Page 134 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

132 BACK ROADS IRELAND

1 Enniskerry House and linger in Enniskerry to
Co Wicklow browse its crafts, design and antiques
Set around a square in the foothills of shops, or sample gourmet delights
the Wicklow Mountains, this picture- from Emilia’s Fine Food and Wine.
postcard estate village is a good ª Head uphill from the village
starting point for exploring the square, taking the road (R760) on
northern reaches of the hills. In the left-hand side of the square.
summer it bustles with tourists, who Powerscourt House and Gardens are a
come to visit nearby Powerscourt short way up on the right-hand side.

2 Powerscourt Estate
Enniskerry, Co Wicklow
Approached along an avenue lined with more than 2,000 beech
trees, Powerscourt Estate is set in magnificent formal gardens below
the Great Sugar Loaf Mountain. An exhibition inside reveals its
origins as a 13th-century Anglo-Norman castle, but the current
house, Palladian in style, was commissioned by Richard Wingfield,
the 1st Viscount Powerscourt, in the 1730s and designed by
Above Clocktower in the main square of the architect Richard Cassels. Gutted by fire in 1974, the renovated
picture-postcard estate village of Enniskerry building now houses an upmarket shop with an excellent café and
restaurant – all part of the Avoca Handweavers enterprise (see p137).
The gardens at Powerscourt are Next to the secluded Dolphin Pond
probably the finest in Ireland, both is a Pets’ Cemetery containing the
for their design and for their dramatic graves of Wingfield family cats, dogs
VISITING THE WICKLOW
MOUNTAINS setting. The grounds were and even horse and cattle.
remodelled along with the house in Powerscourt Waterfall is a 3-km
Parking in Enniskerry the mid-18th century, in a design (2-mile) drive from the house (turn
Park in or around the main square. created to blend into the landscape. right onto the R760 and after a hump-
Powerscourt Estate A century later the 6th Viscount back bridge sharp right). Cascading
Enniskerry; 01 204 6000; asked architect Daniel Robertson into the River Dargle from a height of
www.powerscourt.com; house, to draw up new designs for the 122 m (400 ft), it is Ireland’s highest
gardens and waterfall open daily gardens. He redesigned them – from waterfall and a popular picnic spot.
Trekking and Horse Riding a wheelbarrow, fortified by sherry to
Several companies offer guided relieve his gout – in an Italian style, Below Italianate statues and urns added to
trekking and horse riding in the adding the terraces leading down Powerscourt Gardens by the 7th Viscount
foothills of the Wicklow Mountains.
For details visit www.visitwicklow.ie. from the house. The new ornamental
One alternative is Clissmann Donkey gardens were finally completed in
Walking Holidays, from Rathdrum or 1858–75 by the 7th Viscount, who
Avoca (Cornybyrne Farm; 0404 46920; added gates, urns and statues
www.clissmannhorsecaravans.com).
collected during his travels in Europe.
He brought back the gilded
WHERE TO STAY IN
ENNISKERRY wrought-iron Bamberg Gate from a
church in Bavaria.
Ferndale inexpensive The centrepiece of the garden
This is a charming Victorian House, today is the Triton Lake, dug out for
furnished in period style and located the first garden, which takes its name
right in Enniskerry village. Scrambled from the central fountain – modelled
eggs and smoked salmon with home-
made breads for breakfast. on a 17th-century work by Bernini
Enniskerry; 01 286 3518; in Rome. The Perron, a beautiful
www.ferndalehouse.com; closed Dec–Jan Italianate stairway added in 1874 and
Summerhill House Hotel moderate flanked on either side by the terraced
This beautiful period house in its own Italian Garden, leads down to the
wooded grounds right opposite the lake. It is guarded by two statues of
entrance to the Powerscourt Estate Pegasus, the mythical winged horse
has distinguished rooms in the main
house and in adjacent townhouses. and emblem of the Wingfield family.
Enniskerry; 01 286 7928; A mosaic at the top was made of
www.summerhillhousehotel.com pebbles from nearby Bray beach.
Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €100; moderate, €100–€200; expensive, over €200

132-137_Back_Roads_Ireland.indd 132 11/09/17 12:30 pm
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