One of Ireland’s most unusual and intriguing landscapes is found in the Burren, County Clare. A visit to the area is certainly likely to be one of the most memorable parts of a trip along the Wild Atlantic Way Coastal Route.

In a country famed for its green fields, the Burren seemingly barren limestone landscape stands out considerably. The landscape is reflected in the name of the region as the Burren comes from boíreann, which means a stony area or rocky place in the Irish language.

The Burren consists of area of rocky limestone pavement, but also other types of habitats, including grassland, woodland and scrub.  While the rocky landscape is the iconic image of the Burren, in fact only about 250 square kilometres of the total 530 square kilometres (200 square miles) consist of barren limestone pavement rock.  The rest is made up of a variety of different habitat types, including calcareous (or alkaline) grassland, hazel scrub, woodland (mostly hazel and ash), lakes and disappearing lakes.

The Burren is situated in County Clare on the West Coast of Ireland. The area is internationally famous for the geology that formed the landscape, its long history of human settlement, traditional farming methods and impressive floral and animal diversity. 

There are also many picturesque towns and villages in the region including Doolin, Lisdoonvarna (known for its Matchmaking Festival, mineral springs and the well-known song “Catch Me If You Can” often performed at Pub Runner shows and Ballyvaughan looking out onto Galway Bay to name just a few.

Due to the unique landscape and nature of the region, quite a lot of the Burren is designated as a Special Area of Conservation under EU law.

Source: Let’s Go Ireland

This is just one of the great highlights of our Musical Tour of Ireland. There were many more. If you’d like to join us on our next tour, click HERE for more information.

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