How to Have The Cliffs of Moher All To Yourself!

Ireland's iconic Cliffs of Moher are on travel book covers, tourist brochures and most visitors to Irelands' "Bucket List"; and for a good reason-they are awe-inspiring!  If you want to have a chance to see the cliffs without the crowds, then read on...

Looking Northward At The Cliffs Of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are on Ireland's West Coast located in County Clare between Hag's Head (near the town of Liscannor) to the South and Doolin to the North, stretching about 12 kilometres.  These 214 meters (700-foot) tall cliffs are an impressive tourist draw that attracts scores over one million tourists a year to eager to see the sheer drop into the wild Atlantic Ocean.  Most tourists end up at the modern Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre located around the midpoint of the cliffs.  The parking lot for the Visitor Centre is on the R-478 coastal road, and costs €8 to park your car, but then you can enter the visitor centre for free.  The center is state-of-the-art and equipped with a tourist information centre, ATM, toilets, restaurants and of course, a gift shop.

But... if you want these rugged Atlantic cliffs all to yourself without the crowds even in mid-August at the height of tourist season, there is another route you can take.  There is a coastal walking trail sometimes referred to as the Hag's Head Trail or the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Trail, but it is actually part of The Burren Way.  The Burren Way is a 114 km (71 miles) multi-day hike across county Clare that starts in Lahinch and ends in Corofin, crossing the Burren which is Europe's largest limestone landscapes. 

Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk

A shuttle bus service operates March 1st through October 31st bringing hikers back and forth to their car or bus connection.  There are four access points to the Coastal Trail; Liscannor, Hags Head, The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center and Doolin (which has five bus pick-up locations.) For shuttle-bus information and schedules see COASTAL WALK SHUTTLE BUS.  From Hag's Head to the Visitor Center it is approximately 5.6 kilometres and takes about 2 hours to walk and then from the Visitor Centre to Doolin is another 7.7 kilometres which takes about another 3-3.5 hours.  The total walk is about 5-5.5 hours depending on fitness levels and how many times you stop to take photos!  

Walk Towards The Telegraph Tower

For our Cliffs of Moher experience, we parked at the Kilconnel parking lot for  €2.  The parking lot is located on private land off a farm road just past the town of Liscannor.  Heading north from Lisconnor on the R-478, turn towards the coast at the intersection of Saint Brigid's Well (worth the stop to check this Holy Site out) and then follow the signs for parking.   Once you pay the parking attendant who will direct you where to park, you walk uphill through farmers fields for about a kilometre or so to join the coastal hiking trail.   We recommend arriving early to guarantee a parking space is available. 

Please respect the private farm property and take care not to drop litter or feed the animals (no matter how cute they are!) 

Take EXTREME Caution Near The Edge

The hiking trail itself is quite level with only a few sets of stairs near the abandoned telegraph tower.  The path here is lined with large slabs of slate, and if you look closely at the stone, you can see fossilized worm tracks from when this rock was just mere sand on the ocean floor.  

The path does come very close to the edge of cliffs in several places.  There are no fences or safety railings on this part of the coastal cliffs trail.  The cliff's edge is often slippery, and the gusts of strong wind that can slam into the cliffs without warning are enough to bowl you over at times.  Even earlier this year in 2019, a student taking a selfie on the cliff's edge lost his footing, falling to his death.  The recommendation for children is that no child under the age of 10 walks the trail from Hag's Head to the visitor centre.  I think that as long as you are supervising your children carefully, hiking the coastal trail should not be a problem.

Making Friends Along The Hike

The weather can turn abruptly on Ireland's west coast; all the pictures in this blog post were taken within a few hours of each other.  You know what they say about the Irish climate: "If you don't like the weather; just wait five minutes!"  It's so true!  For this hike, I suggest dressing in layers with a good wind/waterproof jacket and sturdy walking shoes.  Bring along a water bottle and perhaps a snack, although the Visitor center is a good place to stop in for food.  You may also want to pack bug repellant because at certain times of year the gnats are terrible along the grassy cliffside!  Sunscreen and sunglasses are also a smart thing to bring.




The walk from the Visitor Centre to Doolin is not as dramatic as the first half of the hike, yet still beautiful.  The path winds past the Centre and slopes gradually down towards the sea at Doolin.  Doolin is a great place to stop in for a pint or a dinner at a pub.  Doolin is also a great place for Irish Trad Music in the pubs.  You can also book a boat cruise to see the cliffs of Moher from a different perspective-the water.  A one hour cruise is €20 (discount for online booking), and two companies offer cruises three times per day weather permitting.  www.doolin2aranferries.com and www.obrienline.com  Doolin is also the place where you catch the ferry to the Aran Islands with the same boat companies. 


Enjoy your visit to the Cliffs of Moher even if the weather is wet; because you know how the old saying goes: 

"you can't have rainbows without the rain!"

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