Southern Ireland Connemarra Coast Day 1 2008

After we ferried across the River Shannon estuary, we drove through bucolic countryside which turned into a stark and barren landscape until we reached our major destination, the Cliffs of Moher.
These spectacular cliffs which rise 700 feet above the pounding surf provide a home for 20,000 sea birds including puffins, kittiwakes and guillemots. The eco-friendly VIsitor Center opened in 2007 is set into the hillside.
Before we visited Rathbaun Farm for a sheep dog demo plus tea and scones with jam and clotted cream, our bus followed a coastal route through the Burren, a unique combination of flora and fauna which used to be under the ocean.
That night we stayed at a fancy hotel and ate our evening meal overlooking the stormy Atlantic Ocean.