Some of the limestone formations in Aillwee Cave.
As I mentioned before, the Burren is made up of limestone. Since it rains a lot in Ireland (duh!), the water seeps into cracks in the limestone. Eventually, the water widens these cracks into large passageways, thus forming one of the most complex caving systems in the world. A lot of the caves in the Burren are underwater. And virtually all of them require the spelunker to use equipment and a guide. However, Aillwee Cave is large enough and dry enough that one can visit without equipment.
It takes a little bit of driving to get to the cave. It's a few miles off the road from Ballyvaughan. At the base of the rock in which the cave resides is a farm where tourists can get freshly made fudge and other fattening treats. A few feet above the farm is the entrance to the cave itself. The group running the cave has turned the opening into a gift shop. It's from this shop that tours of the cave begin.
The actual tour takes about 45 minutes. The path is well lit and very accessible. There are entertaining guides that describe how the caves were, and continue, to be made. There are natural wonders like underground waterfalls and interesting formations, like the Praying Hands (which really do look like a pair of hands in prayer). I thought that there were too few formations for a cave as large as Aillwee. But, I suppose that limestone doesn't lend itself to creating interesting formations.
I guess you could call a tour of Aillwee Cave "spelunking lite."
There's no danger and not a lot of effort to see the cave. However, Aillwee
is an excellent introduction to the caverns that dot the Burren landscape.
The tour costs IŁ4.50 for adults and IŁ3.5 for students.
Get your own Free Home Page
