Discover Blessington

Blessington combines a strong sense of place with a range of themes to help you plan your trip. The Blessington Greenway starts in the town; Russborough House lies on its outskirts. The Blessington Lakes are nearby. This gives you a choice of different focuses, including cultural and parkland history, birds of prey, and waterside scenery. If you’re looking for hotels in Blessington, you can start by considering which of these themes will shape your trip.

Russborough House and birds of prey

Russborough House lies on the outskirts of Blessington. The Palladian house contains artworks and antiques, as well as stories about the people who once lived there. Its parkland covers 200 acres and is characterised by old trees, planned vistas and hidden paths.

The National Bird of Prey Centre on the grounds of Russborough House showcases eagles, falcons, hawks and owls. The offering includes a tour and a talk; visitors can also hold some of the hand-reared birds. The Hawk Walk offers a different experience: first, there’s an introduction to around 40 birds of prey, followed by a leisurely walk through Russborough’s grounds, accompanied by a falconer and one of the larger falcons. Details of the experience and booking arrangements may change; check with the provider before making plans.

Trails and waterside scenery

The parkland has a 2 km Lake Walk and a 2.5 km Woodland Walk. The Lake Walk is therefore the shorter of the two routes; the Woodland Walk is half a kilometre longer. The Blessington Greenway follows a different route: it starts in Blessington, connects the historic town with Russborough House and runs along the shores of the Blessington Lakes through woodland and natural forest areas.

The Blessington Lakes are near Blessington, in the Wicklow Mountains, and cover around 5,000 acres of water. Poulaphouca Reservoir, Ireland’s largest man-made lake, is also close to the town. The road around the Blessington Lakes offers views across the reservoir and the Wicklow Mountains; you can travel along it by car or bicycle.

County Wicklow in the wider picture

The wider destination of County Wicklow adds further landscape and history themes. Wicklow Mountains National Park covers 20,000 hectares and is an important recreational area for locals and tourists. County Wicklow offers more than 50 walking trails, which you can choose by length, location, type, theme and difficulty. Routes may be added or changed, so check the current selection if you’re basing your plans on it. The Wicklow Way was Ireland’s first waymarked long-distance trail. In County Wicklow, St Kevin founded Glendalough as a monastery in the 6th century. The remains of the Monastic City include a round tower, numerous medieval stone churches and decorated crosses.

Discover more destinations: Redcross, Donard, Boystown, Rathnew, Brittas Bay, Roundwood, Kilcoole, Kilmacanoge.

Go to the wider travel overview: County Wicklow.