The Burren is a special part of Co Clare and a priceless national asset. Nature-lovers have flocked there because it has such a varied panorama and because it is the habitat for plants and wildlife which you will not find elsewhere.
One of Cromwell's generals, Edmund Ludlow, was sent to Clare with a troop of horses in November 1651. His mission was to subdue the natives. After two days march, he arrived at the Burren. This passage, from his memoirs has often been quoted: "We entered the Barony of the Burren, of which it is said that it is a country where there is not enough water to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him; which last is so scarce that the inhabitants steal it from one another.
"And yet, their cattle are very fat; for the grass growing in the turfs of earth of two or three foot square, that lie below the rocks, which are of limestone, is very sweet and nourishing."
Ludlow got that much right but his mission was about other things and he missed the real beauty and importance of the Burren.
People who like the natural environment have come to love the Burren and know its unique qualities. This is a place apart, something wonderful. A valuable guide is a little book from the Collins Press in Cork - called Wild Plants of the Burren and the Aran Islands - or Gordon D'Arcey's The Natural History of the Burren. Armed with such a guide you will be able to discover the beauties of the Burren for yourself
The Burren is a paradise for walkers. Whether a long trek or a short one, no ramble will disappoint if you take note of what is happening all around you. There are butterflies to be seen which will not be seen, in all probability, at home. There is a special delight in seeing and identifying a plant, maybe for the first time, which has not been encountered before. When that happens - you're hooked.