The Viking Lake
Bray
We started our day by ferrying a taxi to the car rental agency. After getting our rental car, we made our way to Bray. Bray is a coastal town that has a beautiful cliff hike. After parking our car, we went to Finnbees Coffee House for some coffee and breakfast. After receiving some warmth and nourishment, we made our way to the trailhead. This hike is still one of my most vivid memories I have of Ireland. The trail goes from Bray to Greystones. Once you get to Greystones, you can hop on a bus and it will bring you back to Bray. The trail goes right along the coast of Ireland and has some breathtaking views. This hike was a great introduction to Ireland and I would highly recommend it if you have the time. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how fast of a walker you are. The trail is not challenging, and does not require you to be in great shape.
Tip: Make sure to pack a rain jacket and carry it on your person at all times. Having some water proof pants and shoes would also make your Ireland trip much more comfortable.
Lough Tay
After making our way back to the car, we blasted the heat to dry off and made our way to Lough Tay. The drive there was beautiful, so be prepared to stop a lot. You will stop a lot in general in Ireland because the scenery is so stunning. Bray to Lough Tay is only about 30 mins, but halfway into our drive, it started to dump snow. We were caught in a blizzard and had to creep slowly around the winding roads. It made the Wicklow Mountains and Lough Tay that much more beautiful. If you are a Vikings fan like me, then you will notice that Lough Tay is the filming location of Kattegat, which is Ragnar’s village. Much of the show was shot in this region of Ireland.
Rock of Cashel
After snapping more than a few pictures of Lough Tay and the surrounding Wicklow Mountains, we made our way to the Rock of Cashel. Sadly, because of the snow we had to drive slowly and missed admission into the castle. We were still able to wander around the outside of the castle and see Hore Abbey. Hore Abbey is a 13th century monastery and is completely free. We walked around the abbey and wondered what life might have been like when it was still operational. By this time the sun was setting and we still had to drive an hour to Cork.
We arrived in Cork well into the night and were greeted by our lovely Airbnb host and shown to our room. We then settled down for the night excited to see one of Ireland's most famous castles the next day.
