As we drove along with Wild Atlantic Way we had so much fun stopping off at multiple destinations along the way, places we would never even have thought of before – true hidden gems! One of my favourite pit stops in Clare has got to be the Doolin Caves! Situated just outside the quaint town of Doolin, this educational centre is most definitely worth adding to your bucket list!
We were greeted with open arms by our tour guide Dermott who was more than happy to show us around the wonderful vicinity! Before heading to the caves we took a trip to the gorgeous gift shop, where we admired among other things Doolin Cave pottery! This is hand-made using glacial clay found deep within Doolin Caves – how incredible!
It was time to head underground and so we geared up in all our safety equipment and down we went! It seemed like a never – ending staircase, however I was distracted by the informative notices along the way with fascinating facts about the caves! Although it was dark and a little cold, it was exciting to see what we were going to find as we made our way through the narrow passages!
We arrived at the great stalactite. Standing at 7.3 metres high this is the longest free-hanging stalactite in the Northern Hemisphere! It was simply spectacular! Beautifully light up we couldn’t stop admiring it! It was hard to believe that it was formed from a single drop of water over thousands of years!
Once you have surfaced and climbed back up all the steps out of the cave (it’s a little tiring) there are an abundance of things to do at the centre, from exploring the nature trail which is home to indigenous species of flora along with rare and miniature breeds of animals, wandering down into the adorable fairy garden, spot the goats who live on the roof of the building, or simply enjoy a hot cup of team and a home made treat at the delicious cafe!
It is safe to say the Doolin caves are most certainly worth a visit!
1 Comment
We have traveled Ireland over 15 times, always staying or going through Doolin and not once did we stop at Doolin Cave — until our last visit 3 years ago. WHY did we skip it? Every time we would see signs and think, “next time.”
We, our 7-year-old daughter included, loved the history as well as the trek below ground and will definitely return with family and friends. Well worth the stop!