Cliffs of Inishmore

Tired as I was from walking all the way from the port to Dun Aonghasa, I was pleased to make it all the way here. Dun Aonghasa is one of the most important sites in the Aran Islands. It is a large hill top fort which faces the Atlantic. Not much is known about its purpose but considering its age, it seems to be remarkably well preserved. Most of the visitors to Inishmore would inevitably end up here. Most would be exploring the walls of the fort but others would be just as impressed with the views here.

Gate of Dun Aonghasa

Dun Aonghasa sits on top of a hundred foot high cliff. Why they decided that this was a great place to set up a fort, I don’t know, but it could be because of the incredible views to be had here. There is a sheer drop just behind the fort and it is probably one of the best views in the island. I don’t know if this is the highest point of the cliffs but you can see a lot of the Atlantic side from this spot. It is amazing that they didn’t build barriers here since it would be easy for people to just jump into the water if they are that determined. Hopefully no one gets any funny ideas here. As for me, I would try to hide behind a wall just to make sure a rogue wind doesn’t push me over.

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