One of my favorite pilgrimages we took last year was to Glendalough in County Wicklow. Going in mid-November, we had the pleasure of seeing a myriad of autumn colors, albeit in very cold conditions. This year, Sr. Mary and I planned the trip a little earlier in the season so we could hopefully take advantage of warmer and drier weather. Thankfully, St. Kevin heard our prayers, and we were blessed with two gorgeous days in the Glen of the Two Lakes!
My (highly abridged) version of the history of Glendalough: It’s the site of a monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin, who studied under a number of priests during his childhood, which ultimately resulted in his call to religious life. Living in Glendalough as a hermit priest, one of the famous legends about St. Kevin is the belief that he threw a woman who was trying to seduce him over the edge of the mountain. (This always leads to some very funny conversations about women when we get to St. Kevin’s Bed, the site of the cave he lived in.) There are ruins in the glen that probably date from the 12th century, but they aren’t necessarily an accurate representation of the bustling life the area would have boasted across the centuries. Glendalough is now a titular see, having once been its own diocese that merged with the Dublin diocese in 1214. It was also a site of “riotous rebellion” in the 1700s, according to historical accounts. On a lighter note, the 2011 BBC series Camelot was filmed on location in the Wicklow Mountains, which include Glendalough!
On our second day, Sr. Mary took the four of us Teach Bhríde Wexfordites and Fr. Barry on the Spinc Hike. Being an 8-mile trek, we spent over three hours climbing our way through the mountains, wondering when it would ever end. (Okay, Brigid, Fr. Barry, and I were wondering when it would ever end…) However, a near-cloudless sky and plenty of laughs along the way made it all worth it. I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking!
Towards the beginning of our hike – the sunlight was absolutely gorgeous at this time of day!
Some of the ruins that date back from approximately the 12th century!
This view came about a 1/4 of the way into the hike, when Sr. Mary declared, “Nearly there!”
At the top of the waterfall!
The infamous view from the top of the Spinc! Can you believe the color of that water? Or how clear the sky is?
Another famous view of one of the lakes. A truly magnificent trip!
All in all, it was a beautiful couple of days away. Now that we’re back, it’s time to clean the Teach, because October is our month for American visitors! (EIGHT of them over the next three weeks, to be exact!)
Peace,
–Joy.
