Glendalough, the glen of the lake, a glaciated valley in Co Wicklow in Ireland. At the head of the valley is an old monastery (long abandoned). On of the first people to spread Christianity in Ireland, Saint Kevin, founded a monastery on the banks of the lake (a slightly different site from the larger monastery remains). There is a small cliff next to St Kevin's settlement and in the face of this cliff is a small man sized cave. Aparently when raiders came St Kevin would go and hide in this hole, known as St Kevin's bed. It can clearly be seen from the other side of the lake.
The other monastery site has one of the finest examples of
a round tower in Ireland.
At the other end of the valley there are crags, the crag on the right hand side as you are walking up the valley is one of the best climbing areas in the country. The rock is granite and it is crisp with amazing friction.
There are close to 150 routes on this crag ranging through
the climbing grades from diff up to E5. I was climbing
there yesterday. Of note, if you do go there to climb and you want to go to the upper cliffs where such lines as freebird, lifeline and Chucullins groove reside,
then don't walk in from the path that ascends up from Acorn buttress, rather traverse low across the boulder field, the upper section of grass is steep and treacherous, you avoid this by using the boulder field.
In the poem Omeros the wife of the major, Maud, seems to be a native of Glendalough, she is consantly thinking back to the place.