IMAGE: CELTIC ROUTES
WEEKENDER TOP FIVE
Places for wild swimming
WICKLOW The eponymous county town sits on a stunning stretch of coast, settled by the Vikings in 795. Descend from the clifftop ruins of Black Castle, built during the 12th-century Norman invasion, to Travelahawk Beach below.
CLARA VALE For a blissful river dip, head to the old stone Clara Vale Bridge and park by Saint Patrick’s and Saint Killian’s Church. From the grassy verge, it’s easy to scramble down into the shallow waters of the Avonmore and wade upstream, admiring the trees and dragonflies.
BRITTAS BAY Wicklow’s most famous beach is this three-mile smile of white sand backed by ecologically significant dunes, grasses and ferns. It has Blue Flag status and lifeguards during summer high season, making it perfect for bathing, bodyboarding and more with the family.
MEETING OF THE WATERS The intersection of the rivers Avonmore and Avonbeg offers picnicking facilities amid lush forest. Swimming here’s a right of passage; it’s where Irish poet Thomas Moore was inspired to write the popular ditty, The Meeting Of The Waters, in the early 19th century.
GREYSTONES While the chi chi town’s South Beach is a scenic half-mile of pebble and sand, perfect for dips, locals instead go to The Cove. This shingle beach south of the marina hosts morning swimmers year-round who afterwards head to Rise at the Cove, a social enterprise cafe serving hot drinks with a portable sauna onsite.
DAY TWO FORAGING & FINE ART
Morning Take a guided walk with self- taught foraging expert Geraldine Kavanagh of Wicklow Wild Foods. Walking along the banks of the Avonmore River near Rathdrum, basket in hand, Geraldine identifies nettles, nuts, berries and more, sharing their nutritional properties, as well as recipes to try and local folklore. You can also see her work in the gin made by Glendalough Distillery, an award-winning local company a 25-minute drive north of Rathdrum, for which she provides seasonal foraged botanicals. For a homemade lunch, drive on west to Roundwood Stores; the high-end grocers-cum-cafe sells all manner of artisanal produce and has a charming outdoor patio.
wicklowwildfoods.com
glendaloughdistillery.com
Afternoon Wicklow’s most far-flung attraction is 18th-century Russborough House, which sits amid the Blessington Lakes on the border with County Kildare. It’s reached by an hour-or-so drive over the undulating plateaus of the Wicklow Mountains. Guided tours of the interior show off hand- sculpted ceilings, marble fireplaces and mahogany staircases — plus, a cornucopia of tapestries, silverware, clocks and oil paintings collected on Italian tours by the first owner, Dubliner and brewing heir Joseph Leeson. Important works of art were added in the 20th century by new owner Sir Alfred Beit, including Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Madame Baccelli, which has miraculously been returned to the collection three times following dramatic art heists.
russborough.ie
Evening Wrap up a trip to Wicklow at Strawberry Tree, Ireland’s first and only restaurant certified by the Organic Trust. Whether you go a la carte or opt for the 10-course tasting menu, each playful dish is a masterful expression of the current season using Irish produce. Most ingredients are grown on neighbouring organic farms or collected by in-house foragers, creating dishes such as sika venison tartare with fermented turnip and bilberry followed by wild woodruff creme brulee. There’s also an onsite deli, bakery and smokehouse. Linger longer by booking into BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, the refined 89-room, four-star hotel that’s housed the restaurant since 1999; doubles start at £125.
brooklodge.com
Right: Brittas Bay is Wicklow’s most prized stretch of sand and the perfect spot for a swim
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