Guided Hikes Archaeology Botany Fauna Geology Burren Clare Ireland



THE BURREN - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Where is it? The Burren is in the North of County Clare in the West of Ireland. It covers an area of over 350 square kilometers. It is bounded in the north by Galway Bay, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south by a line across the villages of Doolin and Kilfenora, and finally in the east by the Gort lowlands. *What does the name mean?* ‘The Burren’ is an anglicisation of the Gaelic term ‘An Bhoireann’ which means “a stony place”. *Why is The Burren one of the most precious terrains in the world ?* The Burren is of huge international significance for three reasons - geological, botanical and archaeological. Geological : The limestone of the Burren was formed approximately 360 million years ago. However, what is unusual is that huge amounts of the stone have been exposed. The stripping action of the glaciers during the last Ice Age and the intensive cultivation of the land by prehistoric farmers subsequently have removed much of the top soil. The legacy is one of the most extensive examples of exposed limestone in the world. This spellbinding scenery is a source of enduring fascination to visitors to the area. Botanical : Rainwater penetrates lines of weakness in the limestone and eventually vertical cracks in the rock (grikes) are formed. It is in these grikes that many of the Burren’s wild flowers thrive. The Burren is one of Europe’s richest botanical areas. It is home to 700 different plant species – three quarters of Ireland’s native flora. Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants grow in the thin soils in the grikes. Nowhere else in Europe will one find such a floral diversity of plants representing different climatic areas and habitats. Archaeological : Mankind has been heavily imprinting upon the Burren terrain ever since Neolithic man arrived here approximately 6,000 years ago attracted by the prospect of all year round grazing. In fact the Dingle Peninsula is the only other area in Ireland which can match the Burren for its archaeological wealth. That wealth includes Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age wedge tombs and cooking sites, Iron Age hill forts, ring forts, holy wells, early Christian churches, medieval abbeys, tower houses and not least the thousands of kilometers of dry stone walls which brilliantly punctuate the landscape. Heart of Burren Walks Caherblonick, Kilnaboy, County Clare, Ireland Tel / Fax +353 65 682 77 07 - Mobile Tel +353 87 292 54 87 Email info@heartofburrenwalks.com
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