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If Bushy Park in Terenure sounds familiar to you and you're not quite sure why, you might remember that it's the place where Justin Bieber went to hang out and shoot some hoops before his concerts in Dublin in the summer of 2017.
Although, not being from the area, I can boast that I discovered the place before the superstar - albeit just a month earlier.
I was new to Dublin and we had been blessed with a sizzling summer sun for the month of May. It was hard to know how long it was going to last for so it was a case of soaking up every last drop of the yellow blob in the sky before it too went on its usual Irish summer holiday and disappeared until next year.
Bushy Park is about a five minute drive from my house but it honestly seems like a different part of the world.
Although it was some random Tuesday, the green was filled with children training for football, couples lying side by side after finishing their picnics, people walking their dogs and families having some chill-out time together before tackling the evening duties of homework and dinner.
I hadn't brought much with me, in fact I had only brought myself, my phone and my car keys. I sat down and observed the situation for a while and could have honestly enjoyed everyone else's distance company for the remainder of the evening.
There's just something so nice about Irish people making the most of the sunshine.
I went back a few times before summer turned to autumn. I was eager to tell people about the place and depending on who tagged along with me, I either brought a football, a picnic basket or a book.
I made a bad mistake on my first few visits to Bushy Park. Instead of exploring, I stayed mostly on the main green where the football pitch is, which is grand but is only the beginning of a wonderful adventure.
The place is almost never-ending, keep strolling for long enough and you'll end up somewhere on the Rathfarnham road heading for Dundrum. The trees that keep you sheltered are like something from a movie scene. As you walk through, you uncover even more sets of green pastures. Sadly, they remain empty because - like me - people see the first stretch of grass and set up camp there.
Sidenote: Foolishly, I went deep into the jungle of trees and grass without once thinking about the influence it would have on my hayfever. I didn't take my anti-histamines and I sneezed all night long but it was worth it.
If you're a dog lover (and let's face it, who isn't?) you really need to brace yourself for the onslaught of furry friends that you will meet on your way. They are friendly, they are fluffy and they love nothing more than walking around Bushy Park too.
The most beautiful thing about the park, however, is the river that is buried deep within the trees.
Taking the steps - as seen above - unlocks another pathway alongside a river where swans can be fed and time can be taking out to enjoy another hidden beauty that this park has to offer.
It turns out the Bushy Park is not just for Summer strolling. I've started running off the excess Christmas pounds (or trying to anyway) and found that Bushy Park is the perfect spot to do so. Running is like driving. If you're driving on a motorway, you get bored quite quickly because everything looks the same. When there are sights to be taken in, you don't feel the journey passing.
It's the same when going for a run/jog/walk. It's painful - especially when you're getting back into the swing of things after the festive period - but if you've got something to look at and something to listen to also, you don't feel 30 minutes flying by.
Just because the sun stops doesn't mean the fun stops in Bushy Park either. There is a Bushy Park Market that takes place from March until December every Saturday and is filled with food, arts and crafts and all sorts of novelty stalls that are perfect for browsing over on a lazy Saturday.
via GIPHYBushy Park in Terenure is perfect all year round - not just for summer.
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