The Cliffs of Moher rise from the Atlantic for about eight kilometres along the edge of County Clare, reaching their greatest height of around 214 metres a little north of O'Brien's Tower, a small round tower built in the 1830s by a local landowner, Cornelius O'Brien, as a viewing point for the tourists who were already coming then. Ennis is the nearest big town, about thirty kilometres inland, with Lahinch and Doolin much closer on the coast.
The cliffs are layered shale and sandstone, laid down as river sediments some three hundred million years ago, and the dark bands show clearly in the face, stacked like pages of an enormous book. Thousands of seabirds nest on the ledges, among them puffins in spring and early summer, and the sound and smell of the colony drift up the cliff on a warm day. The sea below is often white with spray, and in a westerly gale the spray is thrown up and over the top, which is as good a reason as any to keep back from the edge.
The riding here is the coast road itself. The R478 and R477 run along the Clare shore through small villages, with fields of cattle, stone walls and long views over the sea toward the Aran Islands. The road is mostly open and fast, with a few tight bends where it dips to a bay, and the surface is reasonable. This is also one of Ireland's busiest tourist spots, so the road near the visitor centre can be crowded with coaches from morning until early evening. An early start or a late arrival gives you more room.
Parking is paid and set up around the visitor centre, which is built into the hillside. Doolin, just north, is a famous place for traditional music and has pubs where a bowl of soup and a pint are on offer. Wind and rain are the norm, and fog can hide the view altogether, so a clear day is a bonus. The cliffs are open all year.