Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
don't do well here, and wild goats eat any trees that try to grow, giving tender little
flowers a chance to enjoy the sun. Different flowers appear throughout the months,
sharing space rather than competing. The flowers are best in June and July.
Wander about for some quiet time with the wildflowers and try to think like a geologist.
You're walking across a former seabed, dating from 250 million years ago when Ireland
was at the equator (before continental drift nudged it north). Look for white smudges of
fossils. Stones embedded in the belly of an advancing glacier ground the scratches you see
in the rocks. The rounded boulders came south from Connemara, carried on a giant con-
veyor belt of ice, then left behind when the melting glaciers retreated north.
• As you drive away from the dolmen (continuing north), look for the 30-foot-deep sink-
hole beside the road on the right (a collapsed cave). From here, R-480 winds slowly
downhill for about six kilometers (4 miles), eventually leaving the rocky landscape behind
and entering a comparatively lush green valley. A little before Ballyvaughan, you'll see a
sign pointing up a road to your right to...
Aillwee Caves
Asthesearetoutedas“Ireland'spremiershowcaves,”Icouldn'tresistalook.Whilefairly
touristy and not worth the time or money if you've seen a lot of caves, they offer your
easiest look at the massive system of caves that underlie the Burren. Your guide walks you
300 yards into the plain but impressive cave, giving a serious 40-minute geology lesson.
During the Ice Age, underground rivers carved countless caves such as this one. Brown
bears, which became extinct in Ireland a thousand years ago, found them great for hibern-
ating. If you take the tour, you'll need a sweater: The caves are a constant 50°F.
Just below the caves (and on the same property) is the
Burren Birds of Prey Centre,
with caged owls, eagles, hawks, and falcons (bird demonstrations likely at 12:00, 14:00,
and 16:00—but call for daily schedule).
Adjacent to the caves, the
Hawk Walk
gets visitors face-to-beak with a Harris hawk,
“the world's only social raptor.” After a brief training session, an instructor leads a small
group on a 45-minute hike up a nearby mountain trail. Those paying the stiff €70 fee get
to launch and call back the bird to perch on their arm (limited slots, must reserve). Those
who just want to hike along and observe pay €15.
Cost and Hours:
Caves-€12, bird center-€8, €17 combo-ticket includes both sights but
not Hawk Walk; open daily at 10:00, last tour at 18:30 July-Aug, otherwise 17:30, Dec-
Feb call ahead for limited tours; clearly signposted just south of Ballyvaughan, tel. 065/
