The Guardians of Blessington Nature Trail [2022]
So who are the Guardians of Blessington? Well they are our local wildlife, native and non-native, insects and animals that live amongst us here in the local area. Thirteen ‘guardians’ have been selected from our native species for a very special interactive trail along the Main Street in Blessington. Each of the selected guardians has their own tree, on this tree there is a special ceramic sculpture designed and created by local artist Jean Cleary. The ceramic sculpture piece incorporates each animal with a door/portal and a ‘guardian’ badge. Click here for the trail map & details…
For this project the artist Jean Cleary was interested in using the local native wildlife to create an awareness of the importance of these living creatures in our lives and our environment. These creatures are real and important to our biodiversity to create a balance in nature. Every living thing is connected. If even just one organism becomes threatened or extinct, it has a domino effect on an entire ecosystem. The ceramic sculptures are a take on the idea of the ‘fairy trail’ but the idea was to create something different and in a way, have some meaning and an educational aspect to it. Each piece has a QR code, that links to the Blessington Tidy Towns website, and here you will be able to read some information about the animal and find all the animals locations too. For now we really hope you all enjoy the new nature trail, appreciate the quality of the work, and take some enjoyment from it. Thanks to Noreen and Jean for coming up with the idea and delivering the end product.
Blessington Greenway
The Blessington Greenway (Phase 1) is 6.5km in length and links the historic town of Blessington with the Palladian mansion at Russborough House. The trail starts in Blessington village and leads south to the Avon Hotel and Activity Centre at the southern end of the town from where it weaves its way along the lake shore and forestry, crosses an ancient medieval Ringfort, and then uses the footpath along part of the N81 before turning back into the forest at Burgage Moyle lane. It then crosses the Valleymount Road (R758) and makes its way to Russellstown Bay adjacent to Russborough House. Along the way you will have the opportunity to appreciate the magnificent scenery and wildlife in the area. You can download a route map of the Blessington Greenway by clicking here.
The next phase of Blessington Greenway will complete the route around the entirety of Poulaphouca Reservoir. This will be in excess of 35Kms and will contain car-parks, toilets, and refreshment facilities. The work is due to commence on site Q3/22 and be completed Q1/24, and this will include an upgrade to Phase 1 surface.
Blessington Heritage Trail
Dotted throughout the Town and surrounds, you will find several plaques carrying a Digital QR Code Each code will link to that particular site’s dedicated page on our Heritage Trail. Just scan with the camera on your smartphone to find out more about each location. Details on each site below.
Blessington, a pleasant tree-lined estate town, complete with square and built by its landlords, the Boyles and the Hills. Blessington’s founder was Michael Boyle, Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland, who in 1667 acquired an estate of 17,000 acres and was given a charter to establish the town. The estate was inherited in 1778 by Wills Hill, Earl of Hillsborough, later the first Marquis of Downshire. The new town centre is situated in Boyle’s original demesne and is the first major change to the layout of Blessington in 200 years. Blessington, situated on the northern end of Poulaphouca reservoir, is the gateway to the mountains and valleys of west Wicklow and the upper reaches of the Liffey, Kings and Slaney rivers. The reservoir, also known as Blessington Lake, was created at the end of the 1930’s as a water supply for Dublin and to generate electricity. It greatly enhances the natural beauty and leisure amenities of the area. Two other natural resources associated with the area, granite quarrying and sand deposits, have long provided material for the construction industry. You can download the hi-res map by clicking here.
Lakeside Heritage Trail
The Blessington Lakeside Heritage Project is an initiative to explore and record the heritage of this part of Wicklow, developed by the Heritage Office of Wicklow County Council in association with the local community.
The project involved compiling information about the nature, history, folklore and rich cultural heritage of this part of north west Wicklow into a unique online resource with photos, text, interviews, and film footage. The content created has been used to develop a Heritage Trail around the Blessington Lakes and the material generated through this project can be used as the baseline content for future local tourism initiatives such as publications and signs. Places featured in the project include; Russborough, Baltyboys, Boystown, Valleymount, Ballyknockan, Templeboden, Ballynultagh, Lacken and Blessington town. Themes featured cover a wealth of stories and folklore about local landmarks; Neolithic settlements, flooded villages; granite stone cutting traditions and the rebuilding of Dublin after the 1916 Rising. You can download the full route map by clicking here.