This is a typical Burren landscape, sculpted into limestone pavements which are eroded in a form known as farren, crisscrossed by vertical cracks called grykes. The Irish for Burren is Bhoireann, "a stony place". Rain falling on The Burren pavements pours right through and as it does, the acid rain dissolves the limestone and creates caves and potholes which flood in the winter. Potholers or speliologists flock to The Burren to explore these caves, which can be extremely dangerous for novices. The biggest cave open to the public is Aillwee Cave outside Ballyvaughan, and it is well worth a visit. The visitors centre is beautifully designed to blend with the mountain.

The Burren limestones were laid down at the end of the Lower Carboniferous period. For millions of years afterwards sand and mud were washed on top of them and these sediments formed shale and flagstones, which can be best seen at the cliffs of Moher, where they plunge 700 feet to the sea and extend for five miles.Not technically part of the Burren, but close enough to be included. I walked the cliff path from Hag's Head to the cliffs of Moher again last year, with my friends Thérèse and Paul. It was January 2nd, a bitterly cold day which was redeemed by the sunshine and the spectacular views. And by the fact that the visitor center was open at the Cliffs when we got there, serving soup and brown bread. They are staying open all year for the first time this year, another sign of the lengthening tourist season in Ireland.There aren't many birds to be seen at the Cliffs in winter, but come springtime you can see thousands of guillemots, kittiwakes, fulmars and shags. I saw choughs there last summer, and puffins on Goat Island at Easter. The catamaran which sails from Liscannor during the summer does a sunset tour under the Cliffs, which gives you a great vantage point from the sea. Joe Vaughan, who managed the tourist center in O'Brien's Tower for many years and knows more about the cliffs than most people, assures me that the puffins come back every year on April 12 th. Give them a few days grace for the long journey, and for being so
spectacular.

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