An 1,800-hectare expanse of cracked limestone pavement in southeast County Clare, where lime-loving and acid-loving plants grow side by side and 23 of Ireland's 27 orchid species have been recorded.
The blue (7.5 km loop), green (6.5 km return) and red (6 km traverse) trails all climb 140 m to the summit of Mullaghmore, crossing open limestone pavement and skirting Lough Gealáin. All three are graded very difficult and take roughly 2 hrs 45 mins to 3 hrs, so bring strong boots, raingear and water.
Also known as Eagle's Rock, this separate reserve 8.7 km from Carran has a 2.5 km brown loop and 2 km yellow loop over limestone pavement, orchid-rich grassland and oak/ash/hazel woodland. The site holds a stone oratory, a cave and a holy well linked to St Colman MacDuagh, who reputedly set up a hermitage here in the 7th century.
The white Nature Trail is a 1.5 km loop through ash/hazel woodland, hay meadows and pavement with views of Mullaghmore and Lough Gealáin; the orange Knockaunroe Turlough route is a 1.3 km loop past mature woodland and a seasonal turlough. Both are moderate and take 30-40 minutes, and both start from trailhead P1.
The Information Point at the Clare Heritage Centre in Corofin is the recommended first stop: guides advise on routes and conditions, you can collect a free walking map and see the exhibition before setting out. Toilets are available here, but there are none in the park.
From 1 May to 20 September a free hop-on, hop-off shuttle runs between the Corofin Information Point and the trailhead at Kenny's Cross/Gortlecka, roughly every 30 minutes with a lunch break. It also serves Slieve Carran via the Corofin-Carran route; seats are first come, first served.
NPWS guides run free guided tours covering Burren habitats, flora, fauna and geology, and can arrange walks for groups of four or more, including in French on request. Walks are free but booking is essential as places are limited, by email or phone.
The limestone pavement is part of Europe's largest karst landscape, and the park shelters early purple, dense-flowered, fly, bee and butterfly orchids. Prehistoric monuments and later structures are scattered throughout, alongside summer wildflower meadows shaped by centuries of traditional farming.
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