Kanga And Wombats Adventures

Day 3

Picked up Neive the Nissan and made our way down the M50 to the Wicklow mountains south of Dublin. Within 30 minutes we were in the desolate looking hills, barren apart from purple heather and peat bog checkerboard troughs. We had been warned about the roads but the roller coaster ride across the ‘mountains’ was still a surprise. The Glenmacnass Valley between Sally Gap and Laragh was stunning, with its tiny river suddenly tumbling over the edge of the escarpment, not vertically but at a 60 degree angle, spread across white boulders making it look quiet striking.

At Glendalough, we visited the ancient historic monastic site made up of a collection of ruined buildings, churches and round tower founded in 498 by St Kevin who came to this peaceful valley for some contemplative time.

Our destination today was the town of Borris in County Carlow, our route taking us up through the Wicklow Gap and down through undulating roads lined with green paddocks, stone walls and lots of cows! Along the way we stumbled on the Black Castle at Leighlinbridge, not much of it left, but quite lovely right by the river.

Our first Airbnb in Ireland didn’t disappoint. A little self-contained flat attached to the main house had all we needed, with beautiful views to Mt Leinster, the highest peak in The Blackstairs Mountains. Very rural, very ‘horsey’.