The Burren is an extremely special Carboniferous limestone habitat covering a broad area of northwestern County Clare in Ireland. It is a limestone pavement that was initially shaped by ice starting around 10,000 years ago and then it has been incrementally eroded by rainwater to create a karst landscape riddled with holes and caves . Some of the rock has been uplifted by earth movements to create low terraced hills, including the Knockanes ridge seen here from Mullaghmór. Covering nearly 250 square kilometres The Burren is among the largest glaciokarst environments in Europe.