Top 3 Caves in Leinster

Tour is worth it in my opinion. Quite a few stairs, so be aware, and as far as I know it only opens later in the mornings.

Older than Stonehenge and the pyramids, this monument stands in the green countryside of County Meath and tells stories of a time long gone. The journey here takes you along quiet roads along the Boyne until you finally stand in front of the massive burial mound. The intricate decorations on the stones and the special architecture of the cross-shaped chamber are impressive. It is amazing how people back then were able to create such precise construction without modern tools. If you take a break here, you can feel the special energy of the place - as if history itself is whispering through the wind. A detour is worthwhile, especially if you want to incorporate a little culture into your cycling tour. The journey is easy and there are plenty of places to park your bike and explore the area.

Underground secrets... Newgrange isn't the only passage tomb in Ireland, of course. There are two more in Brú na Bóinne. Along with the nearby Knowth and Dowth tombs, Newgrange has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Not bad for a site that was once doomed to become a quarry! Nearby, at Oldcastle in County Meath, you'll find a lesser-known collection of passage tombs. Around a handful of hills in Loughcrew are several cairns dating back to around 3200 BC. More mysterious and difficult to reach, exploring them is even more like Indiana Jones. If you get the feeling you're being watched, you might be right. About 60km away, on the summit of Slieve Gullion in County Armagh, the passage of another tomb points directly towards Loughcrew. The two cairns at Slieve Gullion are located on either side of the summit lake. The southern grave is said to be aligned with the sunset on the winter solstice. In good weather you can even see Dublin Bay from here. (Source: https://www.ireland.com/de-de/magazine/built-heritage/newgrange/)

5,000 years. That makes Newgrange older than Stonehenge. It's also older than the Egyptian pyramids. But over the past five millennia, the passage tomb has lost none of its fascination. But let's start from the beginning: There is no direct access to Newgrange. If you're driving, don't let your sat nav take you to Brú na Bóinne/Boyne Valley (latitude 53.694567, longitude 6.4463). The visitor center there sells tickets and you can take a shuttle bus for a guided tour. If you don't have a car, that's no problem either: you can book a day trip from Dublin. Arriving at the iconic tomb is an overwhelming experience. You stand in front of an 80m wide mound, lined with decorated stones and covered in white Wicklow quartzite. A guide tells you about the myths and history behind the landmark. Newgrange could have been a tomb or a temple. Nobody knows for sure. The truth will remain hidden forever. (Source:https://www.ireland.com/de-de/magazine/built-heritage/newgrange/)

Office of Public Works (Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre (Newgrange and Knowth), 2023-12-22): https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/bru-na-boinne-visitor-centre-newgrange-and-knowth/ “… Dowth … Visitors wishing to see Dowth can access the exterior of the monument directly via the N51. There is no access via the Visitor Centre.” Wikipedia (Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Bhrú), 2023-12-22): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowth https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowth Wikipedia (List of National Monuments in County Meath, 2023-12-22): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Monuments_in_County_Meath “National Monument 652 … Dowth Passage Tomb …” TheIrishRoadTrip ("A Guide To Visiting The Ancient Dowth In Meath”, 2023-12-22): https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/dowth/ “… 3. Parking (warning!) …”

Office of Public Works (Brú na Boyne Visitor Center (Newgrange and Knowth), 2023-12-22): https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/bru-na-boinne-visitor-centre-newgrange-and-knowth/ - Opening Times - Admission Wikipedia (Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Brú), 2023-12-22): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange TheIrishRoadTrip ("Knowth: History, Tours + Why It's Just As Impressive As Newgrange", 2023-12-22): https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/newgrange/ “… book in advance! …”

Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Bhrú) is a large Neolithic passage tomb in County Meath, Ireland, on the River Boyne. It is a passage tomb with a cruciform chamber and a corbel vault, which is not common, but also occurs in Knowth, on Anglesey and in Orkney. It is an Irish National Monument. The name „Newgrange” dates back to the fact that in 1142 the surrounding area became part of the lands of Mellifont Abbey. Thus the designation „new grange” („new farmstead”) arose. In Irish, the area is called Brú na Bóinne [ˈbruː nə ˈboːnʲə] „inn/dwelling on the (River) Boyne” or originally probably „dwelling of the (goddess) Bóinn”. Newgrange is located above a wide bend in the river in one of Ireland's most fertile and therefore intensively farmed areas. The complex was built around 3150 BC. It is one of the most important megalithic complexes in the world. In the immediate vicinity are two other important megalithic complexes, Dowth and Knowth, which appear to be temporal precursors. In 1993, the complexes of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth were declared a World Heritage Site. - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange In 1994 I was in Newgrange and Knowth. Back then, I could drive to Newgrange, park my bike right at the entrance of the site and buy a ticket in a small booth for a small amount of money - very easy. By 2017, that was no longer possible - just driving up like that. There was a visitor center, located south of Newgrange - with admission and bus transfer to Newgrange and Knowth. It is possible to book only Newgrange or only Knowth - or both together. Everything was planned - small groups and a tour every half hour... I received a sticker for my jacket - which told me when it was my turn and which bus I had to get on... Arriving at Newgrange - then the same procedure - small groups - clearly organized who was next... Also the further bus transfer to Knowth - my group was given 10 minutes to walk around the site alone - the bus was already moving on. Knowth has become great - the whole thing beautifully restored! In 1994, Knowth was still a construction site - there was nothing to see then. Here too, unfortunately, only a short time to walk around alone - the bus was already ready for the return journey to the visitor center... But it was nice! I will definitely come back again!

Dowth (Irish: Dubhadh) is a Neolithic passage tomb located in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, Ireland. It is one of the three principal tombs of the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site – a landscape of prehistoric monuments including the large passage-tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. Unlike Newgrange and Knowth, Dowth has not been independently dated, but its features align it with the other passage tombs which date from between approximately 3200 and 2900 BC. However, Harbison (1970) dates the tomb at 2500 – 2000 BC. It is less developed as a tourist attraction than its neighbours, partly because the chamber is much lower, and partly because the decoration is less visible. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowth