The Clare Glens County Tipperary

The Clare Glens [Map Ref.] east of the village of Newport, Co.Tipperary, is a beautiful dense naturally occurring wooded area, adjacent to the banks of the Clare River, latter which forms a natural boundary, dividing County Tipperary and County Limerick.

This picturesque, quite, forest park is situated either side of a red sandstone gorge, through which flows the Clare River, displaying numerous waterfalls, natural rock pools and rapids. The areas layout represents a natural loop with one end of this loop leading into the glens via a metal ‘kissing gate,’ at the left of a stone bridge, over the Clare River.

This extremely picturesque location, has become very popular due to its sheer natural beauty and its offer of wonderful photographic opportunities.

On a visit here one is quickly reminded of the Scottish writer Kenneth Grahame’s wonderful description of a river in his book ‘The Wind in the Willows.’

“This sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were caught and held again. All was a-shake and a shiver, glints and gleams and sparkles, rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble. The mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated. By the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spell-bound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea.”

Here, as the music in our video suggests, is a most beautiful place for meditation, or for the unhurried traveller to take a gentle stroll, breathing in the pure air, scented by Pine, Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) together with yellow and orange Honeysuckle. The scenery here is breathtaking, with the surrounding wild dense forest combining with the soft tones of rushing crystal clear waters. Holly and Hazel trees compete, unfairly, with tall pine trees for their share of the yellow dappled sunlight, which invades the area’s serenity.

If you visit in June and July the pink Rhododendron bushes (Rhododendron Ponticum) will be in full bloom, attracting an abundance of colourful insect life. Otter tracks are much in evident on the sandy banks, together with indigenous birds including the yellow breasted Grey Wagtail, which can be easily spotted foraging, singly or in pairs, among the rocks or on the small shallow marshy banks.

Here is to be observed ‘Mother Nature,’ truly displaying her natural yet unmatched beauty.