The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark

The Burren is a magical area on the west coast of Ireland and most of it is located in County Clare, with a smaller section inside County Galway.

It is comprised of spectacular shaped limestone hills which plunge down into the Atlantic ocean.

 

 

It is famous for it’s unique range of wildflowers, ancient archaeology, breath-taking geological features, and many internationally known places such as the Cliffs of Moher, the traditional music location of Doolin where one catches the ferry to the Aran Islands,  the Aillwee caves and many more.

 

 

The Burren is about 50 km by 25 km in area running along the west coast of Ireland starting at the picturesque seaside village of Kinvara and running down through Ballyvaughan, Black Head, Fanore beach to Doolin.

Dave Brocklebank chose The Burren as the ideal location to come on an Eco Yoga Retreat to get away from the outside world.  These retreats  immerse oneself in an uplifting experience of having the best quality yoga and meditation instruction, enjoying guided visits to local attractions, doing outdoor activities in The Burren and by the sea and enjoying the best of vegetarian meals.

 

 

There are very few villages within the Burren and most of the area is protected, so there are very few houses and it is now almost impossible to get planning permission for any new houses.

It is uplifting and refreshing to explore this relatively uninhabited countryside which has hardly changed over the previous million years.

The Burren is often described as a lunar landscape as it feels like it is like nowhere else on Earth.

 

 

Explore The Burren

As part of the Eco Yoga Retreats there are guided outings to visit local attractions such as the

• Cliffs of Moher
• Doolin cave which has the second biggest stalactite in the world
• Aillwee caves
• Ancient sites, dolmens, and stone forts
• Hermit’s cave
• Many more

 

 

Sometimes it can be more spectacular to see the Cliffs of Moher from a boat, and often the boat can come right in close to the Cliffs of Moher to see the birdlife up close.

Similarly Dave who organises the guided outings into the Burren Geopark knows of many other special places to see or times of the day to see them such as Poulnabrone Dolmen by moonlight.

 

 

Burren Nature Holiday

These retreats are as much a Burren Nature Holiday, as well as a ‘place of excellence’ to learn yoga and meditation and to deepen your practice.

Visiting County Clare on the west coast of Ireland is like stepping back in time where one sees a world which is not rushed, and the local people have time to chat to you, tell stories, play traditional Irish music, laugh, dance and to have fun.

The Burren is one of the most magical places in Ireland and has the largest amount of stone forts, dolmens, wedge tombs and ancient monuments than any other place in Ireland.  Some of these date back to 6,000 years ago and Poulnabrone Domen is older than the pyramids.

Burren Guided tours

These are more adventures and outing than Burren tours, as we simply drive to one of the special locations in the Burren, and then head off on foot.  These guided outings take you to special places well off the beaten track of the usual Burren Guided Tours.  This is the best sustainable way to tour the Burren and all our groups are kept to a maximum of 15 people.

 

There are many books in the library of the Burren Yoga Centre on the history of The Burren, the Burren wildflowers, the ancient sites, the heritage and also poems and local stories.

 We have 4 of Lonely Planet’s top things in Ireland

In this area we have

• Cliffs of Moher
• Aran Islands
• Galway city
• Doolin

 

 

Burren Retreat

Although these Eco Yoga Retreats are great fun and have a nice easy going friendly atmosphere, there is also something much deeper going on.

Each day begins with awakening meditation and yoga practices which work deeply on all layers of our being.  These processes work in the background as we then go out to enjoy out time exploring the Burren and it’s amazing landscape.

 

 

One is asked to leave behind newspapers, radios, magazines and other reminders of the stresses and strains of the outside world, and to allow oneself to ‘let go’ of outside responsibilities to give yourself the time and the space to receive the benefits of such an Eco Yoga Retreat.

It is only within the past 100 years that many humans are spending their lives in packed cities with noise and traffic and huge numbers of strangers, and the increasing pressures of survival and ‘achievement’ within these man-made pressurised world of finance and cities.

It is amazingly easy to feel the benefits of spending time in Nature is this easy going pace of life which our grandmothers and fore fathers of countless generations have all lived their lives.  The only sound you will hear is the waves on the beach, or the wind in your hair or the birds in the sky.

 

 

It is a feeling like ‘coming home’, when you wake up at the Burren Yoga and Meditation Centre on your 2nd or 3rd day and you look with excitement and wonder at the day that lies ahead, as you also chuckle and feel good about yesterdays practices and adventures during the day.

There are more interesting blogs to see at

(these blogs pages will be added soon)

• The Burren Geopark
• The Cliffs of Moher
• Geology of The Burren
• Burren Wildflowers
• Ancient sites in The Burren
• Burren Nature Holidays
• Visit County Clare
• Visit County Galway
• Burren retreats
• History of The Burren

Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark Status

In 2011  The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher was awarded Geopark status by UNESCO.

The award was given in recognition for the network of specific sites of geological interest, (geosites) the existing Burren Ecotourism Network, and association of education and conservation organisations – and a very busy annual calendar of community-based events and activities.

 

 

Director of BurrenLife Dr Brendan Dunford -
“I would hope that this designation would inspire better protection and better education about the Burren,”

“We already know the Burren’s rich archaeological heritage and this award only highlights the need to look after this special landscape.”

There is more information on our blog at

(these blogs pages will be added soon)

• Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark status
• The Nationals Parks and Wildlife
• Burren Yoga Ecotourism Policy
• Areas of Designation in the Burren

 

 

 

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