Burren National Park National Park

Address: Burren National Park, near Corofin, County Clare, Ireland

Website: https://www.npws.ie/national-parks/burren-national-park

Hours: Open daily (park/landscape)

Admission: Free (no admission)

Burren National Park is a small protected area in County Clare, Ireland, established to conserve a distinctive limestone karst landscape and its unusual plant communities. The park protects terrain typical of the wider Burren region and serves as a base for walkers and nature study.

Visitors encounter expanses of exposed limestone pavement, scattered outcrops, sinkholes and short walking trails that lead to viewpoints such as the summit of Mullaghmore. The area is notable for botanical diversity, where Arctic-alpine and Mediterranean species grow side by side.

The area was designated as a national park to protect representative examples of the Burren’s geology and habitats and to provide public access for education and recreation. Traditional agriculture and dry-stone walls remain characteristic features of the cultural landscape.

The park lies in northwest County Clare near the village of Corofin and is set within the larger Burren karst region, inland from the west coast of Ireland and served by regional roads from Ennis and other local towns.

• Ecological uniqueness: The park protects a compact area of exposed Carboniferous limestone pavement and is noted for supporting a mix of Arctic, alpine and Mediterranean plant species in close proximity.
• Best time to visit and trails: Year-round walking is possible but spring and early summer are best for wildflowers; many trails are short loop walks accessible from the visitor centre.

What to See#

• Mullaghmore hill: Mullaghmore, a limestone hill within the park area that provides panoramic views across the karst pavement and surrounding countryside and is a focal point for many walking routes.
• Visitor centre: The Burren National Park visitor centre near Corofin, which provides information on the park’s geology, flora and waymarked walks.

• Visit in spring for the limestone pavement's wildflower displays and later-afternoon light, and choose weekdays to avoid the coach parties that frequent the area at midday.
• Stick to the marked Mullaghmore loop and other waymarked park trails - the karst terrain looks uniform but fragile habitats are easily damaged if you wander off route.
• Allow time to read the park's information panels and, if available, join a ranger-guided walk to learn how the Burren's geology creates its unusual mix of Arctic, Mediterranean and alpine plants.