Possible observing site in the Burren

[Frank Ryan]

I was working in the West today and did a bit of driving around
with the sat nav / google earth on in the Jeep.
I had a few places earmarked from a few weeks back but most were not
suitable and some were just inaccessible - in by 4WD.

I did however find a spot suitable for 3 / 4 people to observe from.
It's elevated site and no nearby lights as far as I could see (during the day)

53° 1'57.48"N
9° 5'36.39"W

To get there you head for the usual site on the R480.
Then take the 2nd right for Carran.
(this road is the best as the other road is practically un drivable)
At Carran you take the left up the hill opposite the pub.
It's marked as the Burren Way Walk and essentially a walking trail
although steep, it's basically the same kind of road as the road up to
our site in Boher.
Some way along the road you reach a cow pen.
It's unused and in off the road.

Only concerns I'd have would be the wind seems to whip up
the South side. There is some shelter to the North from the wall of the pen
but the night would have to be still so as to be usable.

Still, worth a look some night if we are heading up there,
maybe check it out first before we go to the car park.

[Dave Lillis]

Great stuff, worth a recon mission if ever I saw one.
IS it right on the road or off it abit ? Any pics of it ?

[Frank Ryan]

Ya, it's slightly in off the road,
more of a track really.
I've put a pic of it here from Google Earth...




You'd fit 3 cars easily in there side by side maybe 4
and room for scopes.
Where the yellow pin is, that's the cow pen which is private as it's padlocked
but not used as far as I can see.

[Dave Lillis]

V interesting, abit near the road but then again how busy would that road be, I'd imagine it would deserted.

[Frank Ryan]

I can guarantee it will be.
The only ones using that 'road' (its a track with grass in the middle of it)
would be loons like us, the odd local driving back cross country from
the pub in Carran or the occasional moors murderer.