Dromore Wood Nature Reserve is a good antidote to rushing through County Clare by road. The reserve covers about 400 hectares north of Ennis, with woodland, lakes, turloughs, limestone pavement, wet meadows, and enough bird and plant life to justify slowing down.
The easiest visit is a loop walk around the lake and the ruins of Dromore Castle. It is not a manicured park, and that is the point: paths can be uneven, the woods are damp and quiet, and the place feels more Burren-edge than suburban green space. Bring rain gear if the forecast is undecided.