it was a spectacularly clear morning yesterday so we headed off to Grange Crag to climb the hill. The views across Kilkenny, Tipperary and Laois are unparalleled. It delivered as we made it to the top to this spectacular vista. It never ceases to wow me. The viewing tower was built by one of the Earls from Kilcooly as a celebration of the duke of Wellingtons defeat of the French at the battle of Waterloo. What I had forgotten from my school days history classes was that the landed gentry of the time were actually very pro Irish independence (as was the Earl) but the French Revolution scared the pants off them so they voted for unionism instead. And hence the troubled history of Ireland began. So I guess you could France is equally to blame for our troubles.
Benson found many freshwater streams to drink from (although I’m sure he’d have preferred to find a skanky oil slick covered pool).
Anyway a great spot for a walk if you have an hour and a half to spare. Some challenging hilly bits but only for the really unfit ones amongst us. Lots of the walk is under deep forest cover and has a pretty magical quality to it.
