Doolin Cave

Doolin Cave exists for one object: a free-hanging stalactite over seven metres long, among the longest in Europe, which hangs in a chamber under the Burren limestone. Two cavers found it in 1952 by crawling through a passage barely wide enough for shoulders. The way in now is a staircase and a lit tunnel, and visits are by guided tour only, in groups, with helmets, involving around a hundred and twenty steps down and the same back up. The temperature underground stays near ten degrees whatever the season. Above ground the site runs a short farm walk with rare-breed Irish goats and cattle on Burren pasture.

History

The cave was discovered in 1952 by J. M. Dickenson and Brian M. Varley of the Craven Pothole Club from the Yorkshire Dales, through a long and difficult crawl. In 1990 John and Helen Browne bought the land and set out to develop it as a show cave, which worried the Speleological Union of Ireland because of the 30-metre shaft that would have to be blasted to reach it (Wikipedia, Doolin Cave).

What's there

• The Great Stalactite - the free-hanging column above the chamber floor.
• The lit tunnel - the engineered approach following the original passage.
• The farm walk - Burren pasture with rare-breed goats and cattle.
• The limestone above - grey pavement and deep grikes across the surrounding fields.

When to go

Tours run through most of the year with reduced times in winter, and booking ahead matters in summer when slots sell out. It stays around ten degrees underground in July and in January, so a jacket is sensible whatever the day is doing outside. Wet weather makes no difference to the tour, which is why it fills up on bad days.

What to expect

The tour runs about an hour and the time actually spent at the stalactite is short, so the value depends on how much you enjoy the guide. The chamber is dark and photographs badly. There are a lot of steps back up, some passages are low and narrow, and it is a poor choice for anyone uneasy in confined spaces.

Nearby

Doolin village and its ferry pier are minutes away; the Cliffs of Moher are south.

Key facts