The karst of the Burren makes for a memorable walk around Mullagh More and Slieve Roe, writes TONY DOTHERTY
THE BURREN, in Co Clare, is justly famous for its striking karst topography – and particularly, perhaps, for the iconic Mullagh More mountain, in Burren National Park. Its distinctive curved rock strata stand proud over a landscape of bare rock pavement and lush meadows dotted with turloughs, the area’s intermittent lakes.
Mullagh More was the centre of controversy throughout the 1990s, as a battle of words, court actions and protests was waged over plans to build an interpretive centre at its foot. After a court decision the plans were abandoned in 2000.
The starting point for the walk is at one of the entrances to Burren National Park. Turn left off the R460 eight and a half kilometres north of Corofin, then keep going as far as the Y-junction, where there is parking for five or six cars.
Inside the stile is a relief map showing routes on the mountain. I opted for a mix of the red (Mullagh More Traverse) and blue (Mullagh More Loop) routes, with an added bit of off-track exploration to the remarkable Slieve Roe.
A hundred metres along a famine road that runs southwest from the stile stands a red marker, pointing off to the right. This is the beginning of a gradual ascent of the rock terraces along a waymarked track that leads you up to the col between the two mountains. Even though there is bare limestone all around, the track follows a grassy route along the bottom of the first terrace. You then turn up to the right, to switch back up a steep slope that brings you out on to one of the Burren’s luscious meadows, at the top of which you turn left and follow a stone wall along the terrace before turning up towards the col.
As you climb upwards the startling rock formations of Slieve Roe become ever more apparent. Great whorls of limestone encircle its summit like the ramparts of a gigantic fort.
Once you’re on the col cross a stile in the wall; after the next stile you’ll come to the first of the markers for the loop walk. A narrow path contours around the hill. The track gets steeper as you ascend to the summit from the east. In contrast to the cliffs and bare rock all around, the summit is a flat meadow used as pasture in winter. It is marked by a large cairn that is presumed to be a burial mound.
There are numerous features to sit and contemplate, such as the austere beauty of the limestone pavement, or the lakes and turloughs, especially Lough Gealain, to the southwest, with its deep-blue core surrounded by turquoise shallows, and, to the north, Slieve Roe, whose remarkable structure is now fully apparent.
Pick up the red markers for your descent back to the col. Once back through the stile in the stone wall head across the col towards the cliffs of Slieve Roe. Keep to their west to get to the cairn on top of the first terrace. This route is across the bare pavement, with its ankle-threatening fissures and hollows, so keep a close eye on the ground. From the cairn you should have an excellent view back towards Mullagh More.
I would have liked to continue to the summit, but constraints of time forced me to begin retracing my steps.
Would I have liked to have seen an interpretive centre as part of my panorama? That is a sleeping dog best left lie.
Start and finishEntrance to Burren National Park at grid reference 342 967.
How to get thereFollow the R460 Corofin to Gort road. Take the third turn on the left, eight and a half kilometres from Corofin. There is parking space at the park entrance, at a fork two and a half kilometres from the main road.
MapOrdnance Survey Ireland Discovery Series 52.
TimeFive hours.
DistanceAbout six and a half kilometres.
Total ascent200m.
SuitabilityRoute is moderate but difficult underfoot on sections of bare rock. Compass, map and rain gear are essential.
Food and accommodationIn Corofin and Ennis.