Round tower
The emblem.
Sean MacEntee — CC BY 2.0 · Leonardo Fonseca — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joe King — CC BY-SA 3.0 · XeresNelro — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Denzillacey — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jonjobaker — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Erdtrabant Maria — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Oliver Gargan — CC BY-SA 4.0
A glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains whose Irish name means «valley of two lakes», ringed by forest and green hills and home to an early medieval monastic settlement founded by St Kevin in the sixth century, one of the most beautiful natural and historic landscapes in Ireland. Among the ruins rises a tall stone round tower with a conical cap, the emblem of the place, alongside the remains of a cathedral, small churches and an old graveyard with stone markers, entered through a rare original stone gateway. Behind the ruins lie the Lower Lake and then the Upper Lake between the mountains, linked by well-made walking trails of different lengths, the best known being the Spinc trail along the valley rim with superb views over the Upper Lake. The site and trails are free, while the visitor centre and its exhibition cost €5 for adults, per visitor guides. It is about an hour's drive from Dublin, served by buses and day tours; weekday mornings are best, before the crowds.
The emblem.
Among the mountains.
Of every length.
Wicklow Mountains, about an hour south of Dublin
Yes. The monastic site and walking trails are free; the visitor centre costs €5 for adults, per visitor guides.