Charming cottage tearooms, with a conservatory or you can eat in the garden, wonderful selection of homemade cakes. Excellent restaurant for dinner (expensive) lunch or afternoon tea (an affordable option) with a lovely view down the valley.ģ An Fear Gorta on the harbour. A new festival celebrating this unique phenomenon, the Burren in Bloom takes place the whole month of May with plenty of walks and talks among the flowers.ġ0 Other Things To See and Do in the area are.ġ Ailwee Caves & Birds of Prey Centre is a good rainy day alternative with a well stocked farm shop selling their own award winning smoked cheeses and other locally produced artisan foods such as theĢ Gregans Castle small luxury country house hotel, beautiful décor, check out the Piper water colours in the lounge. And all of this in the rampant floral paradise that is the Burren in early summer when alpine flowers such as blue gentians, mountain avens blend with wild orchids and purple geraniums. Ballyvaughan is heaven on a fine day with a small perfect beach at Bishopsquarter (that is never packed) the gorgeous Fear Gorta (hungry grass) Cottage Tearooms where believe me you will never go hungry. There are plenty of gift shops including Quinns (traditional crafts) and Lillimar (more contemporary) with nice jewellery and homeware items just next door to the Soda Parlour which makes excellent crepes and wicked deserts. Just behind the carpark is Linns' Fashion which stocks plenty of weather friendly gear as well as travel books and information about the area.īallyvaughan though small, has a bit of everything pubs, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and even an international college of art. The resident ‘fat cat’ lounges around outside cadging titbits from tourists waiting for the bus to Doolin. Village life centres around the Spar shop which is well stocked with a great deli counter and a good wine list.

Only over the road from where I live it’s where I go for the paper on Saturday mornings or for a wander around the farmers market during the summer, which also includes an excellent craft fair in the Old School every Sunday.

Picture postcard pretty, it nestles in the heart of theĪgainst a sheer backdrop of mountains all the way out to magnificent Black Head. Voted one of the 10 best road trips in the world by Condé Nast Traveller, it never disappoints whatever the weather.

Ballyvaughan is a lovely little village on the road out to Doolin in North Clare.

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