Visit South Tipperary from the Nest.

The area around Cashel, in the south of County Tipperary, is known as the Golden Vale due to its lush fertile soil, and it is an area of great beauty.

The places described below are all within a 45 to 75-minute drive of The Nest, so why not make a day of it and explore some of what the Golden Vale has to offer!

The places shown below can be explored in your own car, or you could explore by eBike. Your hosts would meet you there with your eBikes for the day and ready-mapped routes.

Suggested driving route

From Nenagh, follow the signs to Thurles, until you come to a right turn for Holycross, shortly after the village of Inch. Follow this road into Holycross.

From Holycross, follow the signs to Cashel.

Follow the signs from Cashel to Fethard or Cahir.

For Athassel Abbey, follow the signs for Tipperary. Shortly after the village of Golden, there is a left turn marked with a brown sign pointing towards Athassel Priory. You will see the Abbey on your left after approx 2km, and you can park across the road at the farm entrance.

Holycross

At Holycross there is a beautiful crossing over the River Suir, and there is also a stunning restored 12th Century Abbey. The Abbey was in ruins until the 1970s, when it was painstakingly restored by local craftsmen. It is a fantastic place to wander around. You can explore the abbey on your own, or you can book a guided tour at the Holycross Abbey Website.

A short distance outside Holycross is the Wytchway Inn, where you can get a hearty lunch!

Cashel

At Cashel there are 2 ruined abbeys (Hore Abbey and the Dominican Priory) as well as the famous Rock of Cashel, which was a seat of Kings from the 5th to the 11th Centuries, when it became a cathedral. Tours of the Rock of Cashel are available year round, and the town itself is a great place to wander around, with plenty of shops and cafes.

There are a number of great places to eat in Cashel, including Sam’s Table.

Fethard

A 15-minute drive beyond Cashel is the beautiful walled medieval town of Fethard. Here you can visit the Fethard Horse Country Experience museum, enjoy walking around the historic town walls or enjoy a spot of lunch at Sadler’s Restaurant.

The town walls are among the most complete in Ireland, with only a few small sections missing, and one of the gates, namely the North Gate, is still in place.

Knockelly Castle

Knockelly Castle is 2km outside Fethard. It was built in the 15th Century by the very prominent Butler family. Over the centuries it went through a number of hands, and the current owners have begun a major renovation project, and are offering private guided tours of the castle. This is a great opportunity to not only see a very historic building, but to have a cup of tea with the owners and hear of the challenges involved in owning such a historic building!

Cahir

Also 15 minutes from Cashel is Cahir, which is based on the River Suir. Here you will find the impressive 13th Century castle, built by the Butler family (see Knockelly also!), which you can explore.

In addition there are a number of cafes and restaurants in the town.

There is a riverside walk leading to Swiss Cottage, which is a beautiful 19th Century cottage orné (pictured). The tours of the cottage are highly recommended. It was built as a country retreat by the Butler family, so they could taste ‘simple country living’ (albeit with a full staff of servants in case things got a little too simple!).

Athassel Priory

And finally, the mightiest abbey of them all is Athassel Priory, which is a short distance from Cashel. Here, you can wander among the ruins and breathe in the history. The Abbey was built in the 12th Century, and was once the largest Abbey in Ireland. It had fallen into ruins by the time King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, but it still stands proudly on the banks of the River Suir, and can be explored on foot. You might well have the place to yourself!

To get to Athassel, take the Tipperary road from Cashel, until you reach the village of Golden. Shortly after you cross the river, there is a left turn with a brown sign pointing towards Athassel Priory. Follow this road for 2km, until you see the Abbey on your left. There is a large farm entrance on the right, where you can park (being careful not to block the gate), then cross the road and climb over the gate into the field, and follow the path to the Abbey. Please note that although it may not look like the public are allowed access to the site, it is a National Monument, so you very much are allowed (and welcome) to visit. Please note also that the path to the Priory crosses a cow field, so don’t be alarmed if they get a little curious about their visitors!