Tower on The Cliff

It’s a long way down at the Cliffs of Moher

O’Brien’s Tower to be precise, which was built way back in 1835, by local landlord, Sir Cornelius O’Brien. The story goes that it was built as an observation tower for English tourists to admire the stunning views. When you visit in person, it’s easy to see why.

On a clear day, you can see for miles around, from the mountains in Kerry, to the mountains beyond Galway Bay. However, you don’t need a super clear day to see the famous Aran Islands, they are surprisingly close.

A dense fog rolling in off the Atlantic Ocean would need to be lingering to impede the visibility of these islands. It must be said that is a possibility also.

On this day, a calm and balmy October afternoon (15 Celsius), no such fog in sight. A blessing for everyone who visited on this day. I also tell you no lie when I say it’s a long way down. The cliff faces in certain areas reach an impressive 700 feet.

In a good year, the cliffs will be visited by more than 1.5 million tourists. The numbers on this occasion? Well, not quite what you would expect. I’m not complaining, I like visiting the cliffs when the crowds are small, there is a sense of a lot more freedom…