Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

The best view of the Cliffs of Moher is not from the cliffs. It is from the water, looking back up. The full eight-kilometre extent of the cliff face – rising to 214 metres at Hag’s Head in the south and at the O’Brien’s Tower section further north – reads as a single formation from a boat or kayak on the Atlantic below. From the viewing paths on top, you see sections. From below, you see the wall. Doolin Adventure runs sea-kayaking tours along the base, which is worth the planning if the weather permits.

The cliffs are on the west coast of County Clare, part of the Burren region of northwestern Ireland. They are the most visited natural attraction in Ireland, drawing about 1.5 million visitors per year. The cliff edge paths are fenced now in several sections where previous years produced accidents; the view is still outstanding.

Visiting

The visitor centre is built into the hillside behind the cliff face, minimising its visual impact from the sea. Adult admission is around EUR 18 and includes the centre’s interactive geological and ecological displays, which are worth the 30 minutes before walking the cliff path. The centre opens between 8am and 9am depending on season.

O’Brien’s Tower, a round stone tower built in 1835 by the local landowner Cornelius O’Brien as a viewing point (and as employment for local people during post-famine hardship), stands at the cliff’s highest point. Entry to the tower is included in the visitor centre ticket and gives an elevated perspective on the drop to the sea below.

The path between the visitor centre and the tower is the busiest section. For a quieter experience, walk south toward Hag’s Head along the lower path that follows the actual cliff edge rather than the main tourist route. Most visitors don’t make the effort; the 5-kilometre return gives the cliffs in proportion with fewer people.

The Birds

The cliff ledges hold substantial seabird colonies: guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, and from April through July, puffins. Puffins nest in burrows at the cliff top; their tendency to stand near the edge looking confused makes them the most photographed bird on the cliffs despite being no larger than a pigeon. The breeding season (April through July) is the best time for wildlife observation.

Doolin

Doolin village, 4 kilometres south, is the practical base for the cliffs and also the departure point for ferries to the Aran Islands. Ferries to Inis Mor (the largest Aran Island) take about 40 minutes. The view of the cliffs from the sea on the crossing is the one worth having.

Doolin’s pubs – McGann’s, Fitzpatrick’s, O’Connor’s – have sustained a reputation for traditional Irish music sessions since the 1970s. The music in the evening is genuinely unscheduled and participatory rather than staged performance; the session will include both Irish and international musicians who join informally. This is worth spending an evening in Doolin for.

The Burren

The Burren limestone plateau extends north of Doolin for 50 kilometres: grey karst pavement, rare alpine and Mediterranean plants growing in the same cracks, dolmens and ring forts from the Neolithic and Iron Age, and almost no trees. The Poulnabrone Portal Tomb (4200 to 2900 BCE) is the most accessible of the Burren megalithic sites, 15 minutes from the R480 road. Cycling the Burren requires comfortable tyres on limestone gravel; the area is best explored by car for a day trip from Doolin or Lahinch.