Cliffs of Moher

The cliffs rise 120 m (400 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and reach their maximum height of 214 m (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, eight kilometres away. The cliffs boast one of Ireland's most spectacular views. On a clear day the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay, as are the valleys and hills of Connemara.
The Cliffs of Moher were filmed as the "Cliffs of Insanity" in the 1987 film, The Princess Bride and were the location of the horcrux cave in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Geology and wildlife

The cliffs consist mainly of beds of Namurian shale and sandstone, with the oldest rocks being found at the bottom of the cliffs. One can see 300 million year old river channels cutting through the base of the cliffs.
There are many animals living on the cliffs, most of them birds: 30,000 birds of 29 species. The most interesting are the famous Atlantic Puffins, which live in large colonies at isolated parts of the cliffs and on the small Goat Island. Also present are hawks, gulls, guillemots, Common Shag|shags ravens and choughs.

By car

The Cliffs of Moher are off the R478 from Liscannor to Doolin. There's a car park that costs €8 per person in the vehicle. The cliffs themselves are free to access, but the visitors' centre is not.

By bus

From Galway, there is a bus service to the cliffs.

By bicycle

The cliffs make for a nice bike ride from Lahinch and other nearby towns.

By plane

Shannon Airport (SNN) is the largest airport serving the West of Ireland. The most direct bus there can be taken to Ennis and then to the Cliffs of Moher. It is also served by an hourly bus to Galway, and car rentals are also available.

The Cliffs of Moher are amongst the most impressive places to see in Ireland, and are widely considered to be one of Ireland's top tourist attractions, with almost one million visitors in 2006.
The site has been developed by Clare County Council and Shannon Heritage to allow visitors experience the spectacular natural impression of the Cliffs, without the distraction of imposing man-made amenities or features.
In keeping with this carefully-balanced approach, the "Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience" is built into a hillside approaching the Cliffs, blending naturally with the surrounding countryside.
Opened in February 2007 having been built over 17 years, the €32 million facility features interactive media exploring topics such as the origin of the Cliffs in local and global geological contexts and the bird and fish life in the area. €6/adult, €4/student/disabled/seniors, free/children under 16.
An IMAX-type multimedia show allows visitors to experience a bird's eye view from the cliffs, as well as seeing the inside of underwater caves at the foot of the cliffs.

• Moher Tower

  address: Hag's Head
  A square stone ruin which appears to be the remains of a watchtower placed to monitor the coastline for invading fleets during Napoleon's reign in Europe.

• Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre

• The Doolin Ferry Company operate large passenger ferries from Doolin Pier, Co. Clare. They are the original ferry service from Doolin, opened in 1970.
• Cliffs of Moher Cruises depart from Doolin Pier, Doolin Co. Clare. This is a fantastic way to see the Cliffs of Moher from another perspective.
• O'Brien Line Ferries offer cruises underneath the Cliffs of Moher.

• Cliffs of Moher and Aran Islands CruisesHas a daily direct passenger ferry from Doolin Pier, Co. Clare to view the Cliffs of Moher from sea level.

• O'Brien's TowerYou can climb O'Brien's Tower for the highest vantage point on the cliffs. O'Brien's Tower is a round stone tower at the approximate midpoint of the cliffs. It was built by Sir Cornellius O'Brien, a descendant of Ireland's High King Brian Boru, in 1835, as an observation tower for the hundreds of tourists that frequented the cliffs even at that date. From the watchtower, one can view the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, the Maum Turk Mountains and the Twelve Bens to the north in Connemara, and Loop Head to the south.

• Gift Shop

• Cliff's View Cafe