Poll na bPéist (the Wormhole)
About 1.5 km walk from the nearest road at Gort na gCapall · Flat but uneven limestone pavement; no marked path elevation
About
Poll na bPéist, the Wormhole, is a startlingly rectangular natural pool cut into the flat limestone rock shelf near Gort na gCapall on the island's south coast, close to Dún Aonghasa, and it looks so precisely geometric that first-time visitors often assume it is man-made; it is entirely natural, carved by wave action along the rock's joint lines. It has hosted Red Bull's Cliff Diving World Series in past years, drawing competitive divers to jump into the pool from the surrounding rock. Reaching it involves a walk over open, uneven limestone pavement with no marked path and no barriers near real cliff edges, so it demands the same caution as the island's forts, more so given how close the approach can get to the open sea.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A precisely rectangular natural rock pool, despite looking man-made
- ✓A past venue for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
- ✓Close to Dún Aonghasa, so easily combined with a fort visit
- ✓Genuinely dramatic Atlantic rock-shelf scenery
Tips
- →There is no marked path and no barriers; the open limestone shelf sits close to real sea cliffs, so take real care, especially with children.
- →Check tide and swell before going near the water's edge; conditions change quickly.
- →Combine with Dún Aonghasa, which is close by, for one outing on the island's south coast.
