12 Photos from an incredible day at the Cliffs of Moher

I knew that the Cliffs of Moher would be a breathtaking and magnificent sight to behold on any day, but this wasn’t just any day, it was Mr Footsteps’ birthday and I knew that going to the Cliffs of Moher would make his special day unforgettable.

After keeping the trip a secret for weeks, I could barely contain my excitement to tell him the morning of his birthday. The only downside was having to tell him the night before, we needed to be up at the crack of dawn to meet the coach!

Despite the early morning wake up call, we snoozed at the back of the coach and after making a pit stop at the Obama Plaza (opened by the former president himself in the middle of nowhere in rural Ireland- trust me, google it!), we excitedly approached the Cliffs of Moher.

Although having seen many beautiful images of the Cliffs of Moher whilst doing my research, I didn’t know what to expect after seeing so many perfectly photoshopped images (and knowing how temperamental the Irish weather can be). What hit me as we started hiking up the Cliffs was just how high we were (702 feet to be exact!) and how lovely the smell of the fresh, salty sea air felt on my face. Living in the city, it is a privilege to breathe in such glorious fresh air, let me tell you!

The Cliffs are so beautiful that the backdrop to each selfie just keeps getting more amazing the further you hike up. Every few feet, we found ourselves saying: “Oh no this spot is waaaay more beautiful than the last”, then moving closer to the top and saying: “Oh wait no here, here, is a better spot”. But what you find is that every angle is different and striking in its own way.

Upon reaching the top of the Cliffs of Moher, we were met with O’Brien’s Tower. I must admit it seems a little out of place at the top of the Cliffs, considering the serious weather conditions the area can have, but it gives you an extra ‘birds eye view’ that is well worth the couple of euros it is to get to the top.

They say that on a clear day, the view from the tower can extend as far as Loop Head at the southern tip of Clare and beyond to the mountains of Kerry. I can’t say I saw them myself, but in the back of my mind I was certainly thanking the brave Victorians that built the tower in 1835 so we could get such an awesome view!

O’Brien’s Tower was a favourite moment of mine from the day. As everyone started heading down the stairs, I turned the camera on myself at the top, hurriedly wiping rain drops off the lens and holding onto the camera for dear life so it wasn’t blown into the the Atlantic Ocean and took a selfie. I love the picture because my honest smile encompasses everything I loved about the day, the special occasion, the experience and the feeling of adventure being out in such an awesome natural place.

Hiking further on from O’Brien’s Tower to meet the edge of the Cliffs, we found more beautiful photo spots that were off the path after the natural course of the fencing had stopped.

It’s during these rare moments when you feel the raw pull of nature and after the crowds had disappeared, we took a minute to really appreciate what an amazing place the Cliffs of Moher is. It was a special day for us, spent somewhere I don’t think either of us will ever forget.

Have you ever surprised someone with a trip like this for their birthday? If you have, where did you go? Let me know in the comments below…it could be inspiration for next year ;)