Keep back! Or those pics of Hans Rey riding Cliffs of Moher could lead to cycling ban

If you've ever been to the west of Ireland, chances are that you've visited Co Clare's Cliffs of Moher, 702ft  at their highest and with a drop straight into the Atlantic Ocean.

Nice to look at, sure, but not somewhere you'd necessarily pick to cycle along, even if you had a spare few metres between you and certain death.

However, it's that curious thrill which has encouraged several websites (mountain biking ones, we should add) to claim the cliffs as 'the most dangerous bike trail in the world.'

One site says: "For those who want to experience an unforgettable adrenalin rush, you need to refuse to settle for anything short of the best.”

US bike manufacturer Fezzari has also namechecked the cliffs, calling them 'gnarly.'

The plaudits, appear to stem from photos and a video of  pro MTB riders Steve Peat and Hans Rey dramatically and controversially riding a 20 metre, 600 ft high stretch of the cliffs in 2006. The ledge was no more than a metre wide, and when the pictures appeared on the internet it was thought they were faked. But Irish snapper Victor Lucas confirmed they were genuine, and showed Hans Rey and Steve Peat blithely ignoring the Grim Reaper as they tackled the ledge.

Fearful of copycat attempts on the Cliffs by other riders, Clare County Council has appealed for people to behave 'responsibly.'

The council's director of services Ger Dollard told the Clare Herald: "The Council would certainly not encourage any behaviour which places the visitor and others in danger and would appeal to all visitors to the site to respect the environment and behave in a responsible and appropriate manner at such an important location.

“While the Council has done a significant amount in terms of improving overall safety the Cliffs, by their nature, they carry certain risks and dangers and there is a responsibility on all visitors to act in a responsible way in their own interests and for the safety of others."

Local councillor Martin Conway told the paper: "We can't control what goes up on international websites and we can't legislate for lunatics but we have a responsibility at the same time to ensure that we do all we can to prevent any such irresponsible behaviour. If this means that we have to introduce a bylaw governing cycling at the cliffs, then we should do that."

Reacting to criticism of his stunt at the time, Hans Rey said: “Of course, nobody should ride their bike there. I have tons of experience to ride in stressful situations like that, its no place to take a chance.”