The Doolin-Cliffs of Moher walking route, the most scenic in Ireland.
Running over 10 miles (15 kilometres) south from Doolin to Hags Head it offers spectacular views to the Aran Islands, Connemara and down along the Clare coast. On a clear day, the mountains of Kerry can be viewed.
Since the walk climbs from sea level at Doolin to a highest point at O’Briens Tower of 750 feet (230 meters) and back to sea level at Hags Head, it rewards a certain level of fitness while good waterproof footwear and clothing are recommended. The walk can be split using the visitors centre at the Cliff of Moher as a starting or finishing point or a turning point.
In addition a shuttle bus provides a “hop on, hop off” service with stops at Doolin, the Cliffs of Moher centre and the Hags Head Area.
Doolin native Pat Sweeney leads a guided walk of the Cliffs in high season every morning at 10am, meeting outside Doolin Inn.
For a detailed map view, Geo co-ordinates, terrain information as well as safety tips click here.
Turning your attention from the ocean views to the ground around your path, you will see a rich variety of wild flowers starting in the Spring with the Primrose (March/April/May) followed by the Sea Pink (May/June/July).
Moving into the summer, the Orchids appear (June/July/August) with the purple Knapweed and Heather appearing in July/August/September.
The birdlife along the cliff walk is particularly abundant but there are a few special birds to keep watch for.
The Puffin is a particularly endearing bird with its orange feet and flattened beak with red blue and yellow stripes and there are colonies nesting in burrows on the grassy banks on the seaward side of the cliffs, clearly visible from the path. Razorbills, Guillemots and Fulmars also breed in numbers on the ledges of the cliffs from May to August. Kestrels and Peregrine falcons can be seen but perhaps most rewarding is the very rare Chough, a jackdaw-sized black bird with red curved beak and red legs, distinguished most easily by its shrill ‘chyah’ call, which breeds around the Cliffs.
