The Burren Way: Ballinalacken Castle near Doolin to Fanore
To date, the walk between Ballinalacken Castle and Fanore is one the best walks I have completed in Ireland. It is a section on the Burren Way that will take you through the magnificent limestone landscape which is the Burren with prime views of the sea.
Definitely a walk that you should not miss if you are in County Clare on your Ireland travels, as it is so close to the Cliffs of Moher and is also situated on the Wild Atlantic Way.
What is the Burren Way?
Yellow stickman against a black background: The guiding points for the Burren Way
The Burren Way is a walking trail of about 123km in County Clare, Ireland, that starts in the coastal town of Lahinch and ends by splitting into two arms, one ending in the village Tubber and the other ending in the village Corrofin. It is the perfect way to get immersed into the Burren landscape and get a feel of the Irish countryside, off the beaten track. The Burren Way follows greenways (roads without cars on them) and quiet backroads.
It is divided into different sections or trailheads, so it is easy to choose a section to complete on your travels or possibly do the whole Burren Way, Camino de Santiago style, by staying in the different villages along the trail.
Ballinalacken to Fanore: The walk, a map & advice
What confused me most about the Burren Way in the beginning was all the Irish townland names on the various maps I looked at. My advice to you: Don’t let them intimidate you. I have written the most significant ones on the map below and outside of that, the path is very easy to follow.
The section of the Burren Way between Ballinalackan Castle and Fanore is about 22km long. Calculate about 4 hours to complete the walk.
Ballinalackan Castle stands on the grounds of a hotel and the walking trail starts just to the left of the hotel entrance – you will see a road leading up a small hill.
The trail is linear, super easy to follow and there are signposts (a yellow stickman against a black background) at junctions to guide you.
I particularly enjoyed bringing a thermos of coffee along and enjoying a warm cuppa whilst looking out to sea as the sun rose on a gorgeous day in September.
This section is mainly on tarred road, but there are parts on a dirtroad, so outdoor/rainproof shoes are advised if it has been raining.
Weather permitting, you will have stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, Galway Bay and the twelve Bens (mountain range in Connemara) for the entirety of your walk, all the while walking along fields with cattle and horses in them. It is a very tranquil setting.
An easy to read map of the trail between Ballinalacken and Fanore that forms part of the Burren Way.
Caher Valley: A place after my own heart
The showstopper of this walk is without a doubt Caher Valley. After a few kilometres of your walk you will be faced with a fork in the road: One option is to take a left and descend straight into Fanore, the other is to take the right, up the hill and towards Caher Valley. Again, everything is signposted, so you won’t miss the junction.
I am totally biased in this, but do yourself the favour and take the right! The best part is yet to come.
On my walk there was a lage herd of feral goats on the hill just about a kilometre from the junction and I spent a good bit of time sitting down in the field and watching the goats going about their business.
Further on, you will be greated with breathtaking views of the limestone hills that flank Caher Valley. If you ever wanted to experience the true Burren, this is it! The jagged edges, the limestone folds, the stone walls erected by many hands generations ago and then here and there the houses of people who most definitely find beauty in isolation. The wildflowers that are so distinct to the Burren still bloomed in abundance during my walk in September and the pretty colours in contrast to the grey limestone were quite something.
Magnificent limestone formations in Caher Valley. One of the impressive limestone hills I have come across in the Burren.
As you desced, you will find yourself on a road that leads through the valley and to Fanore. Again, a beautiful, quiet section with quaint cottages, many blackberry shrubs and a river that bubbles lively next to the road accompanying you on your walk.
The trail ends on Fanore beach. Fanore means ‘Ring of Gold’ in Irish and it is clear to see, where this golden stretch of sand got its name from. If you still have some energy left inside you, there is a surf shop to rent boards and Fanore is also lovely to take a quick cold dip in
Most of the scenes in the video below were shot on the Burren Way between Ballinalacken and Fanore.