A new, free, hop-on hop-off shuttle bus service connecting top visitor attractions with towns and villages across north Clare has officially begun.
The Burren and Cliffs Explorer is a joint initiative of Clare County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and is designed to take people out of their cars and offer them a free alterative travel mode.
It aims to disperse the over 1 million visitors who come to enjoy the beautiful but protected landscape around the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren National Park, stretching across north Clare and up to south Galway.
The new shuttle service will link the towns of Miltown Malbay, Lisdoonvarna, Liscannor, Doolin, Kilfenora, Corofin and Ballyvaughan, and the many tourist attractions that lie around those towns and villages, including the Cliffs of Moher, which attracts over 1.3 million visitors each year.
It will also service the Aillwee caves, the Poulnabrone Dolmen in the Burren and the Caherconnell Stone Fort.
The service begins today and runs until the end of August as a pilot, with the possibility of extending it into September with hubs in Miltown Malbay and Lisdoonvarna, where free parking is available.
At its heart is sustainability and the need to carefully manage tourist volumes for the future - to ensure that visitors have alternative modes of transport and are dispersed across the region, when tourist infrastructure is almost at capacity.
Siobhán McNulty, Director of Tourism Development with Clare County Council, said: "The Burren and Cliffs Explorer aims to enrich the visitor experience while supporting sustainable tourism.
"By strengthening transport links between our communities, we are encouraging visitors to leave their cars behind and fully experience the distinctive charm of our towns and attractions.
"This approach not only benefits the environment but also boosts local economies."
William Cormacan, Midwest Manager with the NPWS, said: "We are proud to collaborate with Clare County Council on this sustainable initiative.
"It not only improves access to the breathtaking landscapes and rich biodiversity of north and west Clare but also reinforces our commitment to protecting Ireland's natural heritage for future generations."
Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO of Burren Ecotourism Network, said they had been calling for this type of initiative for almost 15 years.
"We welcome the fact it has finally arrived and will ensure that visitors can enjoy what all our Burren tourism businesses have to offer but at the same time doing it in a way which protects those businesses for the future," he said.
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan said: "The new shuttle service will assist in providing a more sustainable model for accessing the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, which will have benefits in terms of the environment and biodiversity, and at the same time providing a transport alternative for visitors and local communities."
The services with a full timetable can be booked online at www.cliffsofmoher.ie/burren-and-cliffs-of-moher-explorer.
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