August Bank holiday Glendalough walk.

Hi everyone 👋
We will travel to the enchanted Glendalough in county Wicklow for a fabulous walk.

We will be traveling to Glendalough by car and hopefully we will have enough cars within the group to accommodate everyone that wants to come.
So if you need a lift or can offer a lift, you can put that in the comments below.
(Note: We would ask everyone for a contribution of €12 to the driver for petrol/diesel/electricity and parking fee)

So please Signup as soon as possible if you would like to join us.

DETAILS OF THE HILLWALK:
Area: Spinc & Glenealo valley.
Distance: 10k, Time:4hours, Meters of climb:380m.
This popular walk leads us through some of the most spectacular scenery in Co. Wicklow. The trail ascends up by the Poulanass waterfall before joining a boardwalk. More than 600 wooden steps lead us to a viewing point overlooking the Upper Lake. The boardwalk skirts the top of the cliffs before descending through a blanket bog and Heath into the picturesque Glenealo Valley, home to a large herd of deer. A rough track then leads us back down into the Glendalough Valley via the old Miners village.
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This is a low level hike with beautiful views over the beautiful Glendalough valley!
Fitness level: as it is a low level of hike (only 380 meters) it should be suitable for anyone from hiking beginners to hiking experts! The walking is on stone and wooden tracks so feet shouldn't get wet, unless it rains!
If you find you are not able for the hike, you can just walk around the lakes and meet us later for a drink at the hotel in the village!

To Bring: packed lunch, snacks and fruit and plenty of water!
Walking gear: walking boots or shoes or good sturdy runners. A small rucksack for your food and water and any spare clothes. A change of shoes & clothes for after the walk, in case you get wet. We will travel by car, so we can leave some gear in the cars for after the walk if you like.
Looking at the forecast there is no rain due but this could change so it's best to bring some rain gear, a rain coat and leggings if you have them. Best not to wear jeans as they can take a long time to dry out if they get wet.
Finally, a hat and some sun cream, just in case we get some sun!
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HISTORY:
Glendalough is famed for its beautiful scenery and historic monuments, but has also been a centre for pilgrims and visitors from the time of St. Kevin, (from whom the bus service took its name).

This is where St. Kevin,descendent of one of the ruling families in Leinster, founded his monastry in the sixth century. As a boy he studied while in the care of three holy men. During this time he went to Glendalough and lived, we are told, "in the hollow of a tree". He left the valley, only to return later with his small group of monks to found the monastry where, as the earliest versions of his life tell us, "the two clear rivers form a confluence". His fame as a holy man spread and he attracted numerous followers.
Glendalough flourished and many references in the Irish annals describe the activities of successive Abbots and visitors to the area. The monastry was the subject of frequent plundering, burning and rebuilding in its lifetime.The present remains in Glendalough tell only a small part of the monastic storey.

The monastry in its heyday would have included numerous dwellings, workshops, areas for manuscript writing and copying. The buildings which survive probably date from between the 8th and 12th centuries. The valley of Glendalough contains a series of carved and plain stones and crosses, some of which have marked stations on the pilgrim's route.