Burren National Park, County Clare

The smallest of Ireland’s six national parks, Burren National Park comprises a small section of the glacio-karst landscape that covers much of north County Clare. Formed around 350m years ago, this spectacular area – known as the Burren, taken from the Irish boireann, meaning “great rock” – has an incredible geological significance and unusual biodiversity. The Arran Islands off Galway are also worth visiting and considered an extension of the Burren. The area is home to the Poulnabrone dolmen (tomb) and the now-famous Aillwee cave system, which was accidentally discovered by a local farmer in the 1940s.