by Andy Orrell

Created on: August 17, 2010

The Cliffs of Moher are a group of spectacular sea cliffs on the West coast of Ireland. These cliffs are in County Clare and are near the little town of Doolin. The cliffs are just over seven hundred feet high at there peak and run for around ten miles along the coast. The views out over the Atlantic are incredible on a clear day and the cliffs attract around one million visitors each year. During the summer months the area can get very busy as many people come to marvel at these amazing cliffs.

In 2005 the area under went a large development. Previously there was a simple car park and then a foot path up to the cliffs. You could get right up to the cliffs and see over the edge. This was a popular spot for suicides as many people threw themselves over the edge. Partly for this reason and partly for the tourism industry the whole area was changed. There is now a large visitor centre and the cliffs, a massive car park that you have to pay to use, concrete walk ways all around the top of the cliffs and most controversial of all, a large 4ft concrete wall to stop people getting to the edge of the cliffs. This however has not stopped the suicides!

To be honest the area has been ruined by this new development. Although it all looks very nice it was far better when it was just natural. The views are hampered by the wall and the whole area looks very false. However if you ignore this the cliffs are still very impressive. As you walk North you come to O’Briens Tower which is a large circular tower that command stunning views over the cliffs. You can’t get into the tower which is a shame but it’s still worth having a look at.

There have been many films and TV shows that have featured these famous cliffs. The Princess Pride was one very well known film that featured the cliffs. Also Harry Potter and the half blood prince, Tentacles of Doom and an episode of Father Ted were filmed here. Westlife have used these cliffs in one of their music videos and they have featured in various documentaries.

The visitors centre is quite impressive. It’s a very modern structure that is built into the side of the hill. There is an excellent café and a large gift shop selling lots of local arts and crafts and plenty of Irish souvenirs. There are also toilets and a few other facilities here. On the way back to car park there are also a few little stalls set up that sell more souvenirs, clothes and food. These look a little cheap in my opinion but still seem to bet plenty of custom from the visitors.

If you have never been to the Cliffs of Moher then you really are missing out. The scenery in this area really is stunning and it really is worth visiting this area. Next time you are in the West of Ireland make sure you go and have a look at these stunning sea cliffs.

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