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December 9, 2022

Ireland – Day Seven: Cliffs of Moher, Baby Cliffs, Gus O’Connor’s Pub, & More

To continue to the theme of things that haven’t been easy to get used to in Ireland, I’ll add tiny roads to the list. The roads seem too small for the bus itself, and yet our guide is squeezing it right alongside other large vehicles on the road at speeds far too fast for my liking. He doesn’t even miss a beat in his tour commentary, and even adds an extra swear word or two! To say that I’m writing this post with gratitude for not having to drive is an understatement.

Day seven started as a very rainy and gloomy day. Because of the rain, we were able to see a waterfall—our guide explained that these are common during heavy rains like this morning because the mountains are all rock and the water can’t absorb into the ground until it gets to the bogs below.

Thankfully, our guide checked the weather and adjusted plans for the day. With his skilled planning, the plans ended up working out great despite less-than-perfect weather! Before we get any further, I want to give the disclaimer that like everything on this trip, the pictures do not fully capture the beauty of our stops.

A creek winding through the grassy hills in Doolin, Ireland.
A creek winding through the grassy hills in Doolin, Ireland.
The exterior of Gus O'Connor's Pub in Doolin, Ireland.
Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin, Ireland.
A dessert at Gus O'Connor's Pub with an apple tart, custard sauce, and ice cream with a raspberry on top.
My apple tart, warm custard cause, and raspberry-topped ice cream at Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin, Ireland.
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On our way to the Cliffs of Moher, we visited a small village to go to the pub for lunch. I think we all agreed it was some of the best food we had on the trip. When in Doolin, stop by Gus O’Connor’s Pub, it won’t disappoint. To add to this stop, just across the road was this small creek that was incredible. It’s one of my favorite pictures from the trip because it’s beautiful, and was also so random.

A photo of waves from the Atlantic ocean crashing against cliffs.
Waves from the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the “baby cliffs”.

We also made a stop at the “baby cliffs.” Don’t let the name fool you, they were breathtaking and small only in comparison to the Cliffs of Moher. I’m not sure what their actual name is since this is how our driver referred to them, but I would recommend stopping.

A photo of the Cliffs of Moher that shows the cliffs fading into the distance with a spot of grass along the bottom of the image.
The Cliffs of Moher.
A photo of the Cliffs of Moher that shows the cliffs fading into the distance with a spot of grass along the bottom of the image.
The Cliffs of Moher.
A photo of the Cliffs of Moher that shows the many layers of rocks.
The Cliffs of Moher.
Our group photo at the Cliffs of Moher.
Our group photo at the Cliffs of Moher.
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Of course, our stop at the Cliffs of Moher is unforgettable. I think I could write, and write just on this one stop. But there is no way to fully describe the beauty and no pictures that truly capture it either. This was a stop that we all were anticipating, and one that exceeded our expectations.

We also had the pleasant surprise of a ferry ride today too! The bus took the ferry from Killimer across Clonderalaw Bay to Tarbert. We were able to get off the bus for this and stand on deck. We’re not 100% sure, but there was a bird swimming in the water that may have been a Puffin, one of the animals we’ve been wanting to see!

The Irish countryside with rolling, green hills, a cloudy sky, and a small hour on the side of the road.
The rolling green hills of Ireland.

The views to get to the town where we are were amazing as we had to drive up the mountain, then down into the valley between town mountains. It was incredible!