Mullaghmore Return: Burren NP Green Route
The Mullaghmore Return Walk (Green Route) in the Burren National Park will take you up an incline of about 140m to the summit of this limestone hill. An easy hike, but it offers good views of the Burren landscape in Co Clare, Ireland.
Distance + Time needed:
The Green Route to Mullaghmore is a 7km return walk from the Trailhead.
You can get to the summit in about 35 minutes if you walk fast. If you want to take your time and rest along the way, calculate about 1.5 hours for the whole walk.
Difficulty
An easy walk. Enough of an incline to get the heart pumping, but nothing to exhaust you too much.
How to get there (parking)
Getting to the Burren National Park trailhead can be quite tricky. Only after driving there a few times myself did I gain some sense of orientation.
The trailhead is at a crossroads (called Gortlecka Crossroads) just outside the village of Corofin. You are able to park your car here (on the side of the road) and can get on the route from there.
The parking on the side of the road can get very busy, especially in the summer time (unless you head out before 9am). There is a free shuttle bus from the Burren National Park Information Point in Corofin to the trailhead. It runs daily from May to August and is a great alternative if you are worried about finding a parking space. You can find the shuttle bus timetable here.
A map showing the main villages and road names that will help you get to the Mullaghmore Routes in the Burren NP.
Explanation of road numbers:
The R476 road is the regional road that will lead you to Gortlecka Crossroads, which is the trailhead of the Mullaghmore Routes.
Take the N67 if coming from Galway City. This road links up with R476.
Take the M18 (motorway) if you are coming from Limerick City. Exit to Ennis and get on the R476 to reach the trailhead.
Follow the green discs for the Mullaghmore Return Route.
Getting on the walk
The Mullaghmore Green Route starts at Gortlecka Crossroad. Walk East for about one km (there are small colour coded disks everywhere) until you see the sign on your left that marks the beginning of the real off-road walk. Follow the green discs. You will be following the same walk as the Blue Route (Mullaghmore Loop) and the Red Route (Mullaghmore Traverse).
What to expect from the walk
The ground is a bit uneven and can get slippery when it has rained. As long as your shoes have some sort of traction you should have no problem. The first kilometre is on tarred road, but after that you are moving predominantly on limestone.
The summit is a good spot to have a picnic or a cup of warm tea or coffee. Enjoy the views into the limestone hills and the green fields below. If you are lucky you might even spot feral goats!
If you like the quietness and peacefulness, try and get out on the walk early. A 5.30am start in the summer months might seem excessive, but promises a guaranteed parking spot and a sunrise (if you are lucky). At the very least you will have the limestone all to yourself, which is always a win in my books.
Public toilets
There are no public toilets on this route.
You can also descend Mullaghmore on the Blue Route (Mullaghmore Loop). It will only add some 15 minutes to your walk and offers some more views of the landscpape.