Just 10 km away from Cork city center, Blarney Castle is one of the popular tourist destinations of Ireland. Some people love it and some people are repelled by the thought of kissing a stone. Needless to say, the same rock was kissed by thousands of people already. Blarney Castle is more of ruins of the castle than the castle itself.
The village of Blarney is accessible by car or bus. Numerous travel agencies offer day tours to Blarney Castle from major cities like Cork/ Dublin/ Waterford. There is much more to Blarney Castle than meets the eye. The castle is surrounded by luscious green grounds and a variety of gardens. Still, the admission price is quite steep @ €18 per person for what it has to offer. The sight of a flowing river, River Martin, through the castle grounds makes it picturesque. Castle and gardens are open throughout the year, but Blarney house is open seasonally.
There is plenty to explore on the castle grounds. However, it is always better to start the tour of the castle. Depending on the weather, wait times can be very long. Blarney Stone is on the top of the castle. The only way to reach the top is to climb never-ending spiral stone stairs. Each floor has a little something to explore. After reaching the top, get ready to kiss the stone. Don't worry, you will have a lot of help to reach the stone. Don't forget to smile for the camera. You can take your own picture at the stone or purchase your picture at the end of the tour. Thankfully climbing down the stairs was easy.
Beneath the castle, is a dungeon that is mostly inaccessible and to the left of the castle, is a badger cave. We went inside the cave but there is nothing to explore. Duh! it is just a cave with a muddy floor.
All the walking and climbing made us tired and hungry so we headed right to the café. Stable Yard Café has a nice collection of coffee, tea, ice cream, scones, pizza, and a lot more. With the lovely ambiance and delicious food, the café was a refreshing stop.
Off we went on our way to explore the castle gardens. There are various gardens around the castle grounds. It can take a whole day to explore this vast area. The poison garden was interesting. However, Rock close is my personal favorite. The rocks and trees are covered with moss and have a fairytale charm to it.
We dragged a stroller and two kids through the rugged paths and stairs to explore these gardens. Well, they were worth the effort.
Outside the castle is a small shop 'Blarney Chocolate Factory'. As a chocolate lover, I cannot skip any shop that has 'chocolate' in its name. They have quite a good collection of chocolate and fudge at a reasonable price. Dark Orange Bar is the best.
