Nature creates landscapes more stunning and beautiful than our imaginations could ever dream. If someone gave me playdough and said, “Make some landscapes that human beings would want to see,” it wouldn’t be anything close to what we saw in Ireland. Obviously. I can’t conceive of things on the scale of these cliffs. “More playdough, please!”
That’s why when movies need epic backdrops for huge scenes, they get outside. Cliffs of Moher in Ireland is a place where blockbusters have been filmed – because you can’t computer generate this stuff. My all-time favorite Princess Bride (the Cliffs of Insanity) was filmed at Cliffs of Moher, as was our family-favorite Harry Potter.
So to put the conclusion first: Cliffs of Moher in Ireland is worth the trip.
What I found so surprisngly fun about this UNESCO Global Geopark, though, was that the sea and crumbling layers of rock lay off to one side, the wind whipping, the wild angles of rock and waves slamming the landscape. But on the other side of the path, the idyllic Irish pastoral lands laid out gently. Sheep grazed, purple and yellow flowers bloomed against the dense green grass, and cows calmly chewed while watching tourists walk by with little interest. THIS is Ireland.
The Cliffs of Moher have basically “EGOTed“ when it comes to the travel awards and listicles out there. It is hard not to include them in any writing about travel to Ireland. But the Cliffs don’t care what you think of them. They see 1.5 million visitors a year and have been in existence for what we can only count as forever as homo sapiens.
In 1835 a man named O’Brien (of course, because it’s Ireland) built a tower at the midway point. That tower is still there today. For a few Euros, you can even climb it.
The Cliffs of Moher run along the coast for nine miles and range everywhere from 380 to 720 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
We started, of course, at the Visitor’s Center, but that wasn’t necessary except to use the washroom. We waited a long time to get in front of an interactive exhibit but a millennial influencer took over 30 minutes taking selfies (I do not exaggerate) so we left. All of the real world is outside anyhow.
What to Know About Visiting Cliffs of Moher
Go early! This place gets absolutely packed because of its fame and renown. Tour buses show up by the dozens starting around 10:00 am. We, however, were some of the first people to arrive and we had so much space to really see and enjoy this natural landscape.
This is not a great road trip from Dublin. Driving in Ireland is not for the faint of heart as we shared, and it is over three hours (one way) from Dublin.
As I mentioned in our itinerary, we stayed in Lahinch (which we loved) and visited Cliffs of Moher on our way to Killarney.
Check out Doolin. The little town of Doolin was fun to explore for lunch. While folks love the Doolin Cafe, the menu and options did not fit our family’s needs, so we found a pub down the way. But it was fun to see the area – and it is a quick jaunt.
Plan for crazy weather shifts. This is an exposed area, high in the sky, right at the edge of an ocean. It can go from chilly to sunny & warm in about two seconds. So plan accordingly.
To be honest, you might not even get to do this under clear skies with long views. That’s okay! Our weather in Ireland was unexpected and uncommonly fair. But I still think the Cliffs are worth seeing regardless.
Also, be ready: there will be some tourists that are idiots. The Irish have worked so hard over the years to protect the cliffs millions profess to find worth hundreds of dollars and hours of travel. They have created fencing and paths that protect the birds, life, and the ecological environment. The Cliffs of Moher are not going to survive if people continue to insensitively step on the most precious areas. And yet… as we saw in Arches… people ignore this. They seem to think their right to see “better” and take a fancy photo entitles them to step over the barriers and out onto the cliffs’ ledge. Have I sufficiently expressed how irresponsible and selfish I find this?
Not to mention, safety-wise, it’s just not smart. These cliffs are HIGH, and tripping or falling is guaranteed to be a plummet of hundreds of feet down to an icy, rocky death. The winds can gust and surprise even the most surefooted of hikers.
The Cliffs of Moher is ranked as one of the Top 10 most dangerous natural wonders in the world. There are an average of ten deaths annually here. So don’t be that idiot. Stay on the path.
Things to do at Cliffs of Moher
Walk. Just walk (on the path, please!) along the edge of the Cliffs. The entire path can take you all the way from Doolin to Liscannor. There are shuttle services to help you do this hike if you choose. It is 20 kilometers (almost 12.5 miles) so it will take a solid 4 hours, perhaps more if you take your time to enjoy.
But you can meander out as far as you want and then back on the path without committing to anything in particular.Â
Take a guided tour. If you really want to learn more about the area, and perhaps see some different views of the Cliffs, consider a guided tour. Check out this blog post for a good round-up.
Get on the water. If you want to see this beauty from the bottom up, get a boat tour. The boats are big ferry-type operations but are a fun way to see another side. In fact, if you have an extra day, you can take an actual ferry out to the Aran Islands.
As far as I am aware, though, still no tour in which you strap yourself to a giant and he hauls you both up a rope to the top of the Cliffs…
There really aren’t any other places like the Cliffs of Moher in the world – at least, not that I’ve seen yet. I feel so lucky (the luck of the Irish?) to have seen it in the phenomenal weather we experienced.
I am not sure if I could have conjured a better Cliffs of Insanity, but I am sure grateful I got to see the one Mother Nature provided. (Hollywood owes you one, Mama Earth.)