Aillwee Cave is one of Ireland’s largest and most famous caves. It attracts thousands of visitors every year to admire its magnificent geological formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Added to the wonders of this cave are the fabulous cavities carved out by ancient underground waterfalls. The visit is ideal for geology buffs and history buffs… Want to visit? This way: to County Clare!
A guided tour of Aillwee cave is compulsory: the risk of getting lost in its many kilometers of galleries and tunnels is quite high… Before your visit, we advise you to bring warm clothes that won’t really be affected by the earth.
Of course, this visit is more of a stroll than a caving exploration, but you’d better be comfortable in your clothes and warm: Aillwee Cave never exceeds 10°C.
The tour takes you into one of the converted parts of Aillwee Cave. It’s important to know that this extends far beyond what you can see on the tour. The cave’s galleries and caverns extend deep into the Burren, several dozen meters underground (sometimes more), but are too dangerous for ordinary visitors to explore in complete safety…
In any case, the part you can discover with your guide is a real marvel. Here you’ll discover unsuspected flora and fauna, as well as geological formations dating back millions of years.
All of this, of course, illuminated by spotlights that let you admire the full beauty of these natural geological forms.
Your guide will then continue the tour, explaining the origins of these geological formations: the first formations are thought to date back several million years, when water seepage began to form underground galleries in the limestone of the Burren region. Over the centuries, gigantic rivers have meandered through these cavities, carving out the future galleries of the cave with the help of erosion.
That’s why Aillwee Cave is so interesting to visit: it features countless geological formations testifying to the ancient presence of rivers, waterfalls and other… Add to that eroded limestone columns and stalactites and stalactites as huge as they are long, and you’ve got a good idea of what to expect.
In addition, there are traces of the presence of brown bears, who lived in the cave for many years. A number of hibernating bear skeletons were found, as well as claw marks on the rocks…
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