Cliffs of Moher

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland are the Cliffs of Moher, a 14 km stretch of coastline in the southwest (County Clare) where the cliffs rise between 120 and 200 meters (400 to 700 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean. The cliffs extend south to and are named after a fort that once stood on the most southwest point in Ireland: a broad peninsula-like area named Hag’s Head.

There is a very nice visitor center built unobtrusively into a hillside toward the northern end of the cliffs at the site of O’Brian’s Tower. This is the point at which the cliffs are highest. The tower was built in 1835 as an observatory/look out. There is a hiking path spaced a secure distance off the edge of the cliffs, and a more dangerous and often closed “Cliff Walk,” along the entire distance. On a clear day, one or more of the Aran Islands (the closest about 10 km off shore) can be seen from O’Brien’s Tower. Whether seen at the visitor center or a number of other access points, the cliffs are spectacular.