A Guide To The Liscannor To Cliffs Of Moher Walk (Near Hag’s Head)

The Liscannor to Cliffs of Moher Walk tends to cause people a bit of confusion.

Often confused with the Doolin Cliff Walk, this trail starts over near Liscannor, not far from Hag’s Head.

In the guide below, you’ll find a map, parking info and several warnings that you need to take note of.

Some quick need-to-knows about the Liscannor to Cliffs of Moher Walk

This trail isn’t as straight forward as some of the other things to do in Clare, so please take 20 seconds to read the below (they’ll save you time later!):

1. Location

The Hag’s Head to Cliffs of Moher Walk connects the villages of Liscannor and Doolin on the coast of Clare via a cliffside walk over the Cliffs of Moher.

2. Several different variations

So, you can usually walk from Liscannor to Doolin, but part of the path between the visitor centre and Doolin is currently closed. So, we’d recommend walking the linear trail from Liscannor / Hag’s Head to the Cliffs of Moher and then back to your start point.

3. Parking

Parking is available at a private car park in Kilconnel, Liscannor which is conveniently called “Cliffs of Moher Liscannor Walk” on Google maps. Parking cost €5 and we have it on good account that the woman who runs the car park is an absolute gem. The car park also has clean toilets for visitors.

4. Length + difficulty

The Liscannor to Cliffs of Moher Walk is a strenuous hike with 250m of ascent over narrow paths along a sheer cliffside and is graded as moderate to difficult. The walk from the car park in Liscannor to the visitor centre is roughly 5.4km, so the entire trail is around 11km. It’ll take you around 2 hours one way, depending on pace.

5. Safety warning

The Hag’s Head to Cliffs of Moher Walk traverses narrow paths that are often next to an unprotected cliff edge. With sea cliffs, there is always a risk of landslides so walkers should pay attention to all signs and posted warnings. Do not attempt this hike during bad weather and use caution AT ALL TIMES.

About the Hag’s Head to Cliffs of Moher Walk

This Liscannor to Cliffs of Moher Walk is incredibly scenic with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean stretching north to Galway Bay, West to the Aran Islands and South to Liscannor Bay.

Walkers also get incredible views of the Cliffs of Moher that visitors to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor’s Centre miss out on.

The linear walk can be started from either Doolin or Liscannor but the general consensus is that starting in Liscannor makes the walk easier as there are more downhill sections when walking in this direction.

One of the great things about a linear walk like this is that the endpoint is where you say it is. If you want to go all the way and do the Liscannor to Doolin Walk, go for it.

An overview of the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk

Begin the Liscannor to Cliffs of Moher Walk at the carpark in Kilconnell (we’ve linked it above). From there you simply head up the road towards Hag’s Head and the ruins of a Napoleonic watch tower known as Moher Tower.

The first chunk of this trail takes you along quiet country road as you make your way up to the coast and the start of the trail. You’ll soon come to a gate and a little stone wall that you can get over.

Then the trail really begins

The entire walk is incredibly scenic, but once you get to Moher Tower (a short walk from the gate) you will start to be able to see the Cliffs of Moher to the north.

From the tower, follow the trail along the cliffside. The views only get more spectacular as you get closer to the Cliffs of Moher visitors centre.

The visitors centre is approximately 5.7km from the trailhead in Liscannor and is a great place to stop and refill your water at the water refill station and sit down for a picnic if the weather is fine.

Make sure to check out O’Brien’s Tower at the visitors centre. The tower sits on top of the cliffs, marking the highest point of the Cliffs of Moher. The tower was built in 1835 by Cornellius O’Brien who owned the cliffs at the time.

If you’re continuing onto Doolin

If you’re looking to do the Liscannor to Doolin Walk, make sure to check online to see if the path is accessible (it’s been closed for a while now).

Continue on past the tower following the beautifully slate paved trail at the visitors centre until you get back to the trail to Doolin.

From here the trail is once again a mixture of narrow dirt and gravel trails. The cliffs are now behind you so try to remember to stop every once in a while and take a look back at the view behind you.

Care needed and finishing up

As you get closer to Doolin, the trail starts to get wider and changes from a walking trail to a laneway. Once you are about 2km outside of the village you will be able to see Doonagore Castle on the hill to your right.

The trail continues until you hit the road. Often there are quite a few cars pulled in off the road here from walkers starting the walk on the Doolin side.

From here, you’ve pretty much made it to Doolin. You can continue along the road being mindful of cars until you reach the centre of the village. There’s plenty of restaurants in Doolin for a post-walk feed.

Things to do after the Liscannor to Cliffs of Moher Walk

One of the beauties of the Hag’s Head to Cliffs of Moher Walk is that it’s a short spin away from many of the best things to do in Doolin.

Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Liscannor!

1. Food in Lahinch (15-minute drive)

There’s some great restaurants in Lahinch that you can kick back in if you’ve worked up an appetite on the Hag’s Head to Cliffs of Moher Walk. Grab some delicious fish and chips at Spooney’s on the Promenade or grab a quick bite and a cup of coffee at Dodi on Main Street.

2. Doonagore Castle (15-minute drive)

Doonagore Castle is a privately owned 16th-century round tower house located about a kilometre outside of Doolin. The tower is not open to the public but is worth a quick visit for the view.

3. Doolin Cave (25-minute drive)

Doolin Cave is located just north of the village of Doolin and is home to the Great Stalactite, the longest free-hanging stalactite in Europe. Admission to the caves is €17.50 for adults, €8.50 for children and €15 for students and seniors.

4. Take a ferry to the Aran Islands (20 minutes to departure point)

The ferry from Doolin to the Aran Islands is a great way to see the cliffs from the sea. You can also explore Inis Mor, Inis Oirr or Inis Meain over the course of a day, if you like.

FAQs about the Liscannor to Cliffs of Moher Walk

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Can you walk from Liscannor to Doolin?’ to ‘Where do you park?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.