What to wear at the Cliffs of Moher

The one thing that catches everyone out

The wind. Not the rain, not the temperature — the wind. The Cliffs of Moher sit on the western edge of Ireland with nothing between them and North America, and the air coming up the cliff face is funnelled and accelerated. On an ordinary day it is strong. On a moderately blustery one it is hard to stand still in.

Two practical consequences. An umbrella is useless and will be destroyed; do not bring one. And a hood that does not fasten is off your head within seconds, which means a jacket with a drawcord hood, or a hat you can pull down.

The list

1. A waterproof jacket with a fastening hood. The single most important item. Rain on the cliff is horizontal as often as vertical, so a shower-resistant coat that works in Dublin will not work here. Look for something you can cinch at the hood and the hem.
2. Layers underneath, not one thick coat. You will be warm on the coach, cold on the cliff and warm again in the visitor centre, repeatedly, across thirteen hours. A base layer, a fleece or jumper and the waterproof lets you manage that. One heavy coat does not.
3. Shoes with grip. The path near the visitor centre is paved and easy; further out it becomes rough, uneven and frequently muddy. Trainers are acceptable in dry weather, walking shoes or boots are better, and smooth-soled shoes are a genuinely bad idea on wet limestone.
4. A hat and gloves outside high summer. Wind chill on an exposed clifftop takes several degrees off whatever the forecast said. From October to April, take both. In May and September, take them anyway and be pleased if you do not need them.
5. Something warm for the coach. Air conditioning on a long coach run is set for the average passenger and you may not be that person. A light extra layer in your day bag solves it.
6. Food and water. No tour includes lunch, and the visitor centre café at midday can have several coachloads ahead of you. Even on the tours with a scheduled pub stop, something in your bag is a good idea.
7. A camera strap or wrist loop, used. People lose phones over the wall. A lanyard or a wrist strap costs nothing and is the difference between a photograph and a very expensive one.
8. Sunglasses and sunscreen in summer. Counter-intuitive on an Atlantic cliff, but the light off the water is strong and there is no shade on the path.

What not to bring

An umbrella, as above. Large luggage — several operators do not take suitcases or holdalls on board, so if you are travelling between accommodations on the same day, check before you book. And a bag you have to hold: you want your hands free in that wind, so a small backpack beats a tote or a shoulder bag.

By season

Accessibility and the path

The area around the visitor centre and the main viewing platforms is paved, level and manageable for most people, including with a wheelchair or a pushchair. Beyond that the path becomes uneven and in places steep, and in wind it is not the place to be unsteady on your feet.

Read the listing before you book, though, because the tours differ on this and some rule it out. Our pick states outright that it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. If mobility is a consideration you can still have a good visit staying on the paved section — the main headland view is right there — but the tour to look at is the small group, with hotel pickup at both ends and a shorter walk from the coach park.

Two hours is not long, so plan them

Get the layers on before you leave the coach rather than at the top of the path in the wind. Decide in advance whether you are going north to O'Brien's Tower or south along the quieter path — you can do both in two hours, but only if you do not spend the first twenty minutes deciding. And check the time the guide gives you for getting back, because these coaches leave on schedule.

In short

A waterproof with a hood that fastens, layers rather than one coat, and shoes with grip. No umbrella. A hat and gloves outside high summer, food in your bag, and a strap on your phone. The wind is the thing, and it is stronger than you are expecting.