Home | Great Ideas | Reach the scenic heights in Clare

Reach the scenic heights in Clare

Brilliant viewing points from cliffs to hills and mountain tops

There are some brilliant high viewing points in County Clare from cliffs to hills and mountain tops. Some can be reached by car or bicycle, while others require you to hike to reach the peaks. The views always reward the effort!

Walk the 12 O’Clock Hills

See wonderful views across Munster

Belvoir, Kilkishen, East Clare

The 12 O’Clock Hills, Kilkishen, East Clare

The 12 O’Clock hills presents wonderful views, but does require you to take on an 8.5 km strenuous looped walk to reach the peak at 309 metres. The upper hills have panoramic views across the Munster region and have display maps identifying what you are seeing in the distance. There are three different walks, some only requiring moderate fitness. However, the 8.5 km route gives the best views. The trailhead is at Belvoir, Kilkishen, in East Clare. Here are all the details.

Take to the Burren heights on the Black Head Loop Walk

See wonderful views of Galway Bay and the Aran Islands

Blanck Head, North Clare

Black Head, the Burren, North Clare

The Black Head Loop Walk is a challenging 26 km walk – a mix of Burren hill and coast, following green laneways, tracks, and mountain paths with some wonderful views of Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. You can find details of the route here, including a downloadable map.

Discover the Kilkee Cliffs walk

Breathe in the fresh sea air

Kilkee, West Clare

Kilkee Cliffs, West Clare. Photo by shutterstock

Experience some of the best scenery in Ireland at the magnificent Kilkee Cliffs in West Clare. You have a choice of walks – and most take you along asphalt paths with a steep cliff edge on one side. The walks take from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the route you take. Start at the Diamond Rocks Cafe at Kilkee’s West End and follow the cliff path. You can marvel at the roaring waves of the Atlantic Ocean, see the shipwreck site of Intrinsic Bay, the Diamond Rocks that glitter in the sunshine, scenic Foonagh Bay, and check out the glorious views from Moveen Hill. The views from Look Out Hill on a clear day are of the Aran Islands to the North, Kerry to the South and Loop Head to the West. The scenery from on-high is amazing.

View the stunning Cliffs of Moher

Ireland’s most visited natural attraction

Liscannor, North Clare

The Cliffs of Moher, North Clare

The Cliffs of Moher have featured in almost every pictorial guide to Ireland. However, no re-creation can substitute for the direct experience of their grandeur and sheer visual force. Formed over 320 million years ago, they stretch for eight km as the crow flies and reach 214 meters at their highest point. O’Brien’s Tower (built in 1835), located on the highest cliff, is an exceptional viewing point. The Cliffs also 800 metres of safe, paved pathways leading to viewing areas where you can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, and even faraway Kerry on fine days. The Cliffs of Moher Experience includes an indoor exhibition, dining, shops, and other facilities. It offers the perfect day out in a stunning natural environment.

Head to the Loop Head Lighthouse

Is this the end of the world?

Loop Head, West Clare

Loop Head Lighthouse, West Clare

Loop Head Peninsula, in West Clare, is one of the most spectacular and naturally beautiful parts of Ireland. It is a narrow strip of land, bound on one side by the Shannon Estuary and the other by the awesome power of the Atlantic Ocean. Loop Head Lighthouse is perched at the very tip of this Peninsula, the furthest point west on the County Clare coastline. The next landmass to the west is North America. The views here are stunning. The Loop Head Lighthouse is also visitor attraction, and you can take a tour of the lighthouse and the Lightkeeper’s Cottage. The lighthouse tower is 23 meters hight. The lighthouse tour includes climbing the lighthouse and stepping out into the Atlantic winds as you get to marvel at the 360-degree panoramic views. On a clear day, you can see  across the vast expanse of water to the Twelve Bens mountains of Connemara to the north and the Blasket Islands to the south. You can also stay at the lighthouse complex – a lifetime experience!