TOMÁS QUINN: THE GOODNESS OF GLENDALOUGH

Ah. Wednesday, the midweek slump...

You're half way through the week and you're not feeling too positive about things and are stressed out with work or life in general. The weekend still feels like it's ages away... One way (and in my opinion the best way) to combat this is to go outside.

There's something about being with nature that makes you forget all your problems, particularly when you feel suffocated with your own thoughts. Fresh air can help you think more clearly and rationally, can help you sleep better and you also tend to forget about things in life that shouldn't really matter and feel grateful for the things that do.

I recently took a trip to Glendalough one weekend. This is one of my favourite places to go to and also one of the most peaceful. If you're starting the week feeling stressed and are in the midst of trying to plan something for the weekend to look forward to, I highly suggest Glendalough as an option.

For those non-Irish readers, Glendalough is a glacial valley and Forest Park in County Wicklow. Nestled in the valley is a medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century. It may be strange and ironic to suggest a graveyard as a place to forget about all your problems, but trust me on this one! There's a multitude of different walks and trails and one can get lost in nature here and truly relax.

The Gateway

The grounds can be entered through the Gateway, which has two round-headed granite arches. On the day I went, there was an elderly woman playing the Uilleann Pipes just by this gateway and it really set the mood!

The Round Tower

The city consists of a number of monastic remains, and the most impressive being the Round Tower which stands 30m high. This is the most iconic sight in Glendalough, and these Round Towers are dotted all over the country. They were built as bell towers, but also served on occasion as store-houses and as places of refuge in times of attack.

The Priests' House

Beyond the Round Tower is the Priest’s House, a 12th Century building in Romanesque style, with an interesting carving of a much earlier date on the lintel of the doorway.

Cross

Just beyond the Priest’s House is a large granite cross (6th or 7th Century) and St Kevin’s Church.

St Kevin's Church

The Upper Lake

The valley was formed during the last ice age by a glacier which left a moraine across the valley mouth. The Poulanass river, which plunges into the valley from the south, created a delta, which eventually divided the original lake in two.