Ireland day 1204. Tuesday 14 January 2025- UK Relatives 2

Today’s summary	Drove up to Brú na Bóinne to look round the Newgrange monument. Had lunch then went on to Four Knocks to get the key from Mrs White and visit the passage tomb. Drove back just as it was getting dark, then in the evening, Val and the others went out for dinner at “Townyard” restaurant and I went to the first Spanish class of the new term
Today’s weather	Drizzly and heavily overcast but very mild all day. Very light south westerly wind. Appx 11c

Today’s overview location (The red mark shows the location of our route)		Close-up location (The red mark shows where we walked) (No GPX today)

Commentary

Another enjoyably busy day today.

We got up relatively early (for us) for breakfast and were on the road by 10am. Our first destination was the Brú na Bóinne historic site in the Boyne Valley, and we had a tour booked at 11.

It only takes just over half an hour to get to the visitor centre from Malahide, so we had plenty of time to get a cup of coffee in the visitor centre before heading out to look at the ancient Newgrange monument. We’ve done this tour several times in the past but it never fails to impress – especially the visit inside the passage tomb itself.

After a lunch at the visitor centre, and a good look round the exhibition, I rang “Mrs White” and arranged to collect the keys to the diminutive “Fourknocks” passage tomb from her farmhouse. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Brú na Bóinne to Mrs White’s farmhouse, and she was waiting for us with the key when we arrived.

The tomb is only 5 minutes away from the farm, and we took time to have a good look round. The isolation, silence and hidden gem atmosphere make this one of our favourite monuments in Ireland. On the way back to return the key, Val produced her recently acquired book on Fourknocks and managed to persuade Mrs White to sign it.

By this stage it was beginning to get dark so we drove back to Malahide and refreshed ourselves with tea and cake.

In the evening, Val, her sister and her sister’s husband went off to “Townyard” restaurant for dinner while I went down to Portmarnock for the first Spanish lesson of the new term. Another ten weeks of deberes to follow!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


Entrance to the Brú na Bóinne visitor centre	On the main approach to Newgrange

Taking a moment to process everything we’ve just learned about ancient history	Entrance to Newgrange tomb

Fourknocks tomb – it’s about four meters high and 20 meters in diameter	Inside Fourknocks. Hope there’s nobody outside with a key!

Fine detailed carving in Fourknocks, 5,500 years old