Wicklow

Take a trip back in time and experience prison life in Wicklow Gaol as it would have been endured by its 18th century inmates. After being greeted by either the matron or the jailer, step through the Gates of Hell to begin your partially guided tour of this fascinating museum. After descending down a narrow spiral staircase, discover the dark history of the jail from your guide, including the number of prisoners held in Wicklow, the crimes they had committed and the torture methods used on the inmates. Hear fascinating stories of famous prisoners housed at Wicklow, and their executions at the gallows!  As you proceed through the jail, feel a shiver down your spine and ask your guide about accounts of paranormal activities. With the help of videos, holograms and lifelike mannequins, bring to life the inmates' experiences. For you younger inmates, there is a fun quiz to complete as you make your way around the museum, which can be checked at the end of your tour. If you've demonstrated good conduct throughout the tour, the jailer will decide whether you're lucky enough to receive a special release form!

Start with a pick-up at your chosen location and drive south into County Wicklow from Dublin. Your qualified guide will share many stories and local folklore about the places you will visit. Tailor the tour to your liking and decide to visit the Powerscourt House Gardens in Enniskerry. Explore the gardens at your own pace and then relax over a coffee looking out towards the Wicklow countryside and sugar loaf hill. You can also do some shopping at the Avoca craft shop. Afterward, drive through the Wicklow Mountains National park with some scenic stops along the way. Such as the Lough Brays, Luggala, the Guinness family Estate, and the P.S. I Love you bridge. Actually many films and TV series were made in this national park such as "The Vikings", "P.S. I Love You", "Leap Year" and today they are filming Enchanted II. Enjoy some lunch in an Irish Pub near Glendalough. Taste some lovely fresh Wicklow produce. Explore Glendalough and the 6th-century monastic site of St Kevin. Enjoy a walk in this wonderful scenic valley with its two lakes and a mixture of deciduous woodland. If there is anything else you would like to do, your guide is with you and would be happy to help arrange this.

The adventure starts in the evening twilight, meeting at the Glendalough Visitor Centre where everyone will get a chance to meet one another and run through any questions they may have for the guide. Once the group is happy and ready to go, the first bits of history will begin to emerge as the church, tower and tombstones come into view under the setting sun before moving on to the see the first reflections of the gloaming sky in the first of the "two lakes" of Glendalough (Irish for glen of the two lakes). As the tour moves into the vegetated sides of the valleys, the group will get to share the coming of night with Sika deer grazing as the sun sets. Once the sun has fully left us for another day, stargaze as we pass through the Miners Village and travel through the 6th century Monastic sites in darkness. Along the way the guide will entertain you with all the culture and history that this amazing place has to offer, before returning to the starting point 4.5 hours later, with a head full of stories and an enduring calm that only unique experiences like Glendalough under the night sky can instill.