Ireland's Cliffs Of Moher: Beyond The Crowds

Two things are certain when visiting Ireland:  1) The famed Cliffs of Moher are a must and 2) you will not be alone standing 700ft above the Atlantic.

This dramatic, hard-scrabbled geological wonder stretches for five miles along the southwestern edge of the Burren region of County Clare.  A heady collage of rolling hills, colored an impossibly vibrant green, rolls up to that vertiginous cliff. Birds flirt against the gray backdrop as the wild Atlantic crashes and roils below; as many as 30,000 make their home in the rock’s nooks and crannies, lending visual perspective to the towering heights.

The cliffs— immortalized as the “Cliffs of Insanity” in The Princess Bride—see up to one million visitors annually. Most of them bolt for the expansive tourist center, ingeniously built into the hillside.  The illusion of blending into the surrounding landscape is, unfortunately, shattered by the roar of diesel tour buses; gone is any sense you’re in a place of pure, unfettered nature.

But even with eager hordes clogging the Visitor Center and a collection of easy-access overlooks, the cliffs are stunning as an undulating band of sandstone and shale rises as much as 702 feet from the ocean’s bitter cold tides.

Leave the Crowds Behind

Weather, Ireland’s most fickle mistress, dictates how you experience the cliffs. During harsh storms, winds make peering over the ledge a truly dangerous experience; strong gusts have torn signs out of their concrete moorings.

During Ireland’s frequent downpours, armor up against the elements for a quick jaunt from the Visitor Center up the walkway to O’Brien’s Tower. Overlooking the entire expanse of the cliff wall, the Tower is a quick scurry back down for a rejuvenating coffee.

Should weather cooperate, escaping the multitudes is shockingly simple. The tourism agency carved a 12-mile coastal walk traversing the entire length of the cliffs.  The trail offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside while wild horses wander fields broken up only by fieldstone walls.

The full walk stretches from Liscannor, a small town on the eastern side of the small peninsula inhabited by the Cliffs, through the Visitor Center and then further north to the town of Doolin, a hotbed of Irish folk music.

Divide the route up to best suit your appetite and itinerary. Park your car at one of several lots (like the one at the Moher Sports Field) and hike north, traversing a wide farm road until you reach the cliffs at Hog’s Head; take in views of the Cliffs whil snaking along the country’s northern edge, unfettered by clamoring tourists.

Follow the defined trail onward, wandering along the dirt path closer to the Cliffs’ edge. Or, take advantage of the slightly protective nature of the more established path, flanked by gray, four-foot-tall, wind-defying flagstones.

Now, the Visitor Center Is Your Refuge

The soul-stirring isolation you relished at the start evaporates as you draw closer to the Visitor Center; more so as buses disgorge their occupants.  From everywhere across the globe, you’ll feel peacefully distant navigating your way through their swelling ranks. Snag a coffee and quick lunch at the café then post up at an outdoor bench.  Hang on to the magic even as fellow Americans shuffle by in makeshift trash bag rain ponchos.

From here, loop back to your car or continue northward along the second stretch of the Coast Walk Trail; destination, Doolin. Reward yourself with a perfect pint of Guinness paired with a bowl of fresh-caught seafood stew.  Snag a cab for the 15 Euro ride back to your vehicle.

Daredevils take note; these cliffs, carved centuries ago by an ancient river cascading over the edge--is still alive. A ranger confided that he hears chunks of shale and rock peeling off and crashing into the sea, about once a week. That photo you might've seen of brave (read: foolish) mountain bikers flanking the edges of the cliffs? The section of rock they're riding? Now half-buried on the bottom of the Atlantic.

Logistics

The Coastal Walk is exceedingly user-friendly. The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center offers trail maps or you can also download PDF versions. The trail itself is well marked and the flagstone half-wall offers some protection from the elements should the weather turn. You can easily complete the entire 12-mile hike in a day. Leave your car at one end and arrange for a taxi to take you back from either Doolin or Liscannor. Accommodations are plentiful in both towns, as well as in the handful of other villages found here in County Clare.