Visit County Wicklow for holiday in Ireland

County Wicklow is directly to the south of Dublin, and attracts thousands of day-trippers from the city who hike through the Wicklow Mountains at weekends. They tend to limit themselves to the must-see sites, like the beautifully located Glendalough monastery, the village of Avoca, or the stunning house and gardens of Powerscourt. Not for nothing is Wicklow regarded as the county of gardens, with its comparatively mild climate, gushing streams, and stunning backdrops, the horticulturalist is in for a feast.

All roads in the mountains seem to lead to Glendalough, and this remarkable monastic site, hidden in its own valley amongst steep sided hills, is well worth a detour. St Kevin, its patron saint, was so embarrassed by his fame as a miracle-worker that he left his monastic life and came to this secluded place to live in the hollow of a tree. There are many stories about him, some perhaps true, and others pure fabrication. It is said that he was good with wildlife, but hopeless with women and this explains why the following two stories have come about. Firstly, when an over-enthusiastic female follower came too close to him, the pious Kevin warned her off by stinging her cheeks with nettles. Secondly, and this is the fabrication bit, he was having a quiet sleep in his cave when he dreamt that one of the women in the community, Kathleen, was standing between him and the Gates of Heaven. Waking with a start he found the said Kathleen standing over him and, taking her to be an instrument of the Devil, he threw her into the lake and drowned her. Bad with the girls or not, in 570 AD he was made Abbot of this expanding community in the valley, and this had expanded considerably by the time he died forty years later. Glendalough monastery was plundered several times over the centuries, but because of St Kevin's piety it was always rebuilt, and remains as a place of pilgrimage to the faithful. It is not just the setting that makes this place so special, equally remarkable are the number of buildings that remain in this cramped compound, not least the 110ft high Round Tower, which would have given the monks a decent warning of impending attack. There is, as in most places, a Visitor Centre with an audio-visual display describing the life of a monk 1500 years ago. The valley entices half a million visitors a year, and this is a fitting tribute to what some believe was the monastic capital of Europe. Renting a holiday cottage near Glendalough gives you a chance to explore this very special place at your leisure.

The Wicklow Way passes through the vale, and this is a popular walk to take in all the sights attributed to this pious man, and also enjoy the quiet and solitude he was seeking. Ireland is a great place to visit for a walking holiday and Wicklow has some wonderful marked paths.

If a visit to a country-crafts establishment is on your holiday itinerary, and you haven't time to go all the way to Donegal, then drop in on the village of Avoca. Situated in its own valley, this whitewashed village is the centre of a profitable local weaving industry. The area was rich in precious minerals, and the deposits of copper, zinc, copper, and gold that were mined ensured a certain amount of wealth stayed in the village, in fact they used to mint their own gold coins, some of which are in the National Museum. The old mill has been here since 1723 and has been used for a variety of purposes. These days it is limited to weaving, and the village is credited with having invented the car-rug, an invaluable accessory to the pioneer motorist. The fine woolen cloth gained international notoriety, and it wasn't long before the fashion world took notice, and none other than Madame Schiaparelli became a customer. The mill shop sells a variety of fine woolen and mohair cloth, and you can see the product being woven using the original 1780s loom. Self-catering accommodation in Avoca is much sought after and there are some lovely cottages and houses to rent in this idyllic village.

Just north of the village up the valley is Avondale House, the birthplace of Charles Parnell. The Member of Parliament for Meath, and passionate supporter of Irish Home Rule, is revered in the country not least for his commitment to the cause, but also the manner of his downfall. After many years of political disruption Parnell was imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol and from there he negotiated the Kilmainham Treaty in 1882, the first step towards Home Rule. However, shortly afterwards the Phoenix Park murders took place and despite Parnell's condemnation of the killings, a forged letter was published in The Times suggesting that he supported the murderers. Although this was proved to be a forgery it had damaged him politically, and when he was cited in a divorce case his career was effectively over. Many people believe that the smear campaign waged against him set the cause of Irish Independence back a generation, and he is remembered every year on the 6th of October, Ivy Day, the date of his death.

Wicklow Town is an old port and the embarkation point for many 魩gr鳠and criminals on their way to Australia. At the restored Gaol in the town, there is an excellent opportunity to sample the experiences that these 19th century travelers had to endure on their journey to the colonies. The restored transport ship 'Hercules' is moored in the harbour and you are taken round by 'the Captain' and can see the cramped quarters they had to suffer. In the Gaol is an exhibition showing the crimes that would mean deportation, and the chance to take some time in a cell. Wicklow has lots of holiday accommodation to rent - lovely hotels, bed and breakfasts, farm holidays and self-catering holiday houses. Some of the towns and villages with luxury holiday cottages to rent include Arklow, Baltinglass, Blessington, holiday houses in Bray, idyllic cottages in Dunlivan, rental houses in Hollywood, cottages with log fires in Shillelagh and historic cottages to hire in Wicklow county.

Inland from Bray are the house and gardens of Powerscourt. The house, in its prime, was one of the grandest in Ireland, but a fire in 1974 gutted the interior and, although restored, unfortunately the house is now a 'shopping experience'. The gardens are a different matter all together. Designed by Daniel Robertson in the 1840s, the five dramatic terraces that drop away from the east side of the house down to the Triton lake, and its 100ft high fountain, are as dramatic as any, especially with the backdrop of the Great Sugar Loaf Mountain 3 miles away across a patchwork of farmland. The wildness of the surrounding countryside only enhances the artistry of the 50-acres of gardens. The designer, Robertson, was a martyr to gout and would have to be pushed around the estate in a wheelbarrow whilst quaffing vast amounts of sherry to stimulate his artistic talents. Not a lot of fun for his servant but the end result is a tribute to his efforts.

Another garden that Robertson worked on is at Killruddery House, on the edge of Bray. The house was built in the 1820s in the Elizabethan-revival style for the Earl of Meath, and is still a family home. The property was considerably larger until the 1950s when it was dramatically reduced in size, however the gardens have been largely maintained in their original format. They are the oldest in Ireland, having been originally laid out in the 1680s by the French designer Bonet, a pupil of le Notre. There are avenues of beech, hornbeam, and lime hedges, some surrounding ponds, others canals, and the walkways through these avenues suggest they were created for a substantial household. Inside the house, in the main hall, is an unusual artifact, a Pendulum Clock made by the 13th Earl. It seems that he fancied himself at a bit of D-I-Y, and built this from odds and ends. The face is part of a dumb waiter, the pendulum is a copper bed warmer, and the weight, hanging on a bicycle chain, is the lid of a cooking pot. There is a spectacular Orangery on the other side of the house, which is only reached through the building, and is not to be missed.

The Wicklow coast runs for 40 miles from the resort town of Bray in the north, to Kilmichael Point in the south. Bray is at the southern end of the DART, and has been a place for Dubliners to escape the city and take in some sea air for over a hundred years. Although rather jaded these days, Bray is an enjoyable town with lots of holiday cottages, and a good starting point for a tour of the coast, with its low cliffs and sandy beaches. The main road runs a couple of miles inland, but if you follow the old minor road you are only a few hundred yards, along a bumpy track, from the sea, and a perfect place for a relaxing picnic.

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