Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [122]
Climb the steps at the back of the churchyard and follow the path to the west and you’ll find, at the top of a rise overlooking the lake, the scant remains of St Kevin’s Cell, a small beehive hut.
Lower Lake
While the Upper Lake has the best scenery, the most fascinating buildings lie in the lower part of the valley east of the Lower Lake, huddled together in the heart of the ancient monastic site.
Just round the bend from the Glendalough Hotel is the stone arch of the monastery gatehouse, the only surviving example of a monastic entranceway in the country. Just inside the entrance is a large slab with an incised cross.
Beyond that lies a graveyard, which is still in use. The 10th-century round tower is 33m tall and 16m in circumference at the base. The upper storeys and conical roof were reconstructed in 1876. Near the tower, to the southeast, is the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul with a 10th-century nave. The chancel and sacristy date from the 12th century.
At the centre of the graveyard to the south of the round tower is the Priest’s House. This odd building dates from 1170 but has been heavily reconstructed. It may have been the location of shrines of St Kevin. Later, during penal times, it became a burial site for local priests – hence the name. The 10th-century St Mary’s Church, 140m southwest of the round tower, probably originally stood outside the walls of the monastery and belonged to local nuns. It has a lovely western doorway. A little to the east are the scant remains of St Kieran’s Church, the smallest at Glendalough.
Glendalough’s trademark is St Kevin’s Kitchen or Church at the southern edge of the enclosure. This church, with a miniature round towerlike belfry, protruding sacristy and steep stone roof, is a masterpiece. How it came to be known as a kitchen is a mystery as there’s no indication that it was anything other than a church. The oldest parts of the building date from the 11th century – the structure has been remodelled since but it’s still a classic early Irish church.
At the junction with Green Rd as you cross the river just south of these two churches is the Deer Stone in the middle of a group of rocks. Legend claims that when St Kevin needed milk for two orphaned babies, a doe stood here waiting to be milked. The stone is actually a bullaun (a stone used as a mortar for grinding medicines or food). Many such stones are thought to be prehistoric, and they were widely regarded as having supernatural properties: women who bathed their faces with water from the hollow were supposed to keep their looks forever. The early churchmen brought the stones into their monasteries, perhaps hoping to inherit some of their powers.
The road east leads to St Saviour’s Church, with its detailed Romanesque carvings. To the west, a nice woodland trail leads up the valley past the Lower Lake to the Upper Lake.
ACTIVITIES
The Glendalough Valley is all about walking and clambering. There are nine marked ways in the valley, the longest of which is about 10km, or about four hours walking. Before you set off, drop by the National Park Information Point ( 0404-45425; 10am-6pm daily May-Sep, to dusk Sat & Sun Oct-Apr) and pick up the relevant leaflet and trail map (all around €0.50) or, if you’re solo, arrange for walking partners. It also has a number of excellent guides for sale – you won’t go far wrong with Joss Lynam’s Easy Walks Near Dublin (€7.99). A word of warning: don’t be fooled by the relative gentleness of the surrounding countryside or the fact that the Wicklow Mountains are really no taller than big hills. The weather can be merciless, so make sure to take the usual precautions, have the right equipment and tell someone where you’re going and when you should be back. For Mountain Rescue call 999.
The easiest and most popular walk