
IRL Day 3 Clifden Burren Moher Ennistymon

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RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 25-03-2025
The routes take you past the most beautiful towns, villages, sights and wonders of nature.
All routes include waypoints for hotels, restaurants and POIs. The population is very friendly and hospitable, in every village there are several pubs and restaurants where you can enjoy the Irish cuisine.
Several (historical) sights are included in the routes and we try to avoid highways.
This route describes the third day with a drive from Clifden to Ennistymon. We drive through the Burren, with a visit to the famous Cliffs of Moher, this route gets a 5 star rating.
Animation
Verdict
Duration
10h 51m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
251.33 km
Countries


Doonagore Castle
After about 45 minutes driving we stop at a viewpoint on “The Twelve Bens” or “Twelve Pins”, also known as the Beanna Beola, a mountain range of mainly sharp peaks of quartzite peaks and ridges in the Connemara National Park. Of the 12 peaks, Benbaun is the highest at 729 metres. The range is a popular location for hill walking with the highlight being the 16 kilometre long and 8-9 hour long Glencoaghan Horseshoe (Gleann Chóchan), considered one of the best hill walks in Ireland. The geology is largely metamorphic marine rocks, predominantly resistant quartzite, but with deposits of slate in the valleys (known as Connemara Dalradian rocks).
Along the way we pass bays, lakes and rivers, which together with the rugged landscape create a beautiful picture, so stop at one of the many parking places and take photos as a souvenir.
We visit Pearse's Cottage and Visitor Centre (Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh) in the village of Ros Muc, in the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht. Patrick Pearse, leader of the 1916 uprising against British rule, built himself this summer house. In the state-of-the-art visitor centre you can explore what drew Pearse to Connemara, the unique landscape of the area, the ancient Gaelic culture and the language that is still spoken today. A short walk through the bog brings you to the cottage itself, much as it was when Pearse last left in 1915.
After about 1 hour drive we enter Galway City, if you didn’t have time to visit this beautiful city on the first two days, now is your chance. Galway City is one of Ireland’s most unique cities, as famous for its fantastic food and nightlife as it is for its cutting edge art, music, design and theatre. Galway is famous as the festival capital of Ireland, hosting an average of 122 festivals and events per year. Although Galway is often cited as the fastest growing urban area in Europe, it has developed relatively slowly. The county is packed with culture, history, atmosphere and most of all “craic” (Craic or crack is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment and pleasant conversation). It is not for nothing that Galway has been named European Capital of Culture 2020 and one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities to visit in the world! Enjoy a delicious meal in one of the many restaurants. You can also visit the marine aquarium “Galway Atlantaquaria” to discover the diversity of life in Ireland's oceans, rivers, lakes and canals.
We are driving in the Burren in County Clare, this area is reminiscent of a moonscape and is one of the most fascinating landscapes in Ireland. The cool, grey rock plateau full of grooves and crevices slopes down to the wild, deep blue Atlantic Ocean. The result is a very special natural phenomenon: a huge rock plain dotted with rock formations, caves and fossils plus an incredible variety of flowers, from native to arctic, alpine and Mediterranean species. Enjoy the drive and the scenery.
Along the route you can see several castles, some are open to the public, others are not because they are privately owned and sometimes used as holiday homes. We stop briefly at Oranmore Castle, an 800 year old national monument located on one of the historic inlets of Galway Bay. It was built between the 13th and 15th centuries.
The enchanting view of Oranmore Castle is enhanced by the reflection in Galway Bay, where sunsets and sunrises frame this majestic building.
This 15th-century castle belonged to the Clanricardes, a prominent Norman family in Galway. In 1642, Galway was under the rule of the Marquess and 5th Earl Clanricarde when the city rebelled and joined the Confederate forces. The Marquess occupied the castle and fought to hold it and supply Galway Fort. The castle surrendered to Parliamentarian forces in 1651 and was confiscated, but his successor, the 6th Earl, eventually regained it.
Through marriage it came into the hands of the Blake family, who finally left it in 1853. The buildings remained derelict until the mid-1940s, when Lady Leslie bought it for her daughter, the writer Anita Leslie, who restored the castle with her husband Bill King, whose daughter Leonie still lives in the castle with her family. It has four floors, a rectangular tower house with a square staircase turret and a great hall on the ground floor, and much else besides.
Another fine castle is Doonagore Castle, a 16th century round tower house with a small walled enclosure, about 1 km south of the coastal village of Doolin. The name may derive from Dún na Gabhair, meaning “fort of the round hills” or “fort of the goats”. Doonagore Castle is situated on a hill overlooking Doolin Point and, together with a nearby tall radio mast, is used as a navigation point by boats approaching Doolin Pier. Doonagore Castle is now a private holiday home, not open to the public.
A fun stop can be planned at Aillwee Burren-Experience. Expert guides will accompany and inform you during your leisurely 45-minute walk through the beautiful caves, over bridged chasms, under strange formations and past the thundering waterfall. Marvel at the frozen waterfall and learn about the now extinct bones of the brown bear (ursos arctos). An underground experience that encompasses the geological history of the unique Burren region. Geographical facts provide insight into how underground gorges, caverns and various calcite structures are formed. Time and water are the most prominent features of this natural wonder.
You can also catch a bird of prey show here at the Birds of Prey Centre, see some of Ireland’s and the world’s best predators at this bird of prey centre. See the collection of birds of prey, eagles, owls, vultures and hawks in their aviaries and in free flight during the scheduled shows. The centre’s mission is to promote the conservation of birds of prey by raising awareness and educating visitors, whilst actively raising funds for bird of prey conservation monitoring in Ireland and around the world. The flying demonstrations last 45 minutes.
At the end of this beautiful day we visit the famous “Cliffs of Moher”, one of Ireland’s favourite visitor experiences. The Cliffs of Moher tower over the rugged coastline of West Clare. Walk along the safe, paved paths and see the famous cliffs on the western edge of Europe and enjoy the spectacular views over the Atlantic Ocean and the Aran Islands. Depending on the time of day you can watch a beautiful sunset here.
We spend the night in Ennystimon, a large village with the usual "Main Street", with many traditional pubs. The River Inagh runs through Ennistymon on the south side. The waterfalls of the Inagh, nicknamed "The Cascades", are a major tourist attraction.

Blackhead

Cliffs of Moher
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Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.