Hiking the Cliffs of Moher

/ Yale Wanders

Waves crashing into rocks, cliff edges towering overhead, The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s most visited and unique attractions.

Part of a dramatic stretch of coastline, 14 km of cliffside trail in total, the cliffs draw thousands of visitors yearly.

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Millions of years ago, the area where the cliffs are today was the mouth of a large river. Over time, floods, sand and mud were washed to the area to become the compressed rocks the cliffs are today.

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On our visit, we considered hiking the full way from Doolin, but ultimately wanted to be on the road north by noon, so we decided to drive to the Visitor Centre instead. Admission is €8 per person, or €5 for students.

Our first stop once inside was the Visitor Centre to learn more about the cliffs. The centre is built directly into a hilltop, so as not to obstruct the view from the cliffs.

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Heading to the trails, we went to the right first, walking toward O’Brien’s tower. We didn’t pay to go inside, we felt like we’d be just fine capturing beautiful shots cliffside. At a certain point, you have the option of going beyond the ‘safe zone’ and continuing on the cliffside trails. We chose to do so, but stayed far back from the edge.

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We visited on a beautiful, sunny day when wind was light but still exercised caution and stayed away from the cliff edges. Be careful when you visit, especially if you go beyond the recommended areas. We saw so many people getting way too close to the edge for photos or selfies-  not worth it.

After walking close to the end, we turned around and headed back in the other direction. On this side, past the initial cliff, there were rock barriers to prevent people from getting too close to the edge. Since we had a nice day, we climbed over the barriers for a bit, but again- still stayed back from the actual edge.

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In total, we spent about 2 hours at the cliffs before heading back to Doolin and continuing north.

The only thing I wish I’d brought with me were a pair of binoculars. So many species of birds and marine life reside in and near the cliffs, but are tough to spot without magnified assistance.

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If you want to stay near the cliffs, Doolin is a great option. The unofficial capital of Irish traditional music, Doolin is a small, single street with only a few pubs and restaurants, but was one of my favourite places we visited on our trip around Ireland.

It’s a picture perfect village, winding roads where the Irish countryside meets the Atlantic sea. We spent a night in Doolin because it’s the perfect place to visit Cliffs of Moher from- only a 15-20 minute drive from town. 

Have you ever been to the Cliffs of Moher? Did you luck out with the weather, as we did?

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