got its name thanks to people from this area. The road that connects Hollywood and Glendalough is called the "Way of St. Kevin." Everyone who has visited this place argues: inside the valley, a person is overcome with feelings that he is alone in the pristine nature, and everything else remains in another world.
Glacier Valley Overview
The Glendalough Valley was originally a monastic settlement was founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin. There are two versions of the foundation of the monastery: someone believes that the saint immediately came with a group of monks, the second version - people began to remain after the pilgrimages to the saint. Passing through the gates of the monastery, the pilgrims had to take off all their clothes.
The monastery, which for a long time played an important role in the Christian life of the country, is considered the main attraction of the valley. The English soldiers drove out the monks, and the building fell into desolation: today, only ruins remain from it, which are still the object of walking pilgrimages along the "Way of St. Kevin" from the village of Hollywood.
Narrow paths lead from the monastery to natural sites. Behind the ruins you can go to the Lower Lake, sections of the wild forest. The next stop is the Upper Lake: on its shore there is still the “Kevin's Cave” - the very place where the saint lived.
Lifehacks for tourists
In order for a visit to Glendalough to be 100% effective, use the tips:
- There is a tourist office and a hotel in the valley where you can stay for a few days to enjoy the untouched nature and the special atmosphere of the place
- On weekends, locals gather in the valley to take a walk, so it’s better to plan a visit on weekdays
- You can go around local lakes with beaten paths, or you can climb hills - do not forget to take equipment and suitable shoes for this
- Some rivers of the valley are available for fishing
- The tourist center offers routes that vary in level of physical fitness, amount of time, age of tourists, etc.
- There are many cafes and restaurants offering home cooking in the valley
- There are no banks or ATMs in Glendalough; cash is used almost everywhere.
Interesting Facts
- St. Kevin was a descendant of the ruling dynasty of Leinster.
- Most of the surviving buildings date back to the 10th to 12th centuries.
- Peter and Paul Cathedral, the ruins of which can be visited, once was the largest in the county.
- In the original video, the Wicklow tower was preserved, 34 meters high and 16 meters in diameter at the base.
The object belongs to parks.
