Distance - Approx 3km
Difficulty - Easy to moderate
The Spire of Lloyd and the People's Park are just 2 km outside the town of Kells. Maisie heads straight for the playground while Blue wants to socialise with the other dogs being walked on the pathway around the wildflower meadow. Head up the hill to the Spire, Ireland's only inland lighthouse and take in the spectacular views across the Boyne Valley & surrounding countryside. On a clear day you can see as far as the Mourne Mountains in County Down and in the opposite direction across the flatlands and on to the Dublin & Wicklow mountains. What a wonderful gift to a Dad the Spire was (commissioned by the First Earl of Bective in memory of his father Sir Thomas Taylor, in 1791).
When we are finished running around & rolling down the hill, or flying our kites *watch out for the drones, or playing hide and seek & chasing rabbits we walk over to the N.W. corner gate to begin the Loop Trail. We take the less strenuous route straight ahead and on down the hill, taking care crossing over the main road, following the signs and back onto the trail again. We pass the Victorian Water works circa. 1897, which was taken from a pile of refuse and old pipes and restored to working order by a group of local enthusiasts. From here we walk along the trail on the riverbank, with the pleasant sounds of the flowing water and the various inhabitants of the long grasses & wildflower hedges going about their business. So peaceful. It is no wonder that these waterways are so popular with anglers. The Kells Blackwater being the largest tributary of the River Boyne and holding good stocks of brown trout and Atlantic salmon along most stretches of the river. https://kellsanglers.com/
We might be lucky enough to pick some apples from the trees just at the end of the riverbank trail. We cross over the main road again close to Clavens bridge, through the swing gate and head up the steady incline back towards the Spire. When in season there is an abundance of blackberries ripe for picking in the hedgerows along the trail and we have the makings of some sweet apple & blackberry tarts. We generally meet some of the local inhabitants on this section of the trail. Cows out grazing, giddy goats and sheep watching over their young lambs. Maisie is enthralled and Blue is excited, thank goodness for the enclosed fencing. We keep going, taking in the stunning views and before you know it we are back where we started.
It must be time for a picnic!
