The Burren is an area in the north of Co Clare covering an area of over 530 square kilometres
The Burren is an area in the north of Co Clare covering an area of over 530 square kilometres of exposed limestone pavements known as a karst landscape and is one of the largest and most accessible Karst regions in the world.
The exposed pavements are made up of Grikes (vertical joints) and clints (flat pavement like slabs) created by erosion. The Burren has an unusually temperate climate for western Ireland. Average air temperatures range from 15 °C (59 °F) in July to 4–6 °C (39–43 °F) in January, while the soil temperature does not usually drop below 6 °C. It offers a diversity that is second to none. It contains the 200 metre high Cliffs of Moher with its eight kilometres of rugged coastline at its southern point, The Burren National Park is in the eastern area of the Burren where there is a vast array of flora, including Arctic and Alpine flowers that grow surprisingly alongside Mediterranean species. The reminder is limestone pavements and the coast.
Humans have lived here for six thousand years and have a staggering amount of history with over 2,700 recorded monuments; This has led to the Burren being described as “one vast memorial to bygone cultures”.
It is a landscape of hills, valleys, plateaus, cliffs, beaches, turloughs, lakes, streams, depressions, and caves – all of which provide us with a truly remarkable window into the geological history of North Clare and the West of Ireland.
It is the only place on the planet that Arctic, Mediterranean and Alpine plants grow side-by-side. It also has geological and historical wonders and a rich community of people full of passion and pride for this wonderful place.