Glen of the Downs facts for kids

The Glen of the Downs (Gleann dá Ghrua in Irish, meaning 'The Valley of the Two Brows') is a beautiful, long valley in Ireland. It's about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) long and has very steep, wooded sides that go up almost 250 meters (820 feet) high. This valley is a special place, protected as a Nature Reserve because of its unique plants and animals. It's also being considered as a Special Area of Conservation, which means it's really important for nature in Europe.

Where is the Glen of the Downs?

The Glen is found in the northern part of County Wicklow, which is south of Dublin, Ireland's capital city. It sits between two villages: Kilmacanogue to the north and Kilpedder to the south. From the northern end of the valley, you can see the famous Great Sugar Loaf and Little Sugar Loaf hills. The village of Delgany is also close by, less than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the east.

A main road, the N11, runs right through the bottom of the Glen. This road is part of a bigger European route called E01. Back in 2003, there were some delays when they were upgrading this road. People who cared about the environment protested because they were worried about how the road might affect the valley's nature.

How the Valley Was Formed

The Glen of the Downs is a glacial valley. This means it was carved out by the powerful force of meltwater from a huge sheet of ice long, long ago. The rocks that make up the valley's steep sides are the same type of quartzite rock found in the nearby Sugarloaf hills. A small stream called the Three Trouts river flows through the southern part of the Glen before it reaches the sea near Greystones.

Plants and Animals of the Glen

The Glen of the Downs is home to many different kinds of plants and animals.

Trees and Plants

The valley is covered in a thick forest of broadleaf trees. You'll find trees like oak, cherry, rowan, and ash. Underneath these tall trees, smaller plants grow, including bilberry, bramble, wild garlic, holly, honeysuckle, ivy, woodrush, and wood sage.

Birds and Mammals

Many different birds live in the Glen. Common birds include blackbirds, blackcaps, chaffinches, jays, robins, blue tits, great tits, grey wagtails, and wrens. You might also spot a sparrowhawk hunting. Some years, a rare bird called the wood warbler comes to visit.

The Glen is also home to several mammals. Red squirrels are often seen, and you might spot sika deer, foxes, and badgers living in the valley.

History of the Glen

People have been writing about the beauty of the Glen of the Downs since Victorian times. The view from the nearby Bellevue House was once described as 'a scene of luxurious softness, combined with grandeur and significance'. Bellevue House was the home of the La Touche family. They were Huguenot refugees who came to Ireland from France.

Images for kids

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  19th century painting of Glen of the Downs by French artist Alphonse Dousseau

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  The N11 road cutting through the valley