Ancient ruins and stunning scenery in County Tipperary

Most people who visit Ireland head straight for Dublin or Galway, said Andrea Bussell in National Geographic. Even some locals aren’t familiar with the “great green valley that stretches through County Tipperary” in the heart of the country’s “Ancient East”. But, tucked between the Galtee Mountains and a “forest-clad sandstone ride known as Slievenamuck”, the Glen of Aherlow is the perfect place for a “slower, nature-centric” holiday.

Here, “tall emerald mountains” rise from “cattle-grazed pastureland flecked with miles of trees” and “scattered rural villages”. To get to know this stunning landscape and discover its “most sacred corners”, explore the Heritage Trail. Along it, there are many artefacts and landmarks to visit, including the “striking, well-preserved” remains of Moor Abbey on the banks of the River Aherlow, and St Pecaun’s Holy Well between Bansha and Cahir, where people have visited for centuries to pray and drink the “therapeutic waters”.

County Tipperary is known as Ireland’s equestrian capital and a visit here “wouldn’t be complete” without taking a riding lesson; Ballyhoura Trekking Centre and Hillcrest Equestrian Centre are good options.

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“For me, nothing beats an evening by the water at Garrykennedy,” said Vic O’Sullivan on Lonely Planet. This tiny village on the eastern shore of Lough Derg is a “sublime” setting, with an “old stone harbour” and bobbing sailboats moored at the pier. Enjoy “hearty pub fare” and a pint in the Larkins’ beer garden before wandering down to Ryan’s to listen to live music and watch as “sky and shoreline darken to an inky blue”.

Sports fans should visit Thurles’ Semple Stadium to catch some hurling. Watching this native sport with a roaring crowd is a “thrilling cultural immersion”: “even if you don’t know the rules, the speed and passion of the game will leave you hooked”.

Travelling by car is the best way to soak up the area’s “magic” and reach the villages where buses don’t go. Before you leave, be sure to pay a visit to the Rock of Cashel. Perched on a “limestone outcrop”, the medieval ruins are home to a round tower, a 13th-century cathedral and Cormac’s Chapel, “where faint Romanesque frescoes still survive”.