Rubin Trek 2016: Cliffs of Moher and Glendalough and Wicklow Valley

The Cliffs of Moher, about an hour south of Galway on the Wild Atlantic Way is considered among the top-visited tourist sites in Ireland and receive almost one million visitors a year. They rise 120 meters (390 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head and reach their maximum height of 214 meters (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower eight kilometers to the north. Spectacular!

We walked these 8 kilometers (about 3 hours round trip) starting south heading to Hag's Head. There was tremendous wind and sometimes rain. Fun!

Our first view of the cliffs at the beginning of the walk

On the ledge

Wow! Looking south

At times, you had to walk on the muddy path right on the edge--no barrier. At other places, there were big, flat stone slabs and you could walk on the inland side.

Our path, slabs on the left side

We love crashing waves and rocks

Very sheer sides

Tons of rock piles

Another view

And another

Dramatic!

We made it to Hag's Head--VERY windy!

This was the mid-way point for us, and we turned around and headed back.

Can't get enough!!!

We ended our walk at O'Brien's tower at the northern part of the cliffs. It looks old, but was only built in 1835.

O'Brien's Tower

The next day, after spending a night in a charming B&B in Kilkee, we headed back to Dublin and stopped in Glendalough. It is a glacial valley in County Wicklow, Ireland, renowned for an Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin.