We've left Dublin and headed south through the WickLow Mountains. Our first stop: Powerscourt Estate, an 18th century home in various states of restoration. The gardens are the draw; originally designed in the 1740's, they were redesigned in the 19th century resulting in a blend of formal and informal gardens, all underneath the backdrop of the Great Sugarloaf Mountain.
Our next stop was Glendalough, site of an ancient monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin in the 5th century. It grew quite powerful by the 9th century but started falling into ruin from 1398 onwards.
St. Kevin's Kitchen, a church nicknamed for its unusual round tower which looks like a chimney sticking out of the roof.
The round tower is Glendalough's most famous landmark, which is exactly as it was when it was built 1000 years ago except for the roof which was replaced in 1876 after a lightning strike.
The Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul was the largest of Glendalough's 7 churches, and was built between the 10th and 13th centuries.
We visited Avoca Mill, where they simply let you wander around the weaving sheds where marvelous wools, linens and other fabrics have been produced since 1723.
We ended our day at Celtic House in Kilkenny, our first B&B on this trip. We were able to see the castle, or a sliver of it, from our rooms.
We walked to dinner and were entertained at the pub with some great traditional Irish music and dancing.
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