The Cliffs of Mohr

The countdown is on! The plane tickets have been purchased (finally), the reservations have been triple checked, and my list of thing to bring is nice and organized. I'll start packing next week. I need to remember to take some American cash with me as well as exchange some into euros before I go.

When I hop off of the plane in Shannon, I'll grab my bags and make my way to the bus depot. I have to meet my group in Ennis by 11:30 and I booked my plane tickets to land well in advanced so that I can spend some time exploring Ennis. Once I meet up with my crew, we'll go visit the Cliffs of Mohr, one of the most breathtaking points in Ireland.

The Cliffs of Mohr are located in Doolin, County Clare, in the west of the country. This is where the the green of the country meets the Atlantic Ocean in a spectacular way. It is a straight drop from these 700 feet high cliffs to the crashing waves. The tops of the cliffs are coved in grass and the edges, that have been repeatedly introduced to the pounding surf, are chiseled dark browns, tans, and black shale and sandstone. The contrast from the grey-blues of the ocean, sprinkled with the white caps from waves, the intense green of the grass, and the darkness of the cliff sides is breathtaking. When you stand on the edge (you can get right to the edge as there are no Americanized fences or barriers to keep you from kissing the water), the coolness and power of the wind hits your body while salty droplets splash you from far, far below. On clear days, you can look out into the ocean and see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, and the hills of Connemara.

Though I have not noticed them in my previous trip to the cliffs, a large colony of Atlantic Puffin call the area home. They reside here with 28 other species of birds, 30,000 birds total. (thanks wikipedia!) I am really, really hoping to catch some photos of the puffins and the hawks this time around.

Another wonderful fact that Wikipedia has allowed me to stick in my 'things to know file' is that the Cliffs of Moher were filmed as the "Cliffs of Insanity" in the 1987 movie, "The Princess Bride", one of my favorite movies.

I will post many pictures from the cliffs once I am over there however, if you'd like to be awed by their beauty, please visit the official Cliffs of Moher website. Please do go to this site because, no matter how much I describe it, the beauty of the cliffs is hard to explain.