Glendalough Lakes Things to Do

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The Upper and Lower Lakes of Glendalough add significantly to the spectacular setting of the Valley of Glendalough and the area alongside and around the lakes is a popular place for walkers and hikers as well as picnicking day trippers from Dublin City. Around the lakes are several important monastic sites including Reefert Church, The Caher, St. Kevin’s Cell, St. Kevin’s Bed and Temple-na-Skellig. On the far side of the Lake the Wicklow Mountains rise steeply up from the shores of the Upper Lake.

Just to the west of the church is a small raised platform with a stone walled enclosure. This enclosure held a small enclave of monastic stone huts. Close to this is St. Kevin’s Bed. This cave set in the rock face about 8 metres above the lake is said to have been a place of solitude and prayer for St. Kevin and later St. Laurence O’Toole who used the cave a as a retreat. The cave is partly natural and partly man made and runs 2 metres back into the rock.

This small church can only be accessed by boat due to its situation on a awkwardly placed piece of land on the southern shore of the Upper Lake. You can however catch a glimpse of the church as you walk along the northern shore and look back across the lake to the southern shore. The church was partly rebuilt during the 12th century but the original church is much older. Around the church are several ancient stone crosses and grave slabs.

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While most visitors come to Glendalough tosee the fantastic monastic treasures on display, Glendalough is also a National Park and Nature Reserve and the park is a walker’s paradise. There are nine marked walking trails in the valley of Glendalough. The walks vary from a short half hour stroll to a long four hour hillwalk. Large maps of the walks are displayed at the Visitor Centre beside the Monastic City and on the Notice Board at the Upper Lake car park. All the walks start at the National Park Information Office near the Upper Lake. Each trail is signposted with colour-coded arrows. Staff at the Information Office can help you choose a suitable route.
A map of the Walking Trails is on sale at the Information Office at the Upper Lake and from the Visitor Centre at the Monastic City. A copy of the map and descriptions of the walks are posted on the notice boards at the Upper Lake car park and at the Monastic City Visitor Centre.

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Poulanass Waterfall is located a short walk from the UpperLake. The falls are located up a wooded hill on well signposted trail through the woods. The tall but narrow falls are set in a beautiful woodland area and cut through the rock to fall in several steps and form a series of plunge pools along the falls. The name Poulanass derives from the Irish words 'Poll an Eas' which means 'hole of the waterfall'.

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Located between the two lakes is the ‘Caher’ which is a large stone walled circular enclosure. The exact date of its construction is unknown. The Caher would have been used as a fort and meeting point and place of prayer for pilgrims. Nearby are several stone crosses which mark stations on the pilgrims route.

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Reefert Church is located in a small wooded area near the western bank of the Upper Lake. The nave and chancel of the church dates from around the year 1100 but most of the surrounding walls and trenches are more modern. The church displays evidence of projecting corbels which indicate that the church once had a wooden roof but none of this survives today. There are several ancient crosses around the church, some of which display some fine examples of Celtic interlacing. The name of the church derives from ‘Righ Fearta’ which translates as burial place of the Kings which indicates that the church may mark the site of an important burial ground.

St. Mary’s Church, also known as Our Lady’s Church, is one of the earliest buildings at Glendalough. The remains of the church has some examples of Romanesque moulding and carving while the massive lintel of the west doorway was an unusual saltire cross carving. The church lies to the east of the main monastic city.