Ireland, Birr - Birr Castle

One of the reasons we chose Birr, a small town in central Ireland,for our first stop, was because it had a castle. We rationalized that we would need something interesting to do/see to keep us awake the first day here. After checking in (so lucky) and walking the main street, finding a great coffee shop, we headed for the castle (we had passed it on the way in and it backs on to our B & B.

We were informed that the castle is privately owned and still occupied, so we couldn't actually go in, but the gardens were worth the visit.

We followed the signs for the "Castle View", passing the Keep with its bridge over the moat.

Coat of Arms on the gates. The Parsons family (Earls of Rosse) have lived here since 1620.

This sign on the Keep wall. Constant reminders of their battles with the British.

Surrounded by a moat (to keep the tourists out?) is is dark grey and forbidding in every picture but that may just be because of the sun behind it. Oh yes, it was sunny off and on all day!

Across the expanse of lawns, a glimpse of the ancient telescope, we would view, later in the day.

Flowered terraces on one side of the castle.

Plantings were in an English Country style

Its a huge estate to keep up.

Ivy covered gate in the wall.

Another, or the same, heron. We learned there is a heronry on the estate.

Nicola is using her good camera (the one I took to Africa)

No idea what these huge leafed plants are. Photo by Nicky

We walked around the lake (created by diverting the river)

and along the paths

beside the river

The oldest wrought iron suspension bridge in Ireland, built here in 1820.

It has been quite hot and dry here and some of the foliage is turning.

The estate is planted with trees from all over the world. Exploration was often funded by the wealthy nobility with the expectations that saplings and seeds would be bought back for their collections.

A California Redwood. The photo can't do it justice.

It was warm, mostly sunny, uncrowded and tranquil.

The paths crossed numerous bridges, winding back and forth across the river and manmade streams.

One diversion created a waterfall through a fernery.

A seat in the formal garden

with some lovely old greenhouses

full of colour.

In the middle of the vast expanse of lawns, dotted with oaks over 500years old, sits the telescope. It was built by the 3rd Earl of Rosse, in 1845, and was the biggest telescope in the world for 70 years. Using it he discovered the Whirlpool Nebulae, the first hint of the existence of other galaxies.

Just before leaving we poked our heads into the children's play area to see the tallest treehouse in Ireland.

By this point we were really dragging, stiff and tired. We walked back to the supermarket on the main street. Bought 2 bottles of wine (red and white), crackers, cheese and fruit (we knew we wouldn't find the energy to go back out for supper) and headed back to our room. We laid down for about an hour and then took our purchases down to the lounge. The landlady's daughter let us pet her adorable puppy and found us wine glasses and a corkscrew. We ate, drank, chatted to other guests, watched the Papal visit to Dublin on the TV, contemplated the river from the deck and managed to stay awake until about 8pm.