Overview
Loop Head is the blunt western end of County Clare, a low, level headland where the Shannon Estuary empties into the open Atlantic. It is a Signature Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way, and what everyone comes for stands at the very tip: the whitewashed Loop Head Lighthouse, working in one form or another since 1670. From the balcony the coast runs south to the Blasket Islands and the Dingle Peninsula, with the Twelve Bens of Connemara to the north; on a clear day you may pick out the Cliffs of Moher further up the Clare coast. If you do one thing here, climb the tower – but the cliff walk from the car park is free and nearly as good.
History of the light
The lighthouse has taken several forms over four centuries:
- 1670: the first light was a coal-fired brazier on top of a stone-vaulted cottage, one of only four such lights in Ireland.
- 1802: a conventional tower replaced the brazier.
- 1854: the present 23-metre stone tower, designed by George Halpin, was completed; it still holds its original first-order catadioptric lens.
- 1869: the light became a flashing white beam – four flashes every 20 seconds.
- 1971: converted to electric operation with a 1 kW metal-halide lamp.
- 1991: fully automated, and the resident keepers left.
- 1998: a DGPS signal was added, one of only three such stations in Ireland.
During the Second World War a giant ‘EIRE’ was cut into the clifftop to mark neutral airspace for Allied pilots; the letters are still there. The lighthouse also turned up on screen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It is run today by the Commissioners of Irish Lights as part of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland.
Climbing the lighthouse
A guided tour takes you up 74 steps and three landings to the crow’s-nest balcony, 23 metres up, and through the light-keeper’s cottage with its exhibits on the technology and the keepers’ lives.
- Admission: general admission to the grounds, exhibits and cottage is €3 (adults, OAPs and students; under-18s free). The guided tower tour is an add-on – €5 for adults and children, €3 for OAPs and students – so a full adult tour works out at €8, a child tour at €5.
- Opening: daily 10:00–17:00 from early May to late September; weekends and bank holidays only in mid-March, April and October. The first tour is at 10:30, the last at 16:30.
- Booking: tower-tour capacity is limited, so pre-book on the official site; walk-ins are taken but not guaranteed.
- Note: children must be at least 1.2 m tall to go up to the crow’s nest and tower, and the climb is not suitable for anyone with reduced mobility, vision impairment or a fear of heights. The ground-floor exhibition, toilets and refreshments are wheelchair accessible.
Coastal walks and landscapes
The peninsula has trails from short loops to half-day hikes:
- Loop Head Cliff Walk (1.5 km): a short loop from the lighthouse car park past the ‘EIRE’ sign and the Cliffs of Campoy.
- Loop Head to Kilbaha Walk (15 km): a longer route by Diarmaid and Gráinne’s Rock, Cú Chulainn’s Leap, a Napoleonic gun battery and the Church of the Little Ark – good for birdwatching.
- Loop Head Peninsula Heritage Trail (60 km): a driving-and-walking trail taking in 18 sites around the peninsula, from the Bridges of Ross to Carrigaholt Castle and the Kilkee cliffs.
Nearby, the Bridges of Ross – now a single sea arch after the others collapsed – is a short walk from its own car park and a fine spot for photography and seabirds.
Wildlife and sea trips
A resident pod of around 160 bottlenose dolphins works the mouth of the Shannon. Dolphinwatch runs daily boat trips from Carrigaholt, with a good chance of sightings from May to September; book by phone (+353 86 842 9505) or online. From the cliffs you can also see grey seals and, in autumn, the odd whale, while spring and summer bring nesting guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes.
The Flying Alpaca
For a change of pace, The Flying Alpaca is a working alpaca farm between Kilkee and Kilrush on Querrin Bay, with alpaca walks and meet-and-greets, eco soap-making workshops, and products made from the fleece. More at flyingalpaca.com.
Staying overnight
The light-keeper’s cottage has been done up as self-catering accommodation, with sea views and the sound of the Atlantic right outside. Book it directly through the lighthouse website.
Practical information
- Location: Loop Head Peninsula, west County Clare, on the Wild Atlantic Way between Kilkee and Carrigaholt.
- Getting there: by road down the peninsula from Kilkee and Kilrush. The nearest fuel and food are at Kilkee (about 7 km) and Carrigaholt (about 9 km). Public transport is thin, but TFI Local Link route 339 calls at the lighthouse twice a day from Kilkee and Kilrush.
- Parking: free at the lighthouse; it fills quickly in summer, so come early.
- Facilities: toilets, a coffee-to-go dock, picnic benches and a gift shop on site.
- Nearby: Carrigaholt Castle, the Bridges of Ross, the Kilkee cliffs and the town of Kilkee.
Best time to visit
- Spring (March–May): peak nesting for guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes.
- Summer (June–September): the best odds on the dolphin boats, and long evenings for the walks.
- Autumn (October–November): quieter, good light for photography, more seal sightings.
- Winter (December–February): storm-watching and big seas, with the tower closed.
Pre-book the tower tour in season, then pair it with the free 1.5 km cliff walk and a stop at the Bridges of Ross for a full day at the edge of Clare. Come before midday to be sure of parking.