To escape from the hustle and bustle of Dublin, my favorite place is Glendalough, or “The Glen Between Two Lakes.” I started my day visiting a graveyard and several old monuments from the 12th and 13th century. The landscape is beautiful, the rolling green hills of Ireland, with small streams running through the farm land, and sheep dotting the pastures. The monuments in the lower valley are The Gateway, the Round Tower and the Priests House, all with an interesting history. On our way to our next stop, we stopped by Guinness Lake, owned by the family that originally started brewing Guinness beer. The lake is beautiful, and the dark water and sand looked like a giant pint of Guinness from our vantage point, high above the lake on a road. My favorite out-of-city destination was the Wicklow Mountains National Park. There are great hiking trails, and although you may get sprinkled on, the fresh air and beautiful country will make it worth it. I hiked down to the lake in between two mountains. Although it was a bit chilly, I waded into the clear water; a nice end of the day after a long hike. Looking up and being surrounded by mountains while standing in a clear lake is truly one of the most striking natural wonders I have ever experienced.
