Travel Stories - Ireland

The hostel is packed the girl tells me when I turn up at the counter. A whole group of muslimgirls and their teachers hired the entire hostel for a week and because of that other (male) tourists can’t book a bed here. The owner tells me that I can try to camp behind the shop further up the road. In the “religious” shop I talk to the owner and the man tells me that it no problem to put up my tent behind the shop on a field. But there’s nothing; no water, no electricity, nothing. And it’s on my own risk ofcourse. I put my tent in the store and after a coffee it's time to go. Unfortunately many tourist walk around here and it’s impossible to walk on the trails without passing by other people. Ofcourse most people walk towards the main lake further up. I pass the cloister and the other buildings and decide to go there later. First I want to walk to the black lake which is a bit further away. It is beautiful, green hills on both sides, but if I’m honest I expected a bit more of it. And the crowds don’t make it better. At the lake there are some relics from Kevin’s time; himself lived near Kevin's Cell, a stone building in the shape of a beehive. A church was later added. Also nearby is St. Kevin's Bed, a cave in which according to the stories St. Kevin also retired. I walk to the lake and take some pictures of the view.

After visiting the lake I walk back on the other side of the valley over the road, pass some houses where it is a lot quieter; most people stay by the lake and/or walk on the gravelroad back and forth. I occasionally see the wooden platforms where the walking path is. I pass some deer that are kept here and return back to the big hotel. I tell my story (about the fact that the hostel is full tonight) and ask if it is okay that I can sit in the hotel tonight without staying here. Luckily that’s no problem. Relieved by all this, it is now really time to see the highlights of this valley. The monastery area was originally surrounded by a wall; the gate is still standing, unique to Ireland. Behind it is a large cemetery where local people from the surroundings are still being burried. In 1066 a round tower of 33 meters high was built in the monastery area. The purpose of this type of towers is still not clear. Theories range from clock tower to storage for valuables and shelter for protection against Viking attacks. More likely, the tower served as a landmark, as a beacon for people looking for the monastery. The round shape offers better resistance to hard wind. A well-preserved chapel from the eleventh century was named St. Kevin's Kitchen during the excavations in the valley, because the tower was reminiscent of a chimney. Furthermore, there is a Romanesque-style church in the area and a building that may have been a priest's residence. St. Kevin's Cross is a sober Celtic cross. It is assumed that the cross was once painted, but that this painting has disappeared by the ravages of time. The ring around the upper part of the cross is not open, but solid stone.

I walk all the way back to the village "Laragh" which is about 3 km away from Glendalough monastery. It is not much but there is at least a supermarket with something to eat. I'll probably eat my most disgusting doner kebab. It’s 4 euros and I regret that I bought it. On the way back I visit the ruin of "Saint Savior" church. It is almost five o'clock when I walk back to the shop and pick up my bag. It starts to drizzle when I walk outside but after putting up the tent it’s starts to rain heavily. I walk back to the big hotel and find a nice spot somewhere in the corner where I can use internet and where I can sit by myself. I eat there my own sandwiches and later order a "Guinness" beer at the bar. It’s about ten thirty when I walk back in complete darkness to my tent and brush my teeth a bit further up.