In The Heart of Nature
Experience Breathtaking County Clare
Things to do in County Clare
When it comes to picking your County Clare experience, your hardest choice could be choosing where to start first!
There’s truly something for every taste, interest and pace of life.
We asked our customers and team for their top picks to create a guide to unmissable County Clare
Delve Into Dramatic Sights
For once, we’re not directing you to the sweeping majesty of coastal Wild Atlantic Way, we’re taking you into the specular underworld of the Ailwee Cave.
A walking tour has been provided to take you through the chasms, formations – and even a waterfall – of one of Ireland’s oldest caves.
We thought we couldn’t be torn away from the cliffs and ragged views of County Clare. We were wrong!
Oh, and don’t miss the Birds of Prey centre or the homemade cheese-making. You can also stop for a terrace-view glass of wine or refuel in the tearoom.
Recommended.
Trek a Park Trail
If you love the outdoors, you’ll find Burren National Park to be a fitting celebration of Ireland at its wild and immersive best.
With excellent examples of limestone pavement, calcareous grassland, hazel scrub, turloughs and fen, this is an area teeming with life.
The rocky, unspoilt Burren stretches away in your view, no matter if you choose to walk, bike or drive in the area.
Mountain routes can also be found for those with an adventurous instinct and an appreciation of unforgettable beauty.
Walk Into History
Take a Trip Back in Time
While County Clare is stepped in history – dig into the stories of, say, Clifden Castle and Marconi Station to see what we mean – there’s still something especially awe-inspiring about knowing you are standing in a centerpiece of Neolithic life at Poulnabrone Dolmen.
The ‘portal tomb’, dating back to some time around 4200 BC and 2900 BC, features twelve-foot horizontal stones over a 9m cairn.
Excavations in the 1980s showed that a number of people, of all ages (for the time), had been buried under the monument.
Despite being a simple, unspoit site the tomb attracts around 200,000. And we can see why!
Now Relive the Past
You’ve set your imagination alight at a portal tomb, now steep yourself in the lives of those who lived long ago at Craggaunowen.
An impressive ‘Living Past Experience’ allows you to explore the pathways, grounds and perhaps even animals of the Bronze Age Celts.
A recreated ‘Crannog’, or ancient lake-building, allows a very real insight into lives gone by. Not to mention a chance to see a leather-hulled boat used to – incredibly – sail to America in the 1970s as a recreation of a famous voyage centuries before.
A reproduction of a ‘Ring Fort’ farmer’s house plus a cooking site, castle and Iron Age road are also on-site.
Adventures by Day – Luxury by Night!
Savour the Spectacular Cliffs of Moher
So impressive, and such a draw, that they almost go without saying!
Simply pick one (or more!) of three viewing platforms to soak in the sights.
Our recommendation? The 4km walk from the South Platform to Hags Head, offering views of native Puffins on Goat islands and much more.
Find a Home From Home!
Yes, we love a staycation here at RentACottage and – yes – we love to kick our shoes off in a proper holiday home from home after a day of adventuring or a night of good food and drink!
You’ll find holiday homes in handpicked locations close to local facilities and attractions plus the comfort of your own space when you’re ready to relax ahead of another day’s exploring.
Shopping…With a Difference
Dig Around for Locally-Made Crafts
Shopping in the county town Ennis – well, what’s not to like – means a chance to have a dig for something special.
A perfect place to look? The weekly Chapel Lane Market, which brings together the best of local crafts.
The quality pieces are all made within the local area and you’ll have a chance to chat to the craftspeople behind each of the varied stalls. Happy hunting!