The Burren is a karst/glaciokarst landscape centred in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland. It measures around 530 square kilometres (200 sq mi), within the circle made by the villages of Lisdoonvarna, Corofin, Gort and Kinvara. The area includes such natural features as Mullaghmore hill and Ailladie cliffs, and historic monuments such as Poulnabrone dolmen and Caherconnell Stone Fort.
The Burren National Park covers a small part of the Burren and is the smallest of the six National Parks in Ireland, while the adjacent territory, including the Cliffs of Moher, is included in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark.
The karst landscape of the Burren
Stark contrast between The Burren and the surrounding landscape
Mullaghmore Hill
The karst hills of The Burren
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. More weathering-resistant rocks, such as quartzite, can also occur, given the right conditions.
Škocjan Caves, Slovenia
Lijiang fengcong (cone karst) in Guilin as part of the South China Karst.
Karst formation of the Serra de Tramuntana
Global distribution of major outcrops of carbonate rocks (mainly limestone, except evaporites)