The Cliffs of Campoy are the wild Atlantic sea cliffs just beyond Loop Head Lighthouse, reached by a free 1.5 km cliff-top loop at the very tip of County Clare's Loop Head Peninsula.
The 1.5 km Loop Head Cliff Walk loops from the lighthouse car park past the sea stack and the wartime EIRE sign to the Cliffs of Campoy. Leave the car park and walk right to reach them. The walk is free, the ground can be very boggy, and the cliffs are unguarded, so wear sturdy boots and keep well clear of the edge.
Climb 74 steps and three landings to the 23 m balcony for views south to the Blasket Islands and north to Connemara's Twelve Pins. Guided tours run on the hour from 10:30 to 16:30; pre-booking is recommended as capacity is limited.
Behind the lighthouse, huge white letters cut into the grassy clifftop spell EIRE, one of 85 Second World War signs marking neutral Ireland for passing pilots. Nearby stands the sea stack known as Diarmuid & Gráinne's Rock, or Lover's Leap.
The ground-floor cottage holds interactive exhibits and an audio-visual display on the lighthouse's history and the keepers who lived here. It is wheelchair accessible, along with the toilets and refreshment facilities.
The rock ledges and caves below the cliffs are home to nesting seabirds including fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills, while the balcony is a vantage point for whales, dolphins and seals. Spring and summer are the best months for nesting.
A short drive west near Kilbaha, the Bridges of Ross is now a single sea arch after the others collapsed. It cannot be seen from the road, but a few hundred metres from its car park you will find it - a fine spot for photography and seabirds.
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