Not being a history buff myself, I’ll lean on Wikipedia to provide some context about this magical place… Glendalough, meaning ‘valley of two lakes’ in Irish (Gleann Dá Loch), is a glacial valley situated in County Wicklow, Ireland. Its fame lies in hosting an Early Medieval monastic settlement established in the 6th century by St. Kevin. Today, Glendalough offers opportunities for picnics, leisurely walks along trails, and even rock climbing (although I personally refrained, not eager to risk a broken leg on my week-long trip)…
Carved by grinding glaciers in the last Ice Age, the Glendalough valley is magically beautiful. This place was like a real-life “peaceful mountain sounds” white noise machine. The brief walks I enjoyed during our time on the property were a symphony of nature, with water trickling down rocks and the sights of the cutest little sheep.
Fun (?) Fact: While not fact-checked, my tour guide told me that Hozier’s song “In a Week” is rumored to be inspired by the landscapes of Glendalough. The lyrics, “They’d find us in a week, When the cattle show fear, After the insects have made their claim, After the foxes have known our taste, I’d be home with you, I’d be home with you,” add an interesting layer to the eerie charm of Glendalough… ok kind of creepy I guess…
