The Burren (4/8)

Not a bad view on the morning run

I had a good run along the coast from Rosses Point towards Sligo to maintain my goal of running at least every second day. It was a bit fresh, but at least it was dry.

After a communal breakfast, we headed off at our own pace. After several stops for photos, we pulled in to get some petrol and Wendy & Ralph pulled in soon afterwards. We lunched with them and followed them down the road to find a spot to go for a walk in the Burren. We ended up climbing Abbey Hill (240m).

The Burren is a limestone karst landscape scraped bare by glacial erosion, and then eroded to become a patchwork of a stepping stone-like structures called “clints” with eroded cracks being called “grykes”. The Burren covers about 300 sq km and compared to other karst areas is a relatively smooth landscape because of the relatively recent glacial action. (Most other karst areas only show the rock pillars which have not been eroded as would be expected after a very long period of erosion).  As you might expect with limestone country, below the surface is riddled with caves, many of which have never been explored.

Because the general surface of the clints was relatively even, the climb was fairly easy, although some of the smaller rocks were a bit unstable. We rock-hoppers enjoyed ourselves.

Because of the microclimates and geology of the grykes, plant species which are remnants of the ice age have been able to survive alongside plants which are from Mediterranean origin. The variety of flowering plants was huge, although the plants themselves were small, hiding away in the crevices. Those plants that did stick their heads up above the lip of the gryke were either growing prostrate, or had withered tops.

As the weather was clear, the view from the summit was brilliant looking out over Galway Bay with its many inlets, islets and small communities dotted about.

Galway Bay from Abbey Hill

Despite the rocky nature of the ground, fences have been built up to the top of this hill and the one opposite. So much effort for seemingly so little return, but then they were probably associated with the abbey after which the hill was named and the monks built them as part of their penance.  

The mandatory summit "selfie"

After our descent we headed off along the narrow roads to Doolin, one of the ports for ferries going to the Aran Islands.