Glen of Aherlow

The Glen of Aherlow had been on my photographic bucket list for several years before I finally managed to shoot there. On an earlier visit, Irish rain had been my welcome. But the lush green pastures set against the Galtee Mountains and the Slievenamuck Hills had left a lasting impression I couldn’t forget. So I was even happier when I finally managed to visit in good light.

One of the best tips for getting the most out of a photography location is to stay there overnight. This gives you plenty of time to capture the scene in the evening and morning with different lighting conditions. It also allows you to soak up the atmosphere without any rush. While I was there, I noticed that cars would repeatedly pull over briefly along the road by the Christ the King statue. These were not pilgrims but people simply captivated by the view. That spontaneous pause perhaps describes the Glen of Aherlow better than anything else. It is a place where you can let your gaze wander and allow yourself to be enchanted by nature.

For landscape photography, the viewpoint near the statue mentioned above makes an ideal vantage point. From here you can capture almost the entire valley and the Galtees rising beyond. At sunrise in particular, the scene is spectacular. The first rays of light touch the summits one by one before slowly working their way down into the glen. Moments like these, when the light shapes the landscape, are what make photographing in Ireland so compelling for me.