Wow!
Wow again!
I'd learned about it in school. I'd seen the pictures. I'd heard mention of it in the national news every 21st December. Newgrange has been ingrained into me. Yet I'd never been to visit. And here's me living less than an hour to the place. For shame Cristin L, for shame.
We had a Aussie couple coming to visit, but they'd been to Ireland twice before so have seen everything there is to see in the city and Wicklow. But Newgrange fitted into that category of what none of us had seen.
We started out in the visitors centre while we waited for the bus to Nowth. It was good. Some mocked up scenes of what it must have been like in the area some 5000 odd years ago. We moved through it fairly quickly if I'm honest.
Next up to Nowth, which was a revelation. I confess I did not know this was here also. The tour was excellent, our guide was so enthusiastic about the place. It rubbed off and I was too. The highlights here was going underground through the really small tunnel and going up on top of the mound for a look around the area.
Back to base, we then boarded the bus to Newgrange. Blue skies gone, it was a lot moodier. A quick talk before going into the passage tomb. Inside the tomb itself I was surprised how dim the simulated solstice light was. Don't get me wrong, the structure is still flipping amazing. But for some reason, from learning about the place I thought it was lit up like Christmas :)
The only criticism I have was the splitting up of the group into two for going into the passage of Newgrange. It wasn't evenly split and our group was so packed in that only one of our group of four got to see the light properly.
Back at the visitor centre we refueled with some very nice sandwiches from the Brambles Coffee Shop.
And back in the carpark before setting off I found a geocache that had been hidden there. Another to add to my list.
I high recommend Newgrange. read more