Blarney Castle

There's no denying that this castle is of great stature. As a result, it's very popular with tourists. On the plus side, the site is well laid out and easy to get to. On the downside, as you'd expect, if it's busy, you'll have to be patient.

To give you a little context, this castle is best known for the Stone of Eloquence. In a nutshell, it's a stone installed at the top of the tower, which is said to give the gift of eloquence to anyone who puts their lips to it, head upside down.

But... there's much more to see.

Our tour begins in the castle cellar. According to legend, it had several secret passages that allowed access to or escape from the castle. This was particularly beneficial to the inhabitants, who were able to escape with their treasure during an attack. Bagders Cave is one such passage. The ceiling isn't very high, and it quickly feels cramped. Personally, I'd have thought of it more as an old prison, with the huge gate at the entrance.

It is possible to climb the 128 steps of the fortification. Among other things, you can visit the Count's historic bedroom and the kitchen. But that's not why visitors queue up. It's to get to the top of the fortification, to find the legendary Stone of Eloquence.

We skipped this attraction in favor of the garden.

The gardens are beautifully maintained. Between oversized plants and sculptures of all kinds, we don't know where to turn. For example, we pass by the river on a wooden pontoon before entering a tunnel of intertwined bamboo.

In the series of legends, we pass by the Witch's Rock (a rock with a witch's face) or the Steps of Wishes. Legend has it that a wish is made on the way up. To make it come true, you have to climb the stairs with your eyes closed.

Further on, we come to nine dolmens. Seven are erected, and two have been laid to rest. Legend has it that, in medieval times, a father with nine children (seven girls and two boys) led his sons into a battle from which they never returned. To mark the death of his children, two of the rocks were laid down.

Feel like dying or killing someone? This is the place! I jest, but it's impossible for me to describe the danger of walking through the aisles of the Poison Garden. The plants are all as pretty as each other, yet each of them is protected by a cage, or a black sign with a skull and crossbones. We don't do ourselves proud...

In the end, we spent at least 2 hours in the alleys of the park. Even if we'd spent that much time wandering here and there, we couldn't have done the whole tour. In fact, it's possible to take long walks in the park. But that's for another time!