The Burren is a peculiar place where the landscape shares resemblance to the moon, a natural park, and Mordor from Lord of the Rings. The Burren is a karst limestone landscape, karst referring to how the high amount of slightly acidic rainfall gradually breaks down the sprawling mass of exposed limestone. This rainfall then seeps into the grike-called crevices that lie between the slabs of stone, eventually merging into subterranean water systems that lead back into the Atlantic Ocean and thus able to sustain the cycle.
As a result, the rolling hills here are gray. Disjointed outcroppings of chunks of rock are scattered in this tree-devoid landscape. It is bare, meaning there is no cover from the gale-force winds. Climbing excursions necessitate caution; one misstep could mean a severe bone break or death, especially with the combination of heights, rain, and wind. Fog can smother the land at any time, limiting visibility of companions and of what is ahead. Without a careful eye, the landscape can be written off as desolate and even simplistic. Yet, nestled against the ground and inside sheltered grikes, there exist representation of about seventy five percent of Ireland’s plant species. Lichens, mosses, and flowers lie abundant. When water seeps into grikes, it carries with it soil and nutrients that help feed the life sheltered within, life such as woodlice, slugs, and snails. The unique environment and climate in the Burren create a place that can host arctic, mediterranean, and alpine plant life. The Burren has over six hundred flowering species as a result.
Between the hills also lie rich, green pastures. One valley may be barren and of limestone pavement and the next be lush farmland full of cattle and sheep. One aspect that is consistent will be the stone walls, some thousands of years old, built to contain cattle, protect land, and mark territory, marking the Burren as an interlocking grid. Human activity has played an integral role in shaping not just the Burren, but all of Ireland’s environment. Humans cut down many of the trees that used to stand, eliminated predators likes bears and wolves, and constructed ring-forts and walls that are scattered throughout the land.
Black Head is a potential excursion point in the Burren, where close to the top is a sheltered ring-fort. The climb contains both the hardened, bare lunar landscape and the lush, pristine patches of green one expects to see in Ireland. A person can see the near-ground plant life whose vibrant flowers stand stoic against the wind. The Burren is a fantastical place where multiple oddities coexist and compliment, its components constantly adapting to hardships with a flair of beauty.
"Catch the heart off guard and blow it open" 