The Tourist Guide 1
The West The Burren - Corofin, County Clare The B
urren is a remarkable limestone area that is unique in Europe and one of Irelands must see destinations. Its geology, flora, caves, archaeology, history and farming traditions set it apart as a place of great mystery and beauty. Visit and you will discover ancient tombs, brooding castles, tranquil lakes, towering cliffs, golden beaches, ice age valleys, rock mountains, fascinating flowers, wonderful green road walks, and everywhere relics of Clare’s ancient civilisation. The Burren is renowned for its remarkable assemblage of plants and animals and over 70% of Ireland’s species of flowers are found there. The region supports Arctic–alpine and Mediterranean Basin plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment. The region supports many rare Irish species, some of which are only found in this area. Ecotourism is an important factor in The Burren, with many organisations involved, including the Burren Ecotourism Network. A key goal is to deal with the challenge of protecting the vulnerable landscape, while at the same time having it provide a fair income for the local inhabitants and allowing it to cope with increased visitor numbers. The Burren’s many limestone cliffs, particularly the sea-cliffs at Ailladie, are popular with rock-climbers. For cavers, there are a number of charted caves in the area, notably Pollnagollum. Doolin is a popular ”base camp” for cavers, and is home to one of the two main cave-rescue stores of the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation. The Burren is popular with walkers and trails include the Burren Way, often taken over a five-day period, and the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk of 18 kilometres. www.nationalparks.ie Westport House - Westport, County Mayo A jewel of the West, Westport House is a 400 year-old historic House within 400 acres of unspoilt beauty. One of the few privately-owned historic houses left in Ireland, the House was built by the Browne family whose connections to Mayo date back to the 1500s and relates them and the house to the trail-blazing pirate queen and chieftain, Grace O’Malley. There’s glamping, camping and caravanning in the grounds, restaurants and bars, stunning walks, a pirate adventure park for the kids and a new interactive gaming zone where sports and activity meets VR and video gaming. History buffs can avail of guided tours of the house and the beaches and scenic drives around are second to none. www.westporthouse.ie 22