The Burren
Explore County Clare’s cracked limestone pavement, walk coastal trails and visit ancient tombs in the Burren, a karst region on Ireland’s west coast.
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The Burren is a karst limestone region in County Clare, on Ireland’s west coast. Its bare pavement has cracks called grikes, which separate flat slabs called clints. Villages around the region include Lisdoonvarna, Corofin, Gort and Kinvara. Key sights include Poulnabrone dolmen, the Cliffs of Moher, Mullaghmore hill and the sea cliffs at Ailladie. Around 70 megalithic tombs are found in the area, along with abbeys and tower houses.
Walking, geology and archaeology shape a trip here. The Burren Way is often walked over five days; the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk is 18 km. Burren National Park covers about 1,500 hectares in the southeastern Burren and has an information point in Corofin. Late May is a good time to see gentians and avens in flower; orchids bloom later. July averages about 15 °C and January about 4–6 °C. Rainfall is highest from October to January, when it exceeds 160 mm a month. Hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts are available in the region.
The Burren in five
- Start at the Corofin information pointThe national park's guides, free walking maps and exhibition are in Corofin, 8 km from the park. The park lists 9:00–17:30 from May to September and 10:00–17:00 from October to April.Burren National Park
- Take the free shuttle to the trailheadA free shuttle runs from Corofin to Kenny's Cross/Gortlecka from May, first come first served. The park gives both end of August and end of September as the finish, so confirm the date.
- Pick a trail by the time you haveThe red, blue and green trails take 2.5–3.5 hours and climb to Mullaghmore. The orange and white trails are 30 minutes to just under an hour, and Slieve Carran has 1 km and 2.5 km loops.
- Keep to the paths and use the stilesMany Burren walls are ancient structures: use the stiles, do not move rocks or fossils, and do not pick plants. Fishing is not allowed in the lakes or turloughs, and drones need a licence.
- Visit Aillwee Cave on a guided tourAillwee runs guided cave tours, and its website lists the current tour times and last tour. Check them before you drive out, especially outside summer.Aillwee Burren Experience
Things to do in The Burren
See all attractions in The Burren
Need to know
- Getting there
- Corofin: 10 km from Ennis (R476), 23 km from Gort (R460) Read more
- Public transport
- Bus Éireann 333 and Local Link C5 and C11 serve Corofin
- Entry
- National park free; parking in Corofin is free
- Geopark
- 530 sq km of County Clare, including the Cliffs of Moher
- Time needed
- 1 day for one big trail; 2 for caves and villages
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain20 rainy daysHigh9°Low5°Quiet, wetJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 164 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, wet
- FebruaryRain20 rainy daysHigh9°Low5°Quiet, wetFebruaryRain
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 169 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, wet
- MarchRain17 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Quiet, wetMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 153 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, wet
- AprilRain15 rainy daysHigh11°Low6°Early orchidsAprilRain
Best
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 87 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Early orchids
- MayRain15 rainy daysHigh14°Low9°Orchids, shuttleMayRain
Best
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 90 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Orchids, shuttle
- JuneRain19 rainy daysHigh15°Low11°Flowers, shuttleJuneRain
Best
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 122 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Flowers, shuttle
- JulyRain20 rainy daysHigh16°Low13°Shuttle, busierJulyRain
Best
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 145 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Shuttle, busier
- AugustRain22 rainy daysHigh17°Low13°Shuttle, busierAugustRain
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 178 mm
- Rainy days
- 22
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Shuttle, busier
- SeptemberRain19 rainy daysHigh16°Low12°Shuttle endsSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 157 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Shuttle ends
- OctoberRain20 rainy daysHigh14°Low10°Free guided walksOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 172 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Free guided walks
- NovemberRain20 rainy daysHigh11°Low7°Quiet, wetNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 173 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, wet
- DecemberRain20 rainy daysHigh10°Low6°Quiet, wetDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 184 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, wet
Average daily high and low in Burren, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in The Burren
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
5
- Feels like
- 4°
- Humidity
- 95%
- Wind
- 5 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
The Burren
11:23 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today11°3°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue10°4°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed11°5°0%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°6°2%Thursday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Fri9°4°2%Friday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sat8°4°4%Saturday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Sun8°6°5%Sunday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 5%.
Updated 10:27 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- JulGalway International Arts FestivalGalway, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Cliffs of Mohersame geopark, by road or shuttleThe Atlantic cliffs at the western edge of the Burren geopark.Read the guide
- Galway Citynorth of the Burren, by road or tourA walkable city with a museum, music and the Salthill promenade.Read the guide
- Aran Islandsby ferry from the coastStone forts and bikes on the islands off the Clare and Galway coasts.Read the guide
Before you go to The Burren
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Rules for The Burren, checked
- Burren National Park: open year round, free admission; no parking, shop or toilets at the trailhead, so begin at the Corofin information point.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
- Keep to marked trails, use stiles over ancient walls, do not remove rocks, fossils or plants, and no fishing in lakes or turloughs.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
Plan around The Burren
The coast at the edge of the geopark
Read the guideGalway CityLatin Quarter, West End and Salthill
Read the guideAran IslandsFerries, forts and bikes
Read the guideLimerick CityKing John's Castle and the Greenway
Read the guideAll of IrelandRegions, rail, driving and entry rules
Read the guideTrains, buses and carsGetting around County Clare
Read the guideThe Burren FAQ
What is the Burren?
A limestone landscape in north County Clare whose name comes from the Irish for rocky place. The national park describes the pavement as part of Europe's largest karst landscape, with lime-loving and acid-loving plants growing side by side.
Is Burren National Park free?
Yes, admission is free and the park is open year round. Parking is free in Corofin, but there is no parking, shop or toilet at the trailhead, so start at the information point and use the shuttle in season.
How do you reach the Burren National Park without a car?
Take Bus Éireann route 333 or Local Link C5 or C11 to Corofin, then ride the free shuttle to the trailhead. The shuttle runs from May and is first come first served, with no reserved seats.
When do Burren flowers bloom?
From spring into summer. The park says 23 of Ireland's 27 orchid species grow there, and the early purple orchid and dense-flowered orchid are the first to flower in spring. Visit May and June for the widest choice.
Burren or Cliffs of Moher?
They sit in the same geopark, so most visitors combine them. Choose the Burren for walking, caves and flowers, and the Cliffs of Moher for the sea view. With one day, split it: trail in the morning, cliffs late.