Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [319]
Large areas of the Burren, about 40,000 hectares in all, have been designated as Special Areas of Conservation. Apart from being against the law, it makes ecological sense not to remove plants or to damage walls, ancient monuments or the landscape itself. Visitors are also asked to resist the temptation to erect ‘sham’ replicas of dolmens and other monuments, however small, including Spinal Tap Stonehenge size.
Information
There is a wealth of literature about the Burren, and it’s best to trawl the bookshops of Ennis and any local heritage centres for long-standing, but still relevant, publications such as Charles Nelson’s Wild Plants of the Burren and the Aran Islands. The Tír Eolas series of foldout maps, A Rambler’s Guide & Map, shows antiquities and other points of interest. The Burren Journey books by George Cunningham are excellent for local lore, but you may have to search for them. The visitor centre in Ennis is another good source; the booklet The Burren Way has good walking routes. Look for wonderfully detailed maps by Tim Robinson. Ordnance Survey Discovery series maps 51 and 57 cover most of the area.
The Burrenbeo Trust (www.burrenbeo.com) is a non-profit dedicated to promoting the natural beauty of the Burren and increasing awareness. Its website is a tremendous resource.
Archaeology
The Burren’s bare limestone hills were once lightly wooded and covered in soil. Towards the end of the Stone Age, about 6000 years ago, nomadic hunter-gatherers began to develop a settled lifestyle of farming and hunting. They cleared the woodlands and used the hills for grazing. Over the centuries, much soil was eroded and the limestone bones of the country became increasingly exposed.
Despite its apparent harshness, the Burren supported quite large numbers of people in ancient times, and has more than 2500 historic sites. Chief among them is the 5000-year-old Poulnabrone Dolmen, the framework of a Neolithic/Bronze Age chamber tomb, and one of Ireland’s iconic ancient monuments.
Around 70 such tombs are in evidence today. Many are wedge-shaped graves, stone boxes tapering both in height and width, and about the size of a large double bed. The dead were placed inside, and the whole structure covered in earth and stones. Gleninsheen, south of Aillwee Caves, is a good example.
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WALK: BURREN WAY
This 35km walk traverses the Burren limestone plateau in County Clare. It presents a strange, unique landscape to the walker. There’s very little soil and few trees, but a surprising abundance of flora. The way stretches between Ballyvaughan, on the northern coast of County Clare, and Liscannor to the southwest, taking in the village of Doolin, famous as a traditional-music centre. The trail south of Doolin to the dramatic Cliffs of Moher is a highlight of the route. From the cliffs a new path has been developed inland towards Liscannor (older maps may show a route, now closed, along the cliffs).
The best time for this walk is late spring or early summer. The route is pretty dry, but walking boots are useful as the limestone can be sharp.
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Ring forts dot the Burren in prodigious numbers. There are almost 500, including Iron Age stone forts such as Cahercommaun near Carron.
In later times, many castles in the area were built by the region’s ruling families, including Leamanegh Castle near Kilfenora, Ballinalacken Castle near Doolin, and Gleninagh Castle on the Black Head road.
Many ring forts and stone walls have been bulldozed out of existence.
Flora & Fauna
Soil may be scarce on the Burren, but the small amount that gathers in the cracks is well drained and rich in nutrients. This, together with the mild Atlantic climate, supports an extraordinary mix of Mediterranean, Arctic and alpine plants. Of Ireland’s native wildflowers, 75% are found here, including a number of beautiful orchids, the creamy-white burnet rose, the little starry flowers of mossy saxifrage and the magenta-coloured bloody cranesbill.
The Burren is a stronghold of Ireland’s most elusive mammal, the