P.S. I Love You

This blog isn't about the movie but now that I have your attention let me tell you about the Glendalough Mountains in County Wicklow, Ireland. The significance of this place, is, as well as being the film location for the movie P.S. I Love You flashbacks, is also one of the most used film location in Europe (The Tudors, Ballykissangel, Braveheart, Excalibur, King Arthur, Reign of Fire, Becoming Jane, Lassie, and Ella Enchanted to name a few). Its scenery deserves such praise because of its utter magnificence, where one can truly feel the awesomeness of God's (or Mother Nature's) workmanship whilst wandering through the mountains like an ant being dropped in a new garden. (By the way, I havent' actually seen the movie P.S I Love You. I know it is supposed to be heart-warming and good for the soul and inspires you to live life in a certain way you never thought before, but it's just one of those movies I never got around to seeing. I'll get to it someday. Someday. So even for those who haven't seen the movie and thinking you're missing out, 'tis fine, you will still be impressed coming here. I haven't seen the movie and the adventure was rather spiffing.)

There are various ways to get to Co. Wicklow from Dublin city. The easiest is by a Wicklow bus that is especially designed for tourists, which stops at all the significant places in between until they safely escaort you to Glendalough Mountains and safely bring you back to Dublin at the end of the day.

Or you can do what we did and take the DART train and get off somewhere that is roughly estimated to be county Wicklow and onto a tiny desolate train platform and walk out of the dismal station only to find trees and more trees and no buildings and just trees. But no fear, the Garda (Irish policemen) are very friendly people and after a few hours of drifting in the woods they will find you, and will kindly escort you to your destination.

Garda - Irish police, and where we ended up instead of the bus station.

Once you get to Glendalough Mountains, you can find a handy little map in the information centre. This map tells you about all the different kind of walks you can take about the mountain, ranging from a mild hour-long scenic stroll to six hours of rocks, swamps, slippery planks testing your sense of balance and slopes that tear your thighs. We took the four hour route, which involved enough rocks to keep our muscles busy and enough flat land for us to trek and admire the scenery - and saw these incredible things:

And this church:

I love this bit. Old and romantic.

And this rock:

Trying to be Anderson's The Little Mermaid,

Some advice though. If you go in the winter like I did - dress warm, with a good beanie, good earmuffs, and good trainers that won't freeze your toes if you slip off a plank and into a stream. As you approach higher up the mountain you can almost feel the wind cut into one ear and out the other like a blade and it is very easy to end up with an awful headache from the incessant wind-slashing. Or go when it's warmer. Yeah, do that. The sun will stay out for longer too so you'll have more time to appreciate the scenery.

The Glendalough Mountains also attract many rock climbers. Spot the rock climber! (Hint: He's on the right side of the mountain, about twice the size of this full stop -->.)

At the base of the mountain there is a fancy restaurant for the wonderfully wealthy and a hot dog stall for the pathetically poor. So there's a reward for all after the hike.

Glendalough Mountains is a majestic place. However, the hiking/walking route is all this place has to offer, so be sure to remove yourself from the area before the last bus departs (this must be booked in advance), otherwise you'll be left in the dark among closed information points waiting for that nice policeman to pass by again. And by god aren't we glad he did.