• Luggage Collection: 7:45 AM

• Wheels Up: 9:00 AM

This morning we say good-bye the most incredible castle/hotel we have stayed, the Ashford Hotel.  In route to the Cliffs of Moher we travelled through an area called the Burren:

The Burren is a treasure store for lovers of wildflowers and wildlife, geology, ancient history, cave systems and magnificent vistas – as recognized in its status as a UNESCO Geopark. It features the largest expanse of limestone pavement in the world. The magic of its stones is reflected in its name – in Irish – An Bhoireann, “a stony place”.

Today we travelled to the mighty Cliffs of Moher, where towering, sheer headland plummets into the Atlantic Ocean. The walk was up 700+ feet in elevation, so once again I took a tram to and from the summit of the observation area.  As with our entire trip, there was no rain and clear as possible for great views.  It was windy at the observation area, but it wasn’t very cold, just refreshing.  The sheer drop of the cliffs was amazing.  It would have been a daunting sight to arrive to the Cliffs of Moher from a crossing of the Atlantic.  There is no possible place to land a boat and get up the cliffs to flatter land.

The visitor center was well done, with a little café and plenty of places to spend money on souvenirs.  They also had several individual stores nestled in the hill side.  Very well done, and very commercial.

About an hour’s drive from the Cliffs of Moher to a little town called Ennis.  We stopped at our new hotel for just one night The Old Grounds Hotel.  This hotel, while nice, was not up to Tauck’s standards.  The rooms were small, and a bit run down.  The hotel itself was an older building with some character and a nice garden area.

We took a walk around the streets of Ennis and stopped in a spot in the town square to do some people watching.  Unfortunately, the main street that were walking had a major construction project in the middle of the street.  That resulted in crowded streets and a noisy atmosphere, a little disappointing. The shops seemed to be able to stay open and attract tourist and resident shoppers.

That evening we all got together for a special, and delightful dinner.  After dinner we were entertained with live Irish music and (River) dancing.  This part of the stay at The Old Grounds Hotel was great, a very enjoyable evening. It also allowed us to sit with and get to know some of our fellow travelers.

The Burren Mountains

Open Fields

Open Fields

Unknown Monument

Sign explaining the Poulnabrone

Limestone and growing plants

Poulnabrone

Poulnabrone

Resting at the Poulnabrone

Cliffs of Moher