Natural Wonders in Co. Clare
9 places
1.Cliffs of Campoy
Free sea cliffs beside a working 1670 lighthouse
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.
- Highlights
- Free 1.5 km cliff-top loop
- Cliffs of Campoy sea cliffs
- Second World War EIRE sign
2.Bridges of Ross
The last survivor of three Atlantic sea arches
Two of the three natural sea arches at the Bridges of Ross have collapsed into the Atlantic, leaving a single rock arch on the wind-battered Loop Head Peninsula. It is a short walk from a roadside car park to the cliff-top viewpoint above it.
- Highlights
- The one remaining arch of the original three
- Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Point
- Seabird migration hotspot in late summer and autumn
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
3.Cliffs of Moher
Sea cliffs over 200 m with a 4D cliff-edge ride
Ireland's most famous sea cliffs drop sheer into the Atlantic for 8 km, with safe paved walkways, a hillside visitor centre and views to the Aran Islands. Sunset is the best time to go.
- Highlights
- Sheer cliffs up to 214 m over the Atlantic
- 800 m of paved, safe cliff pathways
- O'Brien's Tower (1835) viewing point
4.Pollock Holes
Natural sea pools that only appear at low tide
A run of clear, sheltered Atlantic sea pools cut into Duggerna Reef at the west end of Kilkee — walkable only when the tide is out, and one of Ireland's best wild swimming and snorkelling spots.
- Highlights
- Three main pools, 1–2.5 m deep
- Free wild swimming and snorkelling
- Crystal-clear water over a rocky bottom
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
5.Burren National Park
A limestone moonscape with 23 orchid species
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.
- Highlights
- 1,800 hectares of limestone pavement, turloughs and hazel woodland
- 23 of Ireland's 27 orchid species occur here
- Free admission and a free summer shuttle bus from Corofin
6.Doolin Cave
Europe's largest stalactite, 70ft underground
A fully guided descent 70 feet underground to the Great Stalactite — the largest in Europe at 7.3 metres and around 10 tonnes — plus a 1 km farm Eco-Trail above ground.
- Highlights
- Europe's largest stalactite: 7.3 m (23 ft), about 10 tonnes
- 125 steps down into the cave, equal to an 8-storey building
- Constant 11°C (52°F) underground all year
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
7.Aillwee Burren Experience
A 45-minute cave tour with flying eagle shows
The Aillwee Burren Experience pairs a 45-minute guided tour of one of Ireland's oldest caves with daily birds-of-prey flying displays, a working farm shop and wooded hillside trails above Galway Bay.
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
8.Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark
214m cliffs, a giant stalactite and ancient tombs
A 530 km² UNESCO Global Geopark of bare limestone, Atlantic cliffs, caves and prehistoric tombs in Co. Clare. Its signature site, the Cliffs of Moher, drops 214m straight into the ocean and is one of Ireland's most visited natural attractions.
- Highlights
- The Cliffs of Moher, 214m high, with 800m of cliff-edge paths and O'Brien's Tower
- Over 30,000 pairs of nesting seabirds, including puffins, guillemots and razorbills
- Doolin Cave's free-hanging stalactite, among the longest open to visitors in the world
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
9.Ennistymon Cascades
The waterfall you can watch from a hotel bar
The Cascades are where the River Inagh drops over a broad rock ridge in the middle of Ennistymon, and they are among the most photographed natural sights in Clare. The best-known view is from the grounds of the Falls Hotel, which looks straight onto the churning water.
- Highlights
- Most photographed natural sight in North Clare
- Classic view from the Falls Hotel grounds
- River Inagh tumbling through the town centre
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access