Monthly SeriesJuly 17, 2026
The Burren in July: Heather and coastal sunsets!
A story posted in the Burren Stories, a section of the The Burren Light & Landphotography project. New to the Burren? Start here.
Of all months, July is probably the least inspiring for a landscape photographer, at least in this part of the world. Light is either too harsh or dull, early sunrises and late sunsets often flop, the woods foliage has darkened and carpets of wild garlic and bluebells have long gone. It's not a part of the year I enjoy most for sure! During this month I usually slow down to reflect on the year's photography, make plans for the future, take a nice family break and enjoy whatever is given of blue skies and sunshine, terrace and barbecues!
Still, there are opportunities as with any other months and I make sure I try, only a little bit harder than usual. More wildflowers now abound on hills slopes, heather is showing off at the end of July! For those who don't get discouraged by a late and antisocial expedition, sunsets can also be incredibly rewarding!
July will test your commitment, there is no doubt about this!
Some favourite locations in July
The beautiful Burren coastline
I am naturally drawn to the coastline in summer. My favourite lone trees aren't looking the best with foliage in the Lowlands, and the wildflowers have long gone there by the end of June. In the summer the sun slides further to the west to set in a more 'desirable' spot over the ocean. The ocean is peaceful and relaxing after a long day's work. With a bit of planning (and a lot of luck!) foregrounds surface along the coastline when tide level is right, allowing for some great shots as the sun sets, or rises.
I would tend to get to Flaggy Shore as it's the closest to home and, aside of being off the ball a few times, I can usually tell from home when there is going to be a potential show at sunset. However, the coast offers just as many great opportunities whether at sunrise or sunset. July is a month of trial and error, it doesn't stop us from trying to get up early or go out late and catch some light.
Here is a perfect example of a nice surprise! Never sure of how it is going to pan out, but always worth the wait, you never know the horizon might clear up in the sky, enough to let the sun through and give a nice colour show. As I just mentioned to a walker on the Flaggy Shore road: 'Going out is the experience, a nice photo is always a bonus!'
Favourite subjects
Heather bushes, bundles of colour
Probably the main highlight for me in July: to explore the Burren hills and look for nice, vibrant heather bushes. There aren't that many place in the Burren where we would find those in abundance just as in Connemara or the mountains of Kerry, though I know Abbey Hill and the National Park would have some. Over years of scouting, I now have a nice set of locations to keep me happy and fulfilled. Heather is quite rare in the Burren!
The presence of these heather is one of the most famous botanical anomalies of the Burren National Park ecosystem. Heathers are strictly calcifuge (acid-loving) plants and should not survive in lime-rich, alkaline environments. However, the exceptionally high rainfall in western Ireland heavily leaches the upper layers of soil. This allows small, acidic pockets of glacial till and peaty humus to form on top of the limestone pavement, giving the heathers a safe layer to root into without touching the calcium-rich rock below
Without getting into the predominant varieties, it's nice to see display of white, pink and purple flowers dotting the Burren hills.More heather
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