On The Burren

Glacial erratic boulder on the Carboniferous limestone pavement of The Burren

Erosional features filled with mosses and ferns in a Carboniferous limestone pavement

Limestone pavement, old stone wall and stunted tree on the Burren

Solution pan or kamenitza in Carboniferous limestone

Natural features and man-made structures amongst the karstic erosional surface of the Carboniferous Limestone landscape in The Burren in County Clare, Ireland. These photographs show the famous Neolithic portal tomb known as the Poulnabrone Dolmen and the humble, often lichen and moss-covered, stone walls. Typical limestone erosion features include the limestone pavements with their deeply weathered clints and grikes; and solution hollows or pans also called kamenitzas. Isolated large boulders, standing out incongruously on the flat bare rock platforms, are glacial erratics dumped by receding ice sheets.

6 Replies to “On The Burren”

aidymcglynn says:

March 31, 2014 at 7:29 pm

Phew! You’re fairly getting round the coast Jessica. Great job at capturing the essence of the Burren.

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winderjssc says:

April 1, 2014 at 8:58 am

Thanks, Aidy. I am having a lovely time. I spent the weekend in a lecture theatre at Galway University, with the Porcupine Marine Natural History Society. Then we all went and had a very enjoyable field trip to Dogs Bay on the Connemara Coast yesterday. See today’s post.

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aidymcglynn says:

April 2, 2014 at 6:56 pm

Really pleased you’re enjoying it Jessica, and you’re getting to some nice spots. Of course we’re getting the benefit of great posts too.

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winderjssc says:

April 3, 2014 at 6:42 am

Thanks. Ireland is very photogenic so there will be some proper posts later – in addition to these “postcards” from the trip.

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Rolling Harbour says:

April 21, 2014 at 8:44 pm

We found the Burren completely fascinating – an amazing place to walk. We stayed with friends on ‘The Flaggy Shore’ on the northern side, which is just that – a shoreline apparently made of flagstones… RH

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winderjssc says:

April 22, 2014 at 11:46 am

They don’t call them limestone pavements for nothing! It is a fabulous area to explore and experience, with lots of parallel features to other karst landscapes I have visited both in Gower and Queensland. I must go back again.

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