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| County Carlow |
County Carlow, one of Ireland’s smallest counties, is bordered by the Blackstairs Mountains to the east, by the Barrow Valley and by the Killeshin Hills to the west. Because of its location, the county is not really touristy and in fairness, it doesn't seem to do any advertising to attract tourists. |
1. Stop in the town of Carlow... |
| 2. Observe the remains of Carlow Castle...
[   ] Carlow Castle was originally built in the 13th century. The original keep was 3 storeys high and was square in shape with round towers at the corners. It is quite similar to Ferns Castle (County Wexford). Today, only the eastern half still stands, with its two corner towers and the connecting wall. |
3. Walk by the River Barrow... |
| 4. Go to Carlow Town Hall... [ ] Lots of people ask me if Ireland looks like Brittany (from which my family comes). It's correct that there are a lot of cultural similarities (music, art, history), but the town architecture is quite different. However, when I saw Carlow's town hall, I really found it very similar to some town halls in Brittany. A quick look on the Internet brings me the photo of Corlay's town hall. Lifelike, isn't it? |
| 5. Bend in front of Brown Hill Dolmen...
[ ] The Brown Hill Dolmen is located just a few kilometers outside Carlow. Its capstone is believed to be the largest in Europe. Like a lot of dolmens and Celtic monuments, this megalithic structure has been the subject of conjecture for centuries. Most likely it marks the burial place of a local king. |
6. Go inside the (unhanging) Altamont Gardens... [  ]The Altamont Gardens turn out to be a not-to-be-missed site if you visit or pass through Co. Carlow. First, you will see a House (pictured). The house as it exists today was evidently built upon the remains of an earlier dwelling dating from at least the 16th century (maybe a convent?); immensely thick walls, paved granite floors and the shape of the windows in the basement of the house testify to this. |
7. Play Mickey Mouse in the gardens... [ ] Afterwards, you will be able to walk freely in the traditional gardens of the park. You will find a large, beautiful old world garden, Robinsonian in style... The photo on the right-hand side makes me think of Mickey Mouse's ears... (Yes I know... I'm still a big kid  ). |
 Photo 7. I inside the Altamont Gardens. |
| 8. Take photos of flowers and trees... [ ] Summer time is really a great time to visit the Altamont Gardens. With its lawns, its flowers, its yews and its rare trees, you'll have quite a range of opportunities for your photos. |
| 9. Gaze at yourself in the lake of Altamont... [ ] The 2.5-acre lake was dug out after the Irish Potato Famine (1847-1848). Research indicates that it took 100 men with horses and carts 2 years to complete this task at a cost of £12,000, a considerable sum at that time. |
| County Carlow in pictures | ||
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 Photo 2. Carlow Castle. |
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 Photo 3. River Barrow. |
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 Photo 4. Carlow Town Hall. |
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 Photo 5. Brown Hill Dolmen. |
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 Photo 6. Altamont House. |
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 Photo 8. Altamont Gardens. |
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 Photo 9. Lake of Altamont. |
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Legend:
Nice; Worth a visit; Well worth visiting
Please note that this grading system is only based on my interests and personal experience as a French expat in Ireland. Feel free to visit the same locations and share your experience .
Free or Not Applicable 
Entrance fee ≤€5 ; €5<Entrance fee≤€10 ; €10<Entrance fee≤€15 and so on...
These price ranges are indicative only to help you plan your holiday budget and are subject to change. Discounts generally apply for families, groups, children, students and seniors citizens.
While the admission to this site is free, a parking fee may apply.
Heritage Site managed by the Office of Public Works. Most OPW sites are free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month during 2011. A Good tip: the Heritage Card entitles you unlimited admission for one year to all OPW sites (around €21).