Hill of Tara with Kids
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Hill of Tara and Trim Castle, Ireland
When the sun shines in Ireland, take advantage of the warmth and head outdoors to explore some of the ancient sites dotting the countryside. One lovely summer day we were blessed with wonderful weather and used the opportunity to visit the Hill of Tara and Trim Castle. These two sites are about 20 minutes from each other and are located in Country Meath. Both sites are within an hour of Dublin, so they are easily doable as day trip.
The Hill of Tara is an ancient site that is traditionally known as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. This sight is where the ancient kings earned their title. The Stone of Destiny (Lia Fail), situated on the hill, was used as the inauguration stone for the Kings of Tara.
The sacred site also is also home to ancient burial mounds and earthwork enclosures- man-made mounds. It’s also a Celtic spiritual place and when St. Patrick came to Ireland, legend has it that he visited this sacred site first. There is a statue of St. Patrick near the church. While the Hill of Tara has significant cultural meaning to the people of Ireland, it also feels special to the visitor.
The Hill of Tara is wonderful to walk around and the height of the hills offer spectacular views of the Irish countryside. Our children found roaming the area to be a great experience. They loved running up and down the hills. They felt very free! It was a wonderful family day for us.
To learn more about the site, visit the Visitor Centre located in the church. Check the weather and make sure you wear something you feel comfortable walking in. There are no footpaths, so there is the possibility it can get quite muddy, so keep that in mind. As you are up on a high hill it can get windy, so bring hoodies or jackets depending on the season. On the positive, entrance to the site is free.
Nearby to the site there is a small cafe and bookshop. However, we continued on to the nearby city of Trim to visit Trim Castle.
Today, you can visit the ruins of this impressive castle. The gardens are great for kids, but you’ll need a tour to view the castle keep which has lots of stairs and open height areas. However, the tours are very informative. We chose to visit the gardens only; yet, even there you’ll need to keep a strict on your kids as there are some steep areas. If you are fans of the movie Braveheart you might recognise this castle as it was used as setting.
The castle is right in the town of Trim, so take advantage of one of the cafes to enjoy lunch and a coffee. Trim is full of heritage sites such as the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey and St. Peter and Paul Cathedral; however, if you are organised there are daytime summer camps for kids offered in Trim. They focus on archaeology and history and look like an amazing opportunity for children. Click here for the information.
Ireland has a magnetic ancient history and these two places can be enjoyed outside where kids can roam which makes them super family-friendly. Hopefully, we have inspired you to explore a bit of Ireland.
Ancient Sites Nearby
If you love ancient Ireland then you'll want to add the amazing Newgrange site to your itinerary. This Stoneage monument located in the Boyne Valley is absolutely incredible and it's older than Stonehenge. You have to visit as part of a guided tour click here for more info and to book your tickets ahead of time.
A beautiful seaside town just south of Dublin with a lovely promenade and magnificent cliff walk. Nearby, are the stunning gardens of Powerscourt house. >Read more here
Up in the northern part of Northern Ireland you’ll find the world famous, uniquely-shaped basalt rocks that make up the Giant’s Causeway. This UNESCO heritage site is incredible and is great for curious, active kids. My children had so much fun climbing up and around the rocks. They thought it was amazing. >Read more here
Love ancient places? How about a visit to the ancient city of Pompeii your family. Here are my top tips to make the most of your trip- especially since in summer it can be an almost unbearable place to visit when it’s really hot and crowded. >Read more here
