(photo via tumblr)
Looking out over the rolling sea from atop the Cliffs of Moher in The Burren, Ireland is insanely beautiful. Which could possibly be why they were used for the Cliffs of Insanity in the classic film The Princess Bride. The Burren region of Ireland is in County Clare, and the cliffs can be found at the southwestern edge of the region. The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most popular tourist spots in Ireland, bringing in about 1 million visitors a year.
The cliffs reach their maximum height (702 feet) just past O’Brien’s Tower, which also marks the halfway point of the cliffs. O’Brien’s tower was built in 1835 by Sir Cornellius O’Brien a local landlord. He built it as an observation point for the tourists that were coming to visit the cliffs. Although another version of the story says that he built it to impress the ladies. Which, let’s be real, is probably the real reason. The 1800s were all about grand gestures to woo ladies, weren’t they. We should bring those ideals back.
From the top of the cliffs and O’Brien’s tower, you can see the Aran Islands in Galway Bay and the Maumturks and Twelve Points mountain ranges in Galway. So, you can see pretty far. The hiking around the area is beautiful, and definitely worth a day trip if you find yourself in Ireland. And if it still looks familiar, and not from The Princess Bride, it may be because this is where Harry Potter and Dumbledore go to find one of the horcruxes. Yep, now you really want to go there don’t you?
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