Our private tour took us from Dublin down through Kilkenny then into the south and west areas of the country, getting a taste for the best the Emerald Isle has to offer. One of the tour highlights was, of course, Killarney National Park.

The park is the last remaining piece of ancient forest that once covered all of Europe thousands of years ago. Such important features in the national park are the native oakwoods and yew woods together with an abundance of evergreen trees. The native red deer are unique in Ireland with a presence in the country since the last Ice Age. I was immediately struck by the sheer ancientness of the flora and fauna we witnessed as we made our way though.

Visitors can drive up through the park with stop offs, viewing points, hiking trails, and waterfalls to visit. The focal point of the National Park for visitors is Muckross House and Gardens, a late 19th century mansion featuring all the typical furnishings and artifacts of the period. The house and gardens is a worthwhile attraction, but even if you don’t have time to visit the inside the grounds and surrounding landscape are magnificent. You may admire the grand Victorian architecture while strolling through the distinctive pathways set about the vast grounds.

One thing I always loved about Ireland is its ability to generate a feeling mystery with a combination of history, beauty, nature, and wildlife. And Killarney National Park offers this feeling in spades. We stopped for a hike at Torc Waterfall, a 65 ft high, 360 ft long cascade waterfall that lies at the base of Torc Mountain in the Killarney National Park.

Walking up through the winding path we were flanked by ancient trees with vibrant green moss growing all around. I watched the sunset at nearby Muckross House come down over the glistening lake and dramatic landscape and couldn’t help but think…Ireland is pretty a magical place.