Just half an hour later, we are at the edge of the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular 14km stretch of rugged cliffs.
Most travellers begin their journey at the visitors’ centre, but we instead drive to a private farm that provides access to Guerin’s Path (str.sg/iGVL) for €5 (S$7.20) an adult.
We walk on a protected narrow path towards O’Brien’s Tower, stopping to take in the majestic view of this natural wonder formed more than 320 million years ago.
Rising to more than 210m at its highest point, the Cliffs of Moher make me feel miniscule – a feeling I also had when I visited the towering peaks of the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia.
The elemental setting is a showcase of nature’s sheer force, which is on full display that day, with howling winds dominating a portion of the paved path.
While I am trying to control the pram and keep my hood on, two female buskers seem undeterred by the winds and continue to play music.
The other locals, the thriving birdlife, also look right at home.
No surprise. A Special Protected Area for birds, the Cliffs of Moher is a nesting site for more than 20 species, including key colonies of guillemot, razorbill, kittiwake and puffin.
Rock and roll
The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren region both sit within a Unesco Global Geopark, an area with geology of international significance.
We set off for the Burren the next day, which spans 350 sq km and is best explored slowly.
The area’s name originates from “boireann”, which translates to “rocky place”, and that is exactly what it is. Formed between 340 million and 315 million years ago, this ancient limestone landscape was once hidden beneath long-forgotten seas that froze in the last great ice age.
Today, it looks as if cement was poured on the hills, with large rocks randomly sprinkled across the terrain and spilling down the slopes.
With a huge expanse of land blanketed in grey limestone, it feels like you are on a lunar expedition or in the pages of The Lord Of The Rings, specifically Middle-earth, which is said to have been inspired by author J.R.R. Tolkien’s visit to the Burren.