Loop Head | Clare

Information

Landmark: Loop Head
City: Clare
Country: Ireland
Continent: Europe

Loop Head, Clare, Ireland, Europe

Loop Head is a narrow peninsula located at the northern tip of the Shannon Estuary in County Clare. It is a designated European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) and a key point on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Visual Characteristics

The headland is defined by its extreme exposure to the Atlantic and dramatic geological features.

The Lighthouse: A 23-meter-high white tower built in 1854, marking the entrance to the Shannon.

Cliff Formations: Vertical black slate and sandstone cliffs rising up to $60$ meters ($200$ ft).

Diarmuid and Gráinne’s Rock: A massive, flat-topped sea stack separated from the mainland by a narrow chasm.

The Bridges of Ross: Natural sea arches formed by marine erosion, though only one remains intact today.

Location & Access Logistics

Address: Loop Head, Kilbaha, Co. Clare, Ireland.

Position: At the terminus of the R487 road, approximately 30 km west of Kilkee.

Transit: Private vehicle is the only practical mode of transport; no public transit serves the lighthouse.

Parking: A public car park is located at the entrance to the lighthouse complex.

Accessibility: The lighthouse grounds and the immediate cliff paths are level and grassy. The interior of the lighthouse tower is not accessible to those with mobility impairments due to a steep spiral staircase.

Historical & Cultural Context

Naval History: The site has hosted a light since 1670. The original was a coal-burning brazier on the roof of a stone cottage.

World War II: Large white letters spelling "ÉIRE" (No. 45) are embedded in the turf near the cliffs, used to warn wartime pilots they were over neutral territory.

The Shannon Estuary: The south side of the peninsula overlooks the mouth of the River Shannon, where Ireland’s largest pod of Bottlenose Dolphins resides.

Key Highlights & Activities

Lighthouse Tours: Seasonal guided tours provide access to the light balcony for views of the Blasket Islands to the south and the Twelve Bens to the north.

Dolphin Watching: The cliffs offer an elevated vantage point for spotting marine megafauna.

Birdwatching: The cliffs are a nesting site for Guillemots, Kittiwakes, and Fulmars.

Infrastructure & Amenities

Facilities: A small visitor center and lightkeeper's cottage museum are located within the walled enclosure.

Sanitation: Public restrooms are available inside the lighthouse complex during operating hours.

Connectivity: Very Limited. Signal is often absent or roams to UK-based networks across the water.

Operating Hours: The grounds are accessible 24/7; the lighthouse tower is open seasonally (typically April–October).

Technical Details

Loop Head is geologically distinct from The Burren; it is composed of Namurian shales and sandstones. The peninsula is less than $1.5$ km wide at its narrowest point. The light is a character flashing white every 20 seconds, with a range of $23$ nautical miles.