Family-friendly Rainy-day options Walking
Older than the pyramids
Newgrange was built around 3200 BC, which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid of Giza. It’s a vast passage tomb, and on the mornings around the winter solstice the rising sun shines down its passage to light the chamber inside, exactly as it was designed to more than 5,000 years ago. Together with Knowth and Dowth, it forms Brú na Bóinne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in a bend of the River Boyne.
The remarkable thing is that all of this is under an hour from Dublin. Add a castle from Braveheart, the seat of the High Kings and a whiskey distillery in a castle stable yard, and the Boyne Valley makes a brilliant short break when you don’t want to spend the weekend in the car.
Visiting Newgrange and Knowth
Every visit starts at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre near Donore, where a shuttle bus takes you to the monuments on a guided tour. Don’t drive to the tombs themselves, as you won’t get in. Tickets are limited and sell out, especially at weekends, so book online in advance through the official site only.
Plan around the season. From March to the start of November you can usually visit both Newgrange and Knowth, whose carved stones are spectacular and often less busy. From November to February, only Newgrange tours run. Around the winter solstice the centre runs special early openings and normal tours are suspended, so check before you book a December trip.
The Hill of Tara and Loughcrew
The Hill of Tara was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, and although there’s little left but grassy banks and the Stone of Destiny, the views across the midlands and the sense of history are something else. It’s free and open all year, with a café and bookshop by the car park.
For something wilder, head west to the Loughcrew Cairns near Oldcastle, a group of passage tombs on hilltops with carved stones and almost no crowds. It’s a short, steep climb to the main cairn. At the spring and autumn equinoxes, the rising sun lights up the carvings inside, and people gather at dawn to watch.
Trim, Slane and Kells
- Trim Castle: the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, on the banks of the Boyne, and a stand-in for York in the film Braveheart. Take the guided tour of the keep for the views from the top.
- Slane: a pretty Georgian village with a castle famous for big outdoor concerts, the Slane Distillery in the castle’s old stables, and the Hill of Slane, where St Patrick is said to have lit his Easter fire.
- Kells: the town that gave its name to the Book of Kells, with a round tower and high crosses, and the curious Spire of Lloyd, an inland lighthouse, just outside town.
- Bective Abbey: a quiet, atmospheric Cistercian ruin between Trim and Navan, free to wander.
The Battle of the Boyne and Drogheda
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 at Oldbridge, where a visitor centre in Oldbridge House tells the story with exhibitions and walks across the battle site. Close by, Drogheda is the region’s biggest town, with Millmount Museum, the Highlanes Gallery and, in St Peter’s Church, the preserved head of St Oliver Plunkett, which is exactly as unusual as it sounds.
Just north, in Co. Louth, Monasterboice has some of Ireland’s finest high crosses, including Muiredach’s Cross, and Mellifont Abbey was the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland, founded in 1142.
When it rains
The Boyne Valley is one of the best weekends in the country for unreliable weather. The Brú na Bóinne exhibition, the Battle of the Boyne visitor centre, Trim Castle’s keep and the Slane Distillery tour all have indoor parts, which makes it a smart choice for the St Brigid’s Day and October weekends, or with children who need a plan B.
Which area to stay in
Slane is the most central for Newgrange and the distillery, though it has fewer rooms. Trim is a lovely small town with the castle on the doorstep and good pubs. Drogheda has the most hotels and the train, and suits a car-free weekend, while Kells is the best base for Loughcrew. Country house hotels around Navan and Slane are popular for a quieter night.
A two-night plan
Friday: arrive in Trim or Slane, walk the river and have dinner in town.
Saturday: Newgrange (and Knowth in season) in the morning, Slane and the distillery in the afternoon.
Sunday: the Hill of Tara and Trim Castle, or Loughcrew if you fancy a hill, then home. For a third night, add Drogheda, Monasterboice and Mellifont.
For more history and great walking nearby, Carlingford is 45 minutes north.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go inside Newgrange?
Yes, on a guided tour that starts at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre. Tours include the chamber. Book in advance through the official site, especially for weekends and bank holidays.
Is Knowth open all year?
No. Knowth tours usually run from March to the start of November. In winter, only Newgrange tours are available.
How far is the Boyne Valley from Dublin?
About 45 minutes by car to the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, Slane or Trim, and around 40 minutes by train to Drogheda.
Can I see the winter solstice at Newgrange?
Places in the chamber at sunrise around the solstice are extremely limited and not available on normal tickets. The visitor centre opens early on those mornings, so you can still be there for the occasion.
Where we’d stay
Family-run hotel with a good spa in Kells, handy for Loughcrew and Tara.
Modern hotel by the river in Drogheda, 15 minutes from Newgrange.
Looks straight onto the castle walls in the middle of Trim.
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Getting there
Under an hour by car, or easy by train to Drogheda with local buses and day tours.
- By car: about 45 minutes from Dublin via the M1 or the M3.
- By train: Dublin Connolly to Drogheda, about 40 minutes, then a local bus or a taxi to the visitor centre.
- Coach day tours run from Dublin to Newgrange and the Hill of Tara.
Timetables change, especially on bank holidays, so check with the operator before you travel.
