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Find old Ireland in Carlow  It
may well be the second-smallest county in Ireland, however Carlow boasts
an awful lot of flowers everything from catoneasters to carnations with
all stops in between.
There is nowhere better to experience this variety at first hand than
at Altamont Gardens.
Situated near the village of Ballon, this a horticultural spread which
is the product of some 250 years of planning, planting, pruning, coppicing,
shaping, hoeing and weeding.
The end result is a fascinating collection of ornamental gardens and lakeside
walks.
As you might imagine with anywhere surrounded by so much water lake,
stream, and the fast-flowing Slaney water-loving plants are in abundance.
Naturally enough then your walk eventually leads to the Salley Gardens
in other words, the weeping willow trees.
This species’ branches do exactly what it says on the tin: They
droop into the water, forlornly brushing the surface of the water as if
in eternal sadness.
This is a punishment, it is said, for having been used to scourge Christ
on the day of his crucifixion.
Despite this sombre reflection (in both senses of the word) you will undoubtedly
find yourself humming a song.
Take it away WB Yeats: “It was down by the Salley Gardens
My love and I did meetShe passed the Salley GardensWith little snow-white
feet...”
Altamont’s lake, almost covered in water lilies, is the centrepiece.
But there’s lots more you can scramble down the side of the ice-age
glen, with a fast-flowing stream as your babbling companion the whole
way.
Or you could climb the 100 mossy steps from the River Slaney up to the
broad sunny uplands which lead on to Mount Leinster.
Carlow is heaven for horticulture fans.
At Ballyconnell, Tullow, you’ll find the Cottage Garden Herbs, a
herb farm set in a beautiful 19th century farmhouse in the heart of Carlow’s
rural countryside.
Here they’ll give you practical courses in everything ranging from
the Basic Principles of Organic Gardening to cooking Sensual Vegetarian
Dishes using produce that has been grown locally.
So local, in fact, you might find yourself standing on some of it.
If that sounds like your cup of herbal tea, then call 00 353 503 56312.
If on the other hand you just want to stroll around some exquisitely laid
out gardens, call in at Hardymount just up the road (tel 00 353 503 51769).
Here you’ll find over a hectare of lawns and shrubs including a
walled garden complete with herbaceous borders, pergolas and ponds.
If flowers are your particular interest then make a note in your diary
and underline it in colour with one of those squiggly lines for Carlow’s
Floral Festival Trail a horticultural extravaganza which takes place from
August 4-12.
More information on this green fingered galeacan be got from the Carlow
Tourist Board (tel 00 353 503 31554) or visit the website www.carlowfloralfestival.com
Maybe it’s because Carlow doesn’t attract the same number
of tourists as Kerry, Cork or Clare but somehow a feel of old Ireland
pervades the place.
It’s an enchanting, often overlooked county you won’t find
many ‘Weekend in Carlow’ breaks advertised on the web but
its none the worse for that.
The countryside is the rival of the Haute Gironne or the Tuscany uplands,
with the added attraction of a background which takes in ancient Gaelic
history, the arrival of the Anglo Normans and the 1798 Rebellion.
No better place to start your journey through history than in Carlow
town, or Ceatarlach the City of the Four Lakes.
At the junction of the Burren and Barrow rivers the two waterways meander
into the eponymous lakes.
As well as having more than its fair share of water, there’s certainly
no shortage of heritage and culture to be found here.
You can wander round the environs of the early 13th century Norman castle
in the town or venture a bit further to Browne’s Hill.
This is the largest Neolithic, pre-Christian dolmen in Ireland approximately
3,500 years old.
Many stone and bronze axes have also been found in the area of the town
and along the banks of the Barrow river Carlow has been around some time.
Journey throughout the county and you’ll see standing stones, dolmens,
stone forts and burial chambers dating back to 2,500 BC.
There is as much history in a square foot of Carlow soil as you’ll
find in Italy.
Moving swiftly forward in time, in the fifth and sixth centuries Carlow
became an important early Christian centre.
Throughout the county monastic settlements were set-up the beautiful
village of St. Mullins, for example, was where St. Moling’s abbey
was founded.
The towns and villages of Carlow picturesque places such as Clonmore,
Hacketstown, Kildavin and Killeshin are set in such breathtakingly beautiful
pastureland that the area is sometimes referred to as the Switzerland
of Ireland.
Others take on board the fact that Carlow is in the sunniest area of Ireland
and refer to it as Monte Carlow.
But in reality both comparisons are redundant the place couldn’t
be more quintessentially Irish, with friendliness and hospitality high
on the agenda.
It’s a pastoral place but with enough charms to guarantee a beautifully
tranquil holiday.
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