You’re watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. From a secret cliff-top castle, Dumbledore flies Harry across the raging sea to the dark and mysterious Horcrux Cave, a jagged opening in a towering rock. If you’ve been to the wild and sensuous west coast of Ireland, you might think that those epic jagged rock cliffs, which are about 300 million years old, look a lot like the Cliffs of Moher. And you’d be right.
But wait, you say. Aren’t those the Cliffs of Insanity from The Princess Bride? Right again! The scene: Andre the Giant, the evil Vizzini, and fencing master Inigo Montoya have kidnapped Princess Buttercup. They scale the rock face with their captive, but The Man in Black (her true love, Westley) climbs up after them, dramatically defeats the bad guys, and rescues Buttercup.
The rugged west coast of Ireland has hosted many spectacular movie scenes (Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Ryan’s Daughter, Far and Away, and more). But it’s hard to beat the Cliffs of Moher – rising straight up to over 700 feet at the highest point – to make the fantasy come alive.
Try to wrap your senses around some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery: a sea of swaying grasses and wildflowers under blue skies and heavy meringue clouds on sunny days, and mist-enshrouded fairy tale castles when fog rolls in. In the icy Atlantic below are basking sharks, grey seals, and dolphins. A herd of wild goats dating back to medieval times claim their territory at the base of the cliffs. In summer, fat cows graze on impossibly green pastures, and a huge colony of more than 1,300 Atlantic puffins nest on rocky ledges carved out in the Ice Age.
A coastal path skirts the coastline for about eight miles between the nearby villages of Hags Head and Doolin. The views are stunning: the Aran Islands to the west, the Maumturks and Twelve Pins mountain ranges to the north; the dramatic Dingle Peninsula and Loop Head to the south. Do the whole walk on your own (best for children 10 and up) or get a guide for a shorter portion, from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre. doolincliffwalk.com
You also can see the mighty “Cliffs of Insanity” from the water. A 60-minute cruise from Doolin takes you past O’Brien’s Tower, a puffin’s habitat, and Harry Potter’s sea cave. cliffs-of-moher-cruises.com
Admission to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center includes a paved walkway with observation points, including O’Brien’s Tower and the interpretive center. There’s a picnic area, restaurant, gift shop, and local artisans’ craft booths built into the hillside. Children under 16 are free. cliffsofmoher.ie