Budget Travel in Ireland – Wonderful Wicklow
We’ve all been there. Rise with the lark, taxi to the airport, check in, through security, sit down, miserable that you’re leaving and with two hours until your flight departs. The terminal is quiet save for a few diners sipping coffee and munching on breakfast. Breakfast? Now there’s a way to kill a few hours and stop your tummy from grumbling all the way home.
Clean air, purple mountains, cool-running streams, berries in the heather - FREE!
Only thing is, that when you open your wallet all that’s in there is a moth packing his bags. It’s been the holiday of a lifetime, but if only you had had some thrifty tips, you might have saved enough for a coffee and a croissant. That’s where our budget series comes in! So far we’ve forayed frugally in Northern Ireland, we’ve munched for buttons in Dublin and we’ve chomped cheaply through Belfast. Now we’re off to the wilds of Wicklow with nothing but a few shillings and a smile. Let’s go!
Firstly, getting to from (stock up on picnic supplies at first) is an absolute steal! Hop on the chariot of dreams that is the 65 bus and you will find yourself surrounded by green fields, mountains, sheep, cows, trees, joy etc in one hour for the price of €3.30. Alight at ‘The Lambe’ where you can take the very short stroll/drive to Hunting Brook Gardens – less gardens more a dreamland of fantasy flowers. Afterwards, stroll the one mile to the tiny stone-walled village of Manor Kilbride. Stop in for a look at St Brigid’s Church with its simple yet stunning interior and charmingly worn pews kindly left open by the local priest for prayers, visitors, those after a slice of quiet and you.
Lough Tay, known as the Guinness Lake. Photo: Peter Cox
It’s widely known that Wicklow is bursting at the seams with natural beauty. In fact, my own grandmother still takes ‘the long way’ to the shops just to travel over Golden Hill, blessed as it is with sumptuous views and so named because of its profusion of yellow gorse bushes. To give your Wicklow walking some focus follow one of the Wicklow Way’s very picturesque strolls. The entire Wicklow Way is a right thumper clocking in at 127km but can be broken up into shorter stroll. The Knockree to Roundwood walk is a personal favourite and promises heart-breakingly stunning views of Lough Tay (known as Guinness lake for its porter brown bog-coloured hue topped off with the private Guinness estate beach as a creamy head) and the Luggala Valley.
Amount Spent: Picnic grub for two- €15, Hunting Brook Gardens €6 and Bus €3.30 = €24.50. You’re welcome wallet!
Gleann dhá locha - Glen of the two lakes - Glendalough - Gorgeous
After a day of rest it’s off to the gem in Wicklow’s crown – . Bottom line – stone has never looked this good. Wrapped up in ribbons of cartoonishly verdant woodland and dipping valleys, this monastic masterpiece of stone towers and churches was once the home of Saint Kevin and dates back a stunning 14 centuries. Total serenity for €3? I’ll take all you’ve got!
The Mill at Avoca Village - Home to free tours and cheap sweets.
Once we’ve managed to shut our jaw, we let our sweet tooth guide us to The Mill at Avoca – home to delicious cakes and a stunning working mill in the famously (the setting for the very charming and very popular series Ballykissangel). Delectable cakes and tarts starting from €2 while entry and a tour of the nearly 200-year old working mill are free. Tooth sweetened we make for Wicklow’s coast, a winding strip of velvety green fields that fall into the infinite blueness of the Irish Sea. And the cost for plonking your backside on a stone wall and staring dreamily out to the horizon? €0.
Proper pebbles for some sea stone skimming. Stones free, sea free, exhilarating sense of freedom, er, free...
Amount Spent: Glendalough Serenity - €3, Tea, cake and a Mill Tour at Avoca - €5, Uninterrupted Views of the Irish Sea - €0. Total - €8. Spending a beautiful time and saving a load of money. Lovely.
So long Wicklow, it’s been a real treat. Most importantly though, it’s been cheap.
The savings don’t end there! We’re went all over the island in pursuit of budget guides for our readers, including a great value city break in Belfast, cheap eats in Dublin and Ireland’s wild Northwest.
Great blog, stunning pictures. For more info, a great website to check out is http://www.visitwicklow.ie
Looks amazing and would love to take this adventure one day!
Our family wnt to Avoca Mills and we bought some lovely handmade scarves etc: Walked to the pub and all had our pics there. Lovely and quaint. As always, just loved meeting and talking to the folks.
Our three teenaged grandchildren were enthralled with the area as were the adults.
They all plan on going back one day soon.l
We thank our driver Steven Coleman for showing these
memorable places.
Glendalough is lovely.
Sounds good and reasonable, but one question if you please? – Where does a person spend the night?
More excited now after reading this than I already was!! Sounds so perfect. Just the way two 60 year olds like to travel. I am so geographically ignorant of Ireland. Something I need to fix. Will need to see if we will be any where near what you have mentioned. We are going to the western area. Around Dingle and Ring of Kerry in the spring or 2012, God willing. We are not driving and will depend on buses and or trains. We will be in that area for 5 days. Any tips? We don’t like spending too much time doing the “tourist” stuff as much as finding real life places. This is our second time in Ireland. Last time we were north of Dublin. The trip of a life time!!!
@Anna Cous – Hey there Anna! Ok, yes, I had thought of including accommodation but I was a little limited in space and wanted to get in as many nice sights as possible. Anyway, my top accommodation tip would be a few nights in The Manor House in Manor Kilbride. It’s a huge sprawling country mansion with history spilling out under the door. You can either rent one of the beautiful little cottages or take one of the palatial rooms within the main house http://goo.gl/T2Gec. Make sure to walk the five minutes up the road to Mooney’s Bar and Lounge, one of Ireland’s most traditional and unique pus with probably the best Guinness in the country (I used to work there so say David Fallon sent you). If you’re staying on the other side of the mountains then I suggest a B&B as they’re a bit of an art in that part of the world. The Wicklow Heather in Roundwood is a lovely spot with a cracking restaurant and bar http://goo.gl/6sJif. Bramble Rock is a very handsome place too and the rooms look wonderfully cosy http://goo.gl/drWOv.
Really hope this helps and if there’s anything else feel free to get back to us.
Best,
David
Beautifully written and gorgeous photos!
We still think Wicklow is a hidden gem- very few places so close to a capital city so stunningly lovely!
Lovely! Brings back my trip there in April. This was such a fantastically beautiful place to see – even from a bus!!
Love it, love it……..love it !!!!
I love your blog David and I am getting ready to take my dream trip of a lifetime to your Ireland. My Grandmothers family was from Ireland and I have always wanted to set my feet on Irish soil. I was wondering if you could advise me of what to see and where to go while there so I can plan my trip. Thank you for taking your time to share your beautiful country with us,
Blessings,
Teresa
Hi Teresa,
Firstly, thanks for the lovely comments on the post, they’re very sweet indeed!
Secondly, I’d be happy to give you some advice on what to see or do when you come to Ireland. Would you be able to tell me when you will be here, how long, where in the country you plan to visit etc? That way I could help you plan your trip a little better!
Best wishes,
David