Bernice Harrisonon alternatives to movies and the mall
Solar System Trail
St Patrick's Bridge to Blackrock Castle, Cork
From tomorrow, kids can go planet-spotting along the streets of Cork and they don't even need a telescope. The trail starts on St Patrick's Bridge, where there will be a huge banner of the sun created by local artist Marianne Keating. From there it's a question of finding the eight planets dotted around the city. It's a five kilometre route with the planets spaced, to scale, the correct distance apart. Mercury, Venus and earth fit along Merchant's Quay, Mars is at the bus station, Jupiter is on Victoria Road, Saturn at Centre Park Road and Uranus at the marina. The stroll ends when you spot Neptune at Blackrock Castle Observatory. The planets will be in place all month.
BringPaper, crayons and coloured pens, so you can draw your own versions of the planets as you find them.
Pit stopsIf you're making an afternoon of it, start with lunch at the Crawford Gallery Cafe, on Emmet Place, run by the Allen family from Ballymaloe. End with a treat in the restaurant at Blackrock Castle Observatory.
If it's rainingGo indoors to Cosmos at the Castle, an exhibition in Blackrock Castle Observatory that explores the formation of the universe. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat and Sun 11am-5pm. Adults €6, concessions €4, under-eights free, family ticket €16. 021-4357917, www.bco.ie.