Lauren, our National Sand Artist and Boston native, went on a road trip to Ireland last March with a convoy of close friends. With the help of Dune Jewelry, she wanted to share her memories visiting Cliffs of Moher along with a How-To Guide of what to do and what to wear. This is Lauren’s The Road Less Traveled.

There are some natural wonders in the world that when seen will give you a moment of pause. You will stare in awe and take in the magnitude of the earthly creation, wondering how it came to be. The Cliffs of Moher is one of those natural wonders and if it isn’t already, it should be on your bucket list.

visiting cliffs of moher group shot

We arrived there on our third morning in Ireland after our raucous night in Galway and a thrilling ride through The Burren lime-rock formations. The park leading up to the Cliffs is packed with tourists, especially on a day like the one we were having – clear skies and 60-degrees. Along the way there are stalls and concessions catering to tourist whims. One older Irish woman working the concessions said, “I’ve worked here for years and I’ve never seen a more beautiful day to see the Cliffs.”

We walked up the pathway where there’s a quaint restaurant with tasty food as well as a flutist very appropriately playing Gaelic music. When the views opened up, we all stopped talking and just gazed.

cliffs of moher

The tallest point of the Cliffs is 702 feet of rock jutting out of the light blue ocean. It’s an intimidating sight. That’s probably why they were featured as the “Cliffs of Insanity” in the beloved Princess Bride movie and the treacherous cave Dumbledore and Harry Potter traveled to in the Half Blood Prince.

It’s impossible to look at the landscape and not respect the monumental Cliffs. And also to realize how small you are in comparison.

We walked along the paths for a while, which proved more difficult than expected. On one side there’s a large drop and on the other a constant stream of tourists. We were able to tune out the noise and take in the views of the Aran Islands to the North, the sprawling town of Lahinch to the south, and the crashing waves below us.

visiting cliffs of moher pathway

I was able to scoop up some gravel along the path and am choosing to memorialize the sights and sounds of visiting Cliffs of Moher in a Horizon Ring. I chose to pair the earth with the Power Stone, Amazonite. The sea green color of the stone not only looks like the ocean by the cliffs, but it also stands for hope and integrity — two feelings the Cliffs of Moher inspired in me.

Impress them all with Dune’s Horizon Ring. Check it out now!