Lakes aplenty in Glenstal Abbey walk

GLENSTAL ABBEY WALK, CO LIMERICK

WALKING up the broad avenue to the abbey, we immediately enjoy the classical qualities of an old estate and nature in its glory, whatever the season. The skeletons of giant trees stripped bare in winter are as awesome as their leafy bodies in the spring. We pass lakes with swans, herons and water lilies, and oak trees of massive girth and impressive antiquity, examples of the primeval woodland that once blanketed Ireland.

The grounds hold five man-made lakes, each stocked with trout and providing habitat for water birds and water life. The Chapel Lake delivers geothermal heating to the buildings grouped around the castle and the church. The monastic community also maintains a farm.