clifs of
moher
COUNTY CLARE, IRELAND
Vast sandstone ramparts, battered by wind and
wave, mark the point at which Europe falls into the
sea. Beyond the Clifs of Moher, on Ireland’s west
coast, the Atlantic stretches empty to the distant
shores of North America. Plants and flowers
cling to tiny ledges, and up to 30,000 seabirds,
including large colonies of pufns, wheel above
the sea from rocky nesting sites. The clifs reach
702 feet (214 m) at their highest point and, with
over a million visitors a year, are one of Ireland’s
most popular attractions.DON’T MISS
Take in the superb views from the clif tops on the easy
but blustery hike to O’Brien’s Tower near the clifs’ highest
point. Then take a boat trip from the pier in nearby Doolin
to enjoy the clifs and the crashing seas a little closer
at hand.Plants and flowers (left) cling to the Clifs of Moher (above),
one of Ireland’s finest and most visited coastal gems.51 RIVERS & SHORES