Since I live so close to the Burren, I'm going to explore as much of it as possible. I've been "around" it many times, but today I decided to "over" it. From the sea, you look up to the tops of the many rocky hills but on the map it shows some very small roads that go over, through, around those hills so I set out to find a few.
ACromwellian general remarked that there was not a tree on which to hang a man, or enough water to drown him, or enough soil to bury him when speaking of the Burren. He was pretty close to the truth. "The north-west corner of County Clare is one of the most interesting and striking landscapes in Europe. It is an area of naked sheets of limestone running into the sea as low cliffs on rocky shorelines, and re-appearing as the three Aran Islands at the mouth of Galway Bay. The Burren is interesting from the points of view of geology, archaeology and botany, as well as being strikingly beautiful in it's bareness." http://www.irelandmidwest.com/clare/features/theburren.htm
This rather daunting landscape truly reinforces my respect for those who settled in the area. How difficulty it must have been to survive. There are pockets of fertile land but a majority is rock, rock and a bit more rock. Covering the rocks are hazelnut trees and a few hawthorn. But, strangely enough, this is also an area known for a most diverse flower population...from orchids to gentian to primroses and common knapweed and daisy. You can see it all. There are over 40 varieties of orchids on the island and many of them grow in this area. I look forward to spring and searching for them.
Flan and I walked in the wildlife reserve near the top of one of the mts then worked our way through a cut and down the side, stopping at St Fachnan's Well, then the Burren Perfumery to see what they had. Very interesting. They used to source their needs from the locality, but since much of the land has become "protected" they now have to import their oils. It was still a very interesting place with a fabulous 10-minute slide show of area history and flowers. Great stop mid-day. A nice little tea shop adjoined the gift store, but since Flanny had been cooped up so long, I didn't think I should take any more time.
Photos: Collage of rock walls...no shortage of supplies!!; Ft Fachnan's Well and surrounding area; mountains, abandoned houses.
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