Mullaghmore & Lough Gaelan loop — Burren National Park

The Burren NP is a huge karst area (1150 ha) in County Clare. After we had already set up camp here for 2 days, we had to go on a tour. I had seen a photo on the internet of a mountain whose peak looks like a spiral. There is a short circuit to the neighboring peak, the Mullaghmore (180 m), so let's go. It's impressive how barren the landscape is here and yet nature finds a way to survive here. The path is perfectly marked, the idea of the shoe prints is quite funny, the DAV could learn a thing or two from that 😉 if you cross the Mullaghmore anti-clockwise, you walk straight towards the spiral. It's crazy what shapes nature keeps creating 😳 on the way back we take the yellow path, a beautiful circuit through a dense, green forest that you wouldn't expect here at all. The photos with the rocks lying around and the road through the tree tunnel are from the return trip, but definitely worth seeing ☝🏻

You can easily park your car at the starting point, otherwise there is only nature here. Please make sure you bring good shoes.

Today we got to know a completely different side of Ireland. In the Burren National Park, the hills are not green, but consist of barren rock. Still very attractive. We walked the blue trail, which also leads over the top of a hill, from where you have a fantastic view of the area. The path is not easy to walk because of the many large, sometimes slippery stones, but it's worth it!

At the parking lot, two Indian travelers ask me where the "attractions" are in the national park. When they hear that the main attraction is the barren emptiness of the landscape and the many rather inconspicuous flowers, they get back in their car as quickly as possible and roar away. 😂 For us, this hike was definitely the rainiest tour we have ever undertaken. A very exciting experience! We probably wouldn't have set foot outside the door at home. But as an oncoming hiker said "What else should we do?". Otherwise, the bizarre rocky desert with its rich flora and fauna inspired us. A little more distant view of the extraordinary lunar landscape would have been desirable. But overall a very recommendable round with absolutely unique impressions.

Hike in the Burren National Park. We also know the karst landscape from the Swabian Alb, but that is something completely different. Rock surface wherever you look and broken through with endless cracks from which delicate plants emerge.

Today we stopped quite spontaneously near Lough Gaelan for a short hike in Burren National Park. We took the blue signposted route to Peak Burren, which is a beautiful circular route. First there is an ascent over the incredibly rugged limestone landscape, later there is a bit of climbing on the ascents, but it is all easy to manage. In between there are some very beautiful views and the same at the summit. The landscape really does resemble a lunar landscape at times and is a rare sight. Where the rock stretches out it is very bare, only small flowers and herbs have space in between and no large trees. In some places there are also old fossils (shells) in the rock, beautiful.

Today's tour was very demanding, but our second day in Ireland was put to good use; up and back on stones, such a landscape is unusual for us, but everything was very impressive, then we went on to an early grave site, the sea was of course also visited briefly, we will spend a few more days on the green island with the enjoy the great landscape and the friendly residents

Today's weather radar showed no rain and so it was reserved for a tour of the Burren National Park. The karst plateau is heavily eroded and offers no protection for the hiker. Therefore, appropriate hiking clothing was announced and so our hiking day in this fascinating landscape could start. Various well-signposted tours into the national park start at the Gortlecka Crossroads. We took the light blue arrow with the most popular round. We now hiked 7.5 km through the barren karst landscape, of which the legend says: "It is a land where there is not enough water to drown a man, not enough trees to hang him up, not enough earth to bury him (...), and yet their cattle are all right. Fat because the grass that grows on clods of earth, a few square meters between the limestone pebbles, are very soft and very nutritious.” In fact, the variety of plants that can be found between rocks, in crevices and in sheltered depressions is surprising. Thus, cinquefoil, cranesbill, bell heather, orchid, eyebright and mountain avens mix in typical heather plants. We were fascinated to observe several deer and various butterflies. At the highest point we had a wonderful all-round view and after a short break we started our way back. On the descent we only had a little view of the surroundings, since the way over the jagged stones was a bit difficult. But we safely got back to the starting point and said goodbye to this impressive place.