DAY 13: CLIFFS OF MOHER

OUR cameras were working overtime today at the Cliffs of Moher, 8km south of Doolin on the Clare coast.

This national treasure, rising to 214m at its highest point, is the most visited natural attraction in Ireland, welcoming a million visitors annually.

At its best at sunset on a magical day, the cliff faces burn a majestic orange against azure waters. Brave souls take on Ireland's largest surfing waves coming off the treacherous rocks below the cliffs at "Ailleens" or Aill na Searrach (leap of the foals in Gaelic).
But even with a millpond against a foggy sky, the cliffs were more than impressive.

They are named after the ruined promontary fort Mothar or Moher that was demolished in the Napoleonic wars to make a signal station at Hags Head and were formed about 320million years ago when the area was warmer and lay at the mouth of a large river, which dumped mud and sand all over.

The mud and sand settled and eventually formed the layers seen today.
Mother Nature has done the rest, using millions of years of wind and water to erode the cliffs and coastal rock formations.

The cliffs have featured in movies as diverse as The Princess Bride, Ryan's Daughter, Father Ted and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

O'Brien's Tower stands like a sentry guarding the valuable attraction. Cornelius O'Brien built the tower in 1835 to give visitors a better view of the cliffs. Walks out to each of the headlands will while away a couple of hours. We had the headland to the right of O'Brien's Tower to ourselves for about a minute before a new wave of coach tourists descended on us. But even that short time was worth it with the wind in our hair and the sun on our faces.

The Cliffs of Moher also have Ireland's largest mainland seabird nesting colony. Goat Island is home to the Puffin bird - "the clowns of the sea" - from when they arrive from the mid-Atlantic in April until the end of July when they return. Early morning to noon is the best time to see them, as they go out to sea fishing in the afternoon (as you do).

Puffin count: 0

Footnote: We heard on the radio today that the last heat waves the country experienced like the one we have had since arriving in Ireland were 1983 and 1976. The station played Thin Lizzy from '76 in celebration. I saw the band in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens when the council had its free concerts program so it was nice to relive some memories. On a sadder note, the country has had four drownings in the past week as a result of people cooling off in the water to escape the heat and getting into difficulty.

Lesson of the day: There's an idiot tourist born every second. We've been to Kings Canyon, The Twelve Apostles and Whalers Way - all with huge cliff faces, massively dangerous overhangs and unstable ledges. So we know why fences, ropes and chains are put there: to protect us from our own curiosity and keep us safe.

But it seems no amount of signs in various languages, picture warnings and presence of rangers will stop those wanting to get the "perfect" camera shot, just a little closer to the edge. Mums and dads with babies, mature-age couples, college teens - they were all doing the wrong thing ...  and putting our hearts in our mouths.