Burren

The Burren is a karst limestone upland of roughly 250 square kilometres in northwest County Clare, characterised by bare pavements of grey limestone divided by deep fissures called grykes. The unusual microclimate and soil chemistry allow Mediterranean, Arctic-alpine, and Atlantic plant species to grow in proximity, including rare orchids and gentians flowering in spring. The region contains a remarkable concentration of megalithic tombs, ring forts, and medieval monasteries distributed across the limestone plateau.