First Stop in Ireland - a family in:site into Glen of Aherlow
The Meek Family
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Yes, we made it to Ireland! We crossed the Irish sea, leaving Fishguard and arriving in Rosslare. We then travelled a further 3 hours into the midlands of Southern Ireland, arriving at the Glen of Aherlow Caravan Site at half past nine at night to be greeted with a friendly Irish welcome, before setting up in the dark. The following morning we were rewarded with a beautiful view; the site was nestled in a valley, surrounded by woodland and a fantastic view of the Galtee mountain range.
The site at this time of the year was quiet with very few other caravans or motorhomes so we had a peaceful few days. Luckily the weather was kind to us and we had pleasant, dry days allowing plenty of time in the Great Outdoors.
Things to do and see in the area:
Galtee Mountains
One of the first things we wanted to do was walk up into the mountains as soon as we arrived. We were itching to climb up to get a view of the surrounding countryside and set our hearts on climbing the tallest, Galtmore. It is 919m high, the 14th highest in Ireland. Now unlike other walks we've done, there are no clear paths up and our first attempt failed when we realised we were heading in the wrong direction and would run out of time. The next day, after speaking to some locals we walked through the forest via the path to the lake Curra, deviating off to climb towards Slievecushnabinnia around to Galtmore. As we approached the summit we walked into cloud and had to quickly layer up. Unfortunately we could not appreciate the view from the top due to cloud cover and quickly set off back down to escape the cold, wet conditions, emerging lower down into warmer drier weather again.
There other routes to the top and to other mountains in the range as well as plenty of walks on flatter land. Speak to locals, get advice and be prepared for a weather change.
Tipperary
Now the song might say "It's a long way to Tipperary" but it certainly wasn't for us! We simply drove the 6km down the road to visit Tipperary for local amenities. Since it is the nearest town, it is worth visiting but don't forget to appreciate the picturesque drive there, climbing up the windy road to appreciate a stunning view of the mountains before descending down the other side.
Limerick
There are four in the Meek family
Tim, Kerry, Ella and Amy
They like to explore
In the 574
Abroad and their own country
One of the more boring limericks that were devised on our trip to Limerick! It's interesting to read about the history of limericks; the funny verse has very little links with the city of Limerick. We headed over to Limerick for the day to the mouth of the Shannon and visit one of the many fascinating museums. After spending a few hours at the Limerick City museum we wandered the streets. The castle at Limerick is also worth a family visit.
Cashel and Cahir
These two nearby towns boast superb heritage opportunities. We headed over to the Rock of Cashel and weren't disappointed by the wealth of historical information. The collection of impressive Medieval buildings sit exposed on a limestone outcrop that juts out above the surrounding countryside. This high vantage point proved advantageous in the past but being exposed to the elements took its toll. A lot of conservation is taking place to preserve the chapel. A video outlines a brief history of the site and a superb tour takes visitors around the site, providing more in depth information. We learnt lots and can certainly recommend a visit here if staying the area.
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Comments
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Just found all your adventures on here. We got a caravan in May 2013 and within three weeks we were on the ferry to Ireland for an epic adventure. We travelled across and then up the west coast. We decided if we could manage that, future caravan trips
would be a doddle. We had a great time and I have a photo just like this one in my albums. I can see already that you also have been to some of our other favourite places - going to catch up with all your blogs! Trudie0
