Cliffs of Moher: O'Brien's Tower and the Southern Viewing Platform

From the Visitor Experience car park, cross the R478 to the visitor centre and walk north on the paved cliff path to O'Brien's Tower, an observation tower dated 1835, and on along the cliff top to where the open path ends, about 800 m beyond the tower. Come back the same way, pass the visitor centre and take the footway south to the Southern Viewing Platform, where the cliffs run on towards Hag's Head, then return to the car park.

It is 4.1 km round with 121 m of ascent; allow about 1¼ hours. The grade is Easy: paved and gravel cliff paths with a few flights of steps, nearly level apart from the gentle rise to the north.

The cliffs are sheer, and the Cliffs of Moher Experience asks everyone to stay on the designated paths and never to go beyond walls or barriers; take particular care in wind, rain and fog. Its status page of 1 August 2026 says the Coastal Walk between Liscannor and the Visitor Experience, by Hag's Head, is fully closed because of severe safety concerns, and that the northern section is open from Doolin only as far as Surfers Path, with no access to the Visitor Experience from Doolin: do not use either.

Entry is charged and includes parking in the car park across the road from the visitor centre: in 2026 the gate rate is €15 for an adult, €12 for a student or senior and €30 for a family, with children under 12 free, and booking online is cheaper. It opens at 8am or 9am and closes between 5pm and 9pm, depending on the month. The nearest railway station, Ennis, is about 33 km away.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with the distance and time worked out from it. The climb is the published figure: height data cannot be trusted on this ground. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.