Loop Head to Liscannor.

Loop Head is a headland stretching out off the west coast of Ireland located in the far south of Co. Clare. This headland is one of the least visited areas in Clare, and is generally overlooked. The area is full of badly signposted back roads, and the headland has very few towns. 

The Bridges Of Ross are named so because of the sea arches featured along the coast. Along the cliff walk a huge variety of cliff erosion patterns can be seen, including sea arches, caves and blow holes. Ross is also one of Ireland's best locations for birdwatching - this particular headland draws an incredible number of rare birds. 

Loop Head Lighthouse is another location worth visiting. There is no interpretive centre and thus a distinct lack of any tourism. The cliffs around the lighthouse are also spectacularly scenic. The headland would be a great location to visit on a stormy day, as the waves tend to be massive along the cliffs.

Returning from Loop Head, Kilkee is the first major town you meet. As Kilkee is one of the closest coastal destinations for Limerick City, it tends to be very crowded during the summer months. The town has a few nice Restaurants, but very little else. I've never seen the attraction, and wouldn't recommend Kilkee.

Lahinch is a very popular town with surfers, and holds the world record for most surfers on one wave! Besides it's beach there is not much else to see. There is very little along this section of the coastline, until reaching Liscannor. Logues Liscannor Hotel tends to have a very good lunch menu at reasonable prices, and there is a nice pier alongside. The stone beach to the right of the pier has some amazingly rounded stones, seen to the right. Outside of the town of Liscannor is "The Rock Shop", a cut stone building on the right. The shop is well worth a visit and contains some fascinating rocks and fossils from around the world for sale at reasonable prices. 

Cliffs of Moher Onwards 

After Liscanor the next major sight is the Cliffs of Moher. I've always considered the cliffs to be hugely overrated. The car park beside the cliffs charges €8 entry, and there's little to see - it's a cliff like any other. There are huge crowds along the walkway, along with entrepreneuring locals in tweed caps trying to sell all things green and tacky. An interpretive centre has been added since my visit, however I'm puzzled as to exactly what there is to intemperate. It's a cliff!
If you've never been to the cliffs, what I'd recommend doing is parking away from the car park a kilometer or so down the road and walking through the fields to the cliffs. Steer clear of the fields marked "Trespassers will be shot".

After passing the cliffs, continue down the hill and follow the signposts for Doolin. This small town is the true gem of Co. Clare. The village itself has some generic Irish craft shops, however it is worth popping in the door of the traditional record shop by the bridge.
Continuing through the village and beyond, you come to Doolin Pier. Spectacular sunsets can be observed from the pier over the Aran Islands. The area around the pier tends to be very busy in summer months, however walk along the cliffs to the right of Doolin Pier and within minutes you can find yourself away from the crowds. It's here that the fascinating limestone landscape known as The Burren begins. 
From Doolin you can take a ferry to any of the Aran Islands, however be warned - the ferry from Doolin is both more expensive and much slower than the ferry which leaves from Rossaveal, a town west of Galway City.
There are two campsites in Doolin. One is in a field beside a river. The other is Nagles Campsite, which is right beside the pier. Nagles is the better of the two. As campsites go, Nagles is expensive - and it also gets quite busy, however there is always room for a small tent, and the location is unrivaled. 

Also in Doolin is the Doolin Caves, which contain the largest stalactite in the northern hemisphere. The caves themselves are also very impressive, more so than the Aillwee Caves further north.

From Doolin, the coast road which travels along The Burren is the recomended route. There are plenty of spots to pull in and walk along the rock, which I would advise doing at regular intervals. Please note however that picking any of the flowers along the Burren is illegal. In recent years Clare Co. Council have  employed a team of highly trained leprechauns armed with high velocity sniper rifles places strategically in the hills, instructed to shoot at the first sight of any tourist attempting to take home any of the Burren's pretty flowers. Okay, not really - but please don't.
This coastal road takes you along the most scenic route of the Burren around Black Head (with it's lighthouse), and to the town of Ballyvaughan. This small town has several nice restaurants and a small pier. 

Ballyvaughan has generally been the end of my journey through Co. Clare, from here it's always been onwards to Galway City, and beyond.  

---