Guided Tour of Carlow
Why not book a day trip to visit the Carlow Valley, from the 5,000 year old dolmen to the cathedral at Old Leighlin visiting Leighlinbridge, Muine Bheag and Borris, continuing to the Blackstairs Mountains and taking in the beautiful gardens of Altamont, Delta and Duckett's Grove, or visit the burial place of Walt Disney's ancestors is in Carlow - even though the cartoon king's legacy is worth millions. Walt Disney's Irish ancestors are buried in Clonmelsh graveyard, Ballyloo, Co Carlow.

The Barrow Way Walk
The River Barrow vies with one of its sister rivers, the Suir, as the second longest river in Ireland. It rises in the Slieve Bloom Mountains in the southern midlands, and flows to join its two ‘sisters’, the Nore and the Suir, before flowing into the Celtic Sea at Waterford Harbour. The Barrow was made navigable in the eighteenth century by the insertion of short sections of canal along its course, and the 114km long Barrow Way follows surviving towpaths and riverside roads from the canal hamlet of Lowtown in County Kildare to the beautiful monastic site and village of St Mullins in south County Carlow. It is a peaceful route through a quiet sylvan landscape, with the constantly expanding river, growing more majestic every mile, for company. Terrain consists mainly of grassy towpaths, tracks and quiet roads. Overnight accommodation options are good: the route is frequently punctuated with villages and towns, many of which were founded at fording places by the Normans soon after the invasion. Among the interesting places the route passes through and walkers might wish to linger a while are the towns of Rathangan with its great hosting place, and Athy and Carlow. Borris in South County Carlow is a fine place that grew up around Borris House, the homeplace of the McMurrough Kavanagh clan, and Graiguenamanagh, a quaint old monastic town where a book festival is held every year, is Ireland’s Hay-on-Wye.

Traditional Irish Pubs
If your looking for a traditional Irish experience why not try some of our many Traditional Irish pubs, there are a few in Carlow Town Centre or you can take a relaxing drive to visit one in our beautiful country side.

Night Life
If it is the "bright lights of carlow" your looking for in the Town Centre you have an excellent night life with some of the most popular bars all on the main street just a stones throw from Carlow's infamous Dinn Ri with 5 seperate venues, from Live Music to Wine Bars.


pdfDownload PDF - Carlow Guide 2011 (13MB)

 

 

Widely respected as the jewel in Ireland’s gardening crown, Altamont Gardens are an enchanting blend of formal and informal gardens with riverside walks covering over 40 acres
(16 hectares).

The estate gains much of its character from the many mature trees, natives in the avenues and woodland areas, and exotic specimens throughout the gardens.

Lawns bisected by sculpted yews slope down to a lake surrounded by rare trees and rhododendrons and lead in turn to a very different garden featuring exotic shrubs and trees.

OPENING TIMES: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 7 days per week
ADMISSION CHARGES: Free admission

 
   
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