Virtual hike along the Black Head Loop, Burren, Ireland

poetry and prose about place

Virtual hike along the Black Head Loop, Burren, Ireland

For the last couple of days, I have explored, virtually, the Black Head Loop, a trail called Route 7 in Tony Kirby’s The Burren & the Aran Islands: A Walking Guide. This trail includes the same ‘green road’ included in the Caher Valley Loop and the Burren Way, described in my last two ‘Burren’ posts, but also takes in some new areas, visible in Google Earth’s Street View.

I started the trail where it intersects with the Caher River Road. The land now looks familiar to me, with expanses of green pasture land, stone fences, and the limestone pavements encountered on the Burren Way.

start of the Black Head Loop just off the Caher River Road (Source: Google Earth)

stone fences along this part of trail (Source: Google Earth)

views of the stone fences and limestone pavements, similar to those encountered on other trails (Source: Google Earth)

Turning to look back down the road shows a view of the hill where the ‘green road’ travels as part of all three trails, the Burren Way, the Caher River Loop, and the Black Head Loop (Source: Google Earth).

About half way along this part of the trail is a ruin, a ring known as Cathair an Arc Dorais (‘the fort of the high door’). It once housed both a church and an ale house!

A view of the ring fort (Source: Google Earth)

Another view of the ring fort (Source: Google Earth)

an aerial shot of the ring fort (Source: Google Earth)

At the end of this road, the trail comes to an intersection and veers to the left towards Cappahawalla Peak. This is a zig zag ‘green road’ that has no Street View but an aerial view hints at the type of terrain.

intersection of two roads where trail takes a turn; the trail goes from the road to the left to thread travelling to the left towards another ‘green road’ (Source: Google Earth)1

zig zag trail heading towards the coast and Galway Bay (Source: Google Earth)

This area is known for having an abundance and diversity of wilfdflower species. The bee orchid, pyramidal orchid, fragrant orchid and autumn lady’s tresses are all found here. Also, the very uncommon Arctic sandwort (Arenaria norvegica) which is only known from two other locations in the British Isles.

This sandwort is not included in Zoe Devlin’s Flora. She does list other sandworts including thyme-leaved sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia), which also grows here in New Brunswick. It is a low-growing herb with tiny white five-petalled flowers.