There are not that many days in Ireland when it is sunny and calm at the same time. This Sunday was one of them, so I got in the car and drove into the Wicklow Mountains without much of a plan.

I first stopped at Guinness Lake, or Lough Tay, which is probably my favourite place in Wicklow, maybe in Ireland in general. There is something strange and memorable about it. The lake really does look like a pint of Guinness from above, with the dark water and the bright strip of sand at the edge. That is where the nickname comes from, and the white sand was even brought in by the Guinness family, whose estate runs through the area.

I stayed there for a while, then noticed a hiking trail and saw people pushing toward a summit, so I followed. That is one of the things I like most about Wicklow. You can arrive with no fixed destination, start walking, and the day still gives you something worth remembering.

Later, I drove on toward the Glendalough area, though not to the lake itself. The scenery around it was enough. The whole day had that rare Irish summer feeling, bright, quiet, and open, the kind that makes you slow down without having to force it.

I took a few photos along the way.