Down the Garden County path
Wicklow is called the Garden County for good reason: this picturesque landscape enfolds some lovely gardens, as well as plenty of activities for a socially distant visit. Stephen Meyler goes down Wickla way
Active families Being so close to Dublin, Wicklow has plenty of outdoor activities to keep you occupied
Fatbike Adventures Off-road cycling is one of most fun ways to explore the countryside. Fatbike Adventures specialise in off road guided cycling tours, fat-bike (with extra big tyres for cushioning on rough terrain), mountain bike, road and kids bikes.
Wicklow kayaking A chance to take to the water in a kayak along the banks of the Vartry river and Broad Lough at Wicklow town. Currently, they are restricting groups to four or fewer to reduce the risk of Covid-19.
Brittas Bay Surf School Brittas has been a family favourite for generations and its surf school is the first dedicated surf school on the east coast, providing a safe and fun introduction to the exhilarating art of surfing.
Powerscourt Apart from the waterfall that has featured in so many movies and TV shows, the Powerscourt Estate has wonderful formal gardens with the Sugarloaf as a landscape, as well as a café, garden centre and a series of artisan shops. The most recent addition to the estate is the Distillery, built in a lovely set of old stone farm buildings, where you can see how the Fercullem family of whiskeys are made.
The Devil’s Glen Despite its name, this wooded valley is pretty heavenly on a sunny day. A gently sloping path winds down through the steep forest of native trees, with a series of sculptures along the way – and the payoff at the bottom is a ‘secret’ waterfall.
Ballyknocken House & Cookery
School The RTÉ Guide’s food writer, Catherine Fulvio, is the proprietor at this great cookery school and guesthouse set in the countryside just west of Wicklow town. We are delighted to hear that Catherine is reopening for business on July 14, with classes and the chance to stay in this bucolic spot. With social distance in mind, there’s also a threebedroom self-catering loft apartment overlooking the lush herb garden, perfect for families.
Garden glories There are gardens big and small dotted all over the county, but these are my particular favourites: Mount Usher (with handy Avoca for food and crafts); Kilmacurragh Gardens, a part of the National Botanic Gardens, with a great collection of trees; Hunting Brook – Jimi Blake’s woodland garden is an internationally renowned collection with a programme of classes near Blessington; Russborough House – a great house with a collection of famous paintings set in a beautiful historic garden; Patthana Gardens: the garden of artist T.J. Maher, a small secret garden in Kiltegan village.