Covering much of County Clare, the austere limestone plateau of The Burren ("Place of Rock") is one of Ireland's strangest but most compelling landscapes. Lined in steep escarpments and riven with underground rivers and crevices, it slopes gently down to the south. It is most appealing in the springtime, when the meadows, some of whose stonewalls are Neolithic, are enlivened with wild flowers. Other historic vestiges include remains of tombs, forts and ancient settlements.