Glendalough Upper Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glendalough Upper Lake |
|
|---|---|
Overall view
|
|
 Location in island of Ireland
|
|
| Location | County Wicklow |
| Coordinates | 53°00′10″N 6°21′57″W / 53.00276°N 6.36584°W |
| Type | Glacial lake |
| Primary inflows | Glenealo river, Lugduff Brook |
| Primary outflows | Glenealo river |
| Basin countries | Ireland |
| Max. length | 1.4 km (0.87 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.52 km (0.32 mi) |
| Max. depth | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 440 ft (130 m) |
| Islands | no |
Glendalough Upper Lake (Irish: An Loch Uachtair) is a beautiful glacial lake located near Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland. It's a special place, formed long ago by giant sheets of ice called glaciers.
Contents
About Glendalough Upper Lake
This lake is nestled in the stunning Wicklow Mountains. It sits west of the famous Glendalough monastic settlement, which was built way back in the Early Middle Ages.
On the southern side of the lake, you can find a small, old church called Temple-na-Skellig. You can only reach it by boat and then climbing some steps. Close by, there's a cave known as St. Kevin's bed. It's said that St. Kevin, who founded the monastery, used this cave as a quiet retreat. Later, St. Laurence O'Toole also used it.
How the Lake Was Formed
Glendalough Upper Lake is known as a ribbon lake. This means it's long and narrow, often found in valleys carved by glaciers.
Originally, the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake were actually one big lake! But over time, a lot of sediment (like sand and mud) was carried into the lake by a river. This sediment built up so much that it eventually split the original lake into the two separate lakes we see today.
Exploring the Lake's Surroundings
If you love to hike, you'll be happy to know that the Wicklow Way passes very close to the eastern end of the Upper Lake. The Wicklow Way is a long, marked walking trail that stretches from Rathfarnham in the north all the way down to Clonegal. It's a great way to see the beautiful Irish countryside!
Wildlife and Nature at the Lake
Glendalough Upper Lake is part of the amazing Wicklow Mountains National Park. This means the area is protected to keep its nature safe and healthy.
Around the lake's edges, you can find many interesting plants. These include the pretty white waterlily and the broad-leaved pondweed. Some parts of the shore are marshy, with plants like horsetail, bottle sedge, and common reed. These marshy areas are perfect spots to look for colorful dragonflies flying around!
