The cliffs rise sheer out of the Atlantic for about eight kilometres along the west coast of County Clare, reaching just over two hundred metres at their highest point, and on a clear day the whole line of black shale and sandstone glows in the afternoon light. They are Ireland's most visited natural attraction, and they deserve it, although a good many of the visitors arrive by coach at the same hour, and the car park gets busy. The main viewing area is a small piece of the whole, and the further you walk along the coastal path, the quieter and wilder it becomes.
O'Brien's Tower, a round stone tower built on the cliff top in 1835 by a local landowner, Cornelius O'Brien, to give his Victorian visitors somewhere to enjoy the view, still stands and can be climbed. The modern visitor centre is tucked into the hillside, so that it hardly shows from the sea. At the southern end, Hag's Head is topped by an old signal tower, and legend has it that the shape of the headland resembles a woman's face looking out to sea. Puffins nest in the cliff top in spring and early summer, and thousands of seabirds, such as guillemots and razorbills, crowd the ledges.
Hold on to your helmet. The wind here can be strong enough to knock you off your feet, and sea mist sometimes closes the view altogether, so be ready for either. The cliff paths have fences in places, but beyond them are unprotected drops, and people have died by stepping too close. Keep well back from the edge.
The riding is good. The coastal road from Liscannor north toward Doolin has long views over the Atlantic, with the Aran Islands appearing offshore and the grey stone hills of the Burren rising inland, a unique limestone landscape of cracked pavement and rare flowers. Roads are narrow and winding, shared with tour buses and tractors, and surfaces can be rough after winter. Try to arrive early or late in the day to avoid the crowds. The nearest big town is Ennis, about thirty-three kilometres away, with fuel stations in nearer villages such as Lahinch and Ennistymon. Pubs in Doolin are famous for traditional music, and a bowl of seafood chowder is a fair reward for a day in the wind.