Bridges of Ross and Loop Head
30 September 2018
Surrounded by farmland, we followed the main road from Kilkee further down the peninsula, working our way toward Loop Head. Lots of farms in this area, so it isn’t unusual to see a tractor driving down the street. As we approached the village of Cross however, we passed by tractor after tractor making their way towards the town. Not sure what the reason was, maybe the annual West Clare Tractor Run was this weekend (but I didn’t think so). Or maybe on Sundays people just drive their tractors into town. Not sure, but I can say it was quite a sight!
The Bridges of Ross are natural rock formations that form bridges over the water. Natural geological patterns plus the eroding force of the sea made these “bridges” over many years. Apparently, this was a popular sightseeing spot back in Victorian times. There were more bridges in those days, as erosion had caused most of them to collapse since. There is still one large bridge remaining, and it is possible that in years to come, more will be created again by the powerful forces of nature!
We didn’t know what to expect exactly as we pulled into the car park overlooking the cove. This was Biddy’s suggestion when we talked over our plans at the farm, so we hadn’t researched it much before coming down. We walked down the hill to the trail atop the mighty cliffs, the water below was pounding the rocks with intense ferocity. The sights were amazing, but the thundering sound of the waves is what sticks with us the most. The sheer power of the water crashing into the rocks was just awe inspiring, and they were landing hard enough to send enough salt spray to get us wet all the way at the top!
We walked along the grassy clifftop past sheer drops down to jagged rocks sticking out from the sea. The water was carving a tunnel into the cliffside, from our vantage point we could see down into the newly forming cave. We followed the trail around the cliffs until we came upon the bridge.
A grass-covered natural rock bridge stretched across an inlet of the sea, to where you could physically walk over the sea water that flowed few stories down beneath you. I’m sure part of the bridge was made from rocks being eroded by the sea, but you could also see the patterns on the rock that mimic the opening on the bridge. Not sure if softer rock wasted away below, or time and pressure pushed the rocks up into this bridge, but either way the natural structure was interesting. The bridge itself was actually much larger than I imagined, and so there really wasn’t any risk of falling off unless you purposely went to the edge... good thing, as it was really windy today. Still, standing high on a natural rock bridge far above the sea is an amazing feeling! With each surge of waves, the water roared like thunder as it crashed through the tunnel below us. We stood on the cliff for a good while, really taking in the geology of the bridge and the force of the sea. A place like this commands your time and attention.
At the very end of the peninsula sits Loop Head, the southernmost point in County Clare. Sticking well out into the Atlantic Ocean, Loop Head feels like it stands alone with the sea. We climbed the old lighthouse that watches over the cliffs, with its old Fresnel lens and amazing views of County Clare to the north and County Kerry to the south.
We walked down the field to cliffs where the sea crashes against the land. The grass was like a soft blanket, but the wind was incredibly fierce. We couldn’t get too close to the edge for fear of being tossed by a gust into the sea! Along the grass was a group of white painted stones arranged to spell “EIRE”, a holdover from WWII so the Allies knew they were over neutral land and wouldn’t drop bombs on the Irish.
Alongside the cliffs of Loop Head is a rocky stack emerging from the sea, standing as high as the land, yet about thirty feet or so out into the water. There is an old Irish legend about this spot, that tells of two lovers named Diarmaid and Grainne who were fleeing from an army. Diarmaid took Grainne into his arms and leapt across the gap onto the rocky stack, where they were able to hide away from their assailants. This spot is known as the “Lover’s Leap”, and even though time had changed “leap” to “loop”, it is the inspiration behind the name Loop Head, Ceann Leime. I really love the legends that surround places like this. I wonder if they were helped over the gap by the intense winds!
As we drove back up the Loop Head peninsula, we passed by a pub. Outside that pub, parked tractors sat lining the side of the road stretching on for about a half-mile. Guess we found out where they were all headed!
