Cliffs, rocks, and flowers... and cows

We're on the move again today, and will end up in Galway. But along the way, we drove through such beautiful rolling hills, with mist clouding the tops of the hills. We're heading for the Cliffs of Mohrer, which I've read is the most visited site in Ireland. Which means it will be pretty crazy. Hopefully we'll get in some good walking, and some geocaching, while enjoying the views. We won't be there at good light for photography, so I'll do the best I can.

From the coach windows

When you walk up the hill toward the cliff edge, the rounded hills hide the view. Then suddenly, there are the cliffs.

From cliffs to fields of rock:  the Burren. The word comes from an Irish word, Boireann, which means a rocky place. The rock is limestone, and in the past it was known as "fertile rock," because of the broad range of herbs and flowers that grow in the fissures. 

We had a local guide here, and spent an hour walking and learning the geology of this desolate place. You really had to be careful where you walked, the rock is cracked and eroded, and there are fissures everywhere.

There is also a portal tomb here.  

For some of us, the star of this place was the wildflowers.

Rozanne told us about the local orchids, and I searched in vain. I finally spotted something I thought might be an orchid, about 8 feet below a sheer drop-off. I took a photograph, and will see if someone can identify it. Susan and I roamed around, trying to spot more species, but the only other thing I found was this beautiful lone tree.