Find the End of the World at the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Crowned by poets as the Emerald Isle, a land proudly displaying its 40 shades of green through ages, has yet another masterpiece of a destination to offer. Yes, I am talking about Ireland! Located at the South western edge of the Burren region in county Clare is the majestic Cliffs of Moher. Reaching an impressive height of 390ft above the Atlantic Ocean. The cliffs of Moher are roughly 700ft tall.

Cradling an old ruined fort as its name suggest in Gaelic, cliffs of the ruined fort, is home to the richest flora and fauna in the world. The place also boasts a lush wildlife complete with ravens, Puffins, Basking Sharks, Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Dolphins. It takes a 1hr 21min drive from Galway to county Clare. The cliffs lie 6km south of Liscannor and 7km north of Doolin.

The beautiful and Haunting

Estimated to receive a whooping 1.4 million visitors a year, the cliffs of Moher is the best destination for a holiday in Ireland. Like everything else in Ireland, to see this place will also come with the perks of driving along the Atlantic coast, passing through traditional Irish towns and villages which are almost a 100 year old.

If you fall asleep and wake up in here, there are chances that you’d believe you are in a Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings movies. When you stand on top of the cliff, you will get a spectacular view of the coastline and the Aran Islands. You’ll feel precious! No doubt. The cliffs of Moher are a UNESCO geo park today.

And oh! It’s always raining in here. So grab your raincoat and umbrella and whatever that you cover yourself with.

What’s on the cliff?

The Moher Tower at Hag’s head – A ruined tower built in the 1808 during the Napoleonic era to counter the fear of invasion during Napoleon’s reign in Europe.

O’Brien’s Tower – Being the highest point at the cliffs of Moher, it was built in 1835 as an observation tower for the tourists. You can also access the rooftop to get a blood rushing view from the further north of the tower with a fee of 2 Euros for an adult and 1 Euro per child.

Trails – A paradise for trekkers and nature walkers! There are many trails hiding in the cliffs of Moher. The popular one is the Doolin trail, a 3 hour trail in the shingle path ending at the cliffs of Moher Visitor Center where you can catch a transport back to Doolin.

Caves – Waves hitting the base of the cliffs, combined with frequent rainfall and wind leads to the collapse of certain sections into the sea, creating sea caves. Remember the one in Harry Potter and the half blood prince? That same place.

Researchers – Yeah! that boring type. Geologists who are working on the recently found sand stone, siltstone, strata and shale. You can find these lamely interesting persons snooping around the cliff.

Don’t be that guy

I know it’s a great place but the local guides advice you to not go very close to the edge of the cliff just to take a perfect instagram pic. A ruined pic is better than the rescuers not finding your body after a 48hr operation. Sadly, the cliffs of Moher see an almost 10 deaths a year. Some on purpose. You can call this place, tragically beautiful.

Things to do in County Clare!

Visit Doolin (Beautiful picturesque town straight from the movies, famous for Irish traditional music.)

Visit Lahinch (Yet another movie set type town, 5 min drive from Moher)

Visit The Burren (The father of all the places surrounding Moher. A bustling city with many pubs and hotels complete with historical and archeological sites)

Fanore Beach ( A Blue flag beach located inside County Clare)

Loop Head (It is the west coast of Ireland. Home to a river called Shannon)

Moher Hill Open Farm ( a Farm full of animals, activities, indoor games and mini-golf)

Aillwee Cave and the Birds of Prey Center ( a huge underground cave with majestic birds of prey on display)

Lahinch Surf School ( Surf with the Irish surfing champion John Mc Cathy’s Surf school)

How to reach?

It is most preferable to rent a vehicle. You can go by train from Dublin to Enmis and Galway. Enmis is the capital and transportation hub of County Clare. It’s easy to take a bus to Moher direct from Enmis at any time & Galway around 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

The busiest times are 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The busiest months of the year are June, July and August. The fees at cliffs of moher are 6 Euros per adult, fewer than 16 are free. Parking included. Other than that it’s a windswept and rainy affair! But worth it.

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