Kylemore Abbey in County Galway

Some images stay in your mind. The first time I visited Kylemore Abbey, I was on a cycling and camping trip with friends. As we approached the abbey, far below the road on Poolacappul lough I spied a lone nun walking along the shoreline in deep contemplation, studying a book. It looked like a scene from a movie.

We parked our bikes not far from the viewpoint on this poster and gazed across the lake at the view. At the time, the Benedictine nuns ran the Abbey as a school, so the view across the lake was as good as it got. Today, many of the rooms have been restored and there’s a beautiful Victorian garden maintained on the grounds.