Wicklow Way, day 1

A few days before we arrived in Ireland, we had our four days in Dublin all planned out - culture night, visits to museums and monuments, perhaps a bike ride to the coast. But then Jason heard of the Wicklow Way, a hiking trail beginning in Dublin and heading south for132 kilometers. We decided to scrap our original plans and spend three days hiking, staying at bed and breakfasts since we didn't have any camping gear. The plan was ambitious: 35 miles over 3 days in terrain we knew nothing about. But with an exceptionally good weather forecast (high 60s and sunny every day - unheard of in late fall in Ireland!) we went for it.

Day 1: Marlay Park (Dublin) to Knockree, approximately 14 miles.

We got a bit of a late start because first we needed to get off the ship, find a guide book, and buy some groceries, but by noon we were ready to go. Luckily for us, the Wicklow Way is very well marked, so we had no trouble finding our way. I'm mostly going to let the photos describe the rest of the day.

Overall, it was a gorgeous day of hiking with incredible views over Dublin, the ocean, and the countryside. That night we slept in a bed and breakfast in the teeny hamlet of Knockree, owned by an older couple that was very sweet. We found dinner and some beers in the slightly larger town of Enniskerry, where Jason made friends with the bar regulars and I warded off the advances of a drunk Irishman. Bedtime came early, as we were wiped out!