Day 4 Tuesday

Distance Options :A 18 Miles B 29 Miles C 40 Miles D 57 Miles

Accommodation :Burren Coast Hotel http://www.burrencoast.ie/

Lots of distance options available today with anything from 18 miles up to 57miles. Your direction will be a mixture of West to North West. You are heading for the Burren today. Your destination today will be Ballyvaughen which is set between the Atlantic Ocean and the Burren.
Shortly after departing Gort this morning you will encounter a monastic settlement by the name of Kilmacduagh. Founded by a local saint Colman MacDuagh in 610 an Augustinian monastery was founded her in the 13th century by the O'Heynes family who were decedents of MacDuagh.

The 7th century saint, Saint Colman, son of Duagh, established a monastery on land given him by his cousin King Guaire. According to legend, Saint Colman MacDuagh was walking through the woods of the Burren when his girdle fell to the ground. Taking this as a sign, he built his monastery on this spot. The girdle was said to be studded with gems and was held by the O'Shaughnessys centuries later, along with St. Colman's crosier, or staff. The girdle was later lost, but the crosier came to be held by the O'Heynes and may now be seen in the National Museum of Ireland.

Back to the bikes for now and after dragging yourself away form Kilmacduagh you will find the scenery will have changes dramatically. You are now on the edge of a region of Ireland known as the Burren. A lunar like landscape where the Limestone rock has been exposed over 90% of the landscape.

You will also visit the village of Kilfenora featuring the ruin of Kilfenora Cathedral which is dedicated to St. Fachtna, who founded his monastery here during the sixth century. The original church was probably wooden and was later replaced by a stone building. Murrough O'Brien burned the abbey church in 1055 and killed many of the inhabitants. Repairs were carried out between 1056 and 1058 but the building was plundered in 1079 and accidentally burned in 1100. The present structure dates from between 1189 to 1200. Kilfenora cathedral was built in the transitional style with a nave and chancel. Samuel Lewis described it in 1837 as "a very ancient and venerable structure with a massive square tower, commanding a very extensive and interesting view; the aisle is at present undergoing repair, and is being fitted up as the parish church".

Next on today's route will be a quick transfer to the Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top Visitor attractions. The Cliffs are 214m high at the highest point and range for 8 kilometers over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic Cliffs. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South.

The Cliffs of Moher are home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland. The area was designated as a Refuge for Fauna in 1988 and as a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive in 1989. Included within the designated site are the cliffs, the cliff-top maritime grassland and heath, and a 200 meter zone of open water, directly in front of the cliffs to protect part of the birds' feeding area. The designation covers 200 hectares and highlights the area's importance for wildlife.

We have some spectacular scenery for you today. The Atlantic coast will be your constant companion for the Last 18 miles of the route. As if that wasn't enough this section is largely downhill finishing in the harbor village of Ballyvaughen. If you were only going to cycle 18 miles today then this last section is the what I would advise you to ride. The views and vistas along this section are unmatched. You will be staying in the Burren Coast Hotel in Ballyvaughen tonight.