waterfrontviews

Howth: the harbour and the cliff path

A working fishing harbour, then the cliff path round the Head to the Baily light.

Photo: David Kernan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Drafted by Claude — the editor hasn’t walked this one yet. We’ll update this notice once it’s been verified on the ground.

Distance

7.5 km

Time

~ 140 min

Difficulty

Strenuous

Start

Howth (DART)

End

Howth (DART)

Best at

morning

Right now

16°C· Overcast

Open in Maps for turn-by-turn, or take it offline as GPX.

Howth is a fishing village on a hill that happens to sit at the mouth of Dublin Bay, and the walk does both halves: the working harbour at sea level, then the cliff path round the Head with the open water on one side and heather on the other. It is the best half-day Dublin keeps within thirty minutes of the city centre.

Seven and a half kilometres, best on a clear morning. The DART drops you at the harbour — walk the West Pier first, past the trawlers and the seals, before the gulls and the day-trippers arrive. Out to the East Pier lighthouse, then up onto the cliff path at Balscadden, where Ireland's Eye sits offshore and the sea takes over.

Round the Nose of Howth the path turns south and the whole Irish Sea opens. Keep going to the high ground above the Baily Lighthouse — white tower, black rock, the entrance to the bay — which is the view the walk is built around. From there climb to the summit for the heather and the Wicklow hills across the water, then drop back down to the village. The Summit Inn, a pint, and the DART home.

The route

On the map.

A soft dashed line, numbered stops. It’s a suggestion, not a turn-by-turn.

Elevation

↑ 254 m·↓ 102 m·0–152 m ASL

Stops along the way

Things to notice.

01
1
Howth Harbour and the West Pier
Start where the DART leaves you, at the harbour. Walk out the West Pier past the trawlers landing the morning's catch and the seals that hang around the fish stalls waiting for scraps. You don't have to buy anything, but a paper cone of prawns sets the tone.
01
Howth Harbour and the West Pier
Start where the DART leaves you, at the harbour. Walk out the West Pier past the trawlers landing the morning's catch and the seals that hang around the fish stalls waiting for scraps. You don't have to buy anything, but a paper cone of prawns sets the tone.
02
2
The East Pier and lighthouse
Cross to the East Pier for the 1818 lighthouse at its tip and the view back over the boats to the hill. This is where the mail packet from Holyhead once docked before Dún Laoghaire stole the trade. Turn and start climbing toward the cliff.
02
The East Pier and lighthouse
Cross to the East Pier for the 1818 lighthouse at its tip and the view back over the boats to the hill. This is where the mail packet from Holyhead once docked before Dún Laoghaire stole the trade. Turn and start climbing toward the cliff.
03
3
The cliff path start (Balscadden)
Past Balscadden Bay the path narrows and the sea opens up on your left. Ireland's Eye sits just offshore. The path is well worn but unfenced in places — keep children and the careless on the inside.
03
The cliff path start (Balscadden)
Past Balscadden Bay the path narrows and the sea opens up on your left. Ireland's Eye sits just offshore. The path is well worn but unfenced in places — keep children and the careless on the inside.
04
4
The Nose of Howth
The headland's eastern point, where the path turns south and the open Irish Sea fills the whole horizon. On a clear day the Mountains of Mourne show up to the north. The best stretch of the whole walk starts here.
04
The Nose of Howth
The headland's eastern point, where the path turns south and the open Irish Sea fills the whole horizon. On a clear day the Mountains of Mourne show up to the north. The best stretch of the whole walk starts here.
05
5
The Baily Lighthouse viewpoint
The path climbs through heather and gorse to the high cliffs above the Baily, the white lighthouse on its own black promontory marking the entrance to Dublin Bay. You can't reach the light itself, but the view down to it is the picture everyone comes for.
05
The Baily Lighthouse viewpoint
The path climbs through heather and gorse to the high cliffs above the Baily, the white lighthouse on its own black promontory marking the entrance to Dublin Bay. You can't reach the light itself, but the view down to it is the picture everyone comes for.
06
6
Howth Summit and the loop back
Cut up to the summit car park for the heather and the view across the bay to the Wicklow hills, then drop back down through the village. The Summit Inn is the traditional finish before the walk back to the DART.
06
Howth Summit and the loop back
Cut up to the summit car park for the heather and the view across the bay to the Wicklow hills, then drop back down through the village. The Summit Inn is the traditional finish before the walk back to the DART.

Howth: the harbour and the cliff path

On the map.

Things to notice.

Howth Harbour and the West Pier

Howth Harbour and the West Pier

The East Pier and lighthouse

The East Pier and lighthouse

The cliff path start (Balscadden)

The cliff path start (Balscadden)

The Nose of Howth

The Nose of Howth

The Baily Lighthouse viewpoint

The Baily Lighthouse viewpoint

Howth Summit and the loop back

Howth Summit and the loop back

Two more, on similar days.

Bull Island & Dollymount: the wooden bridge and the dunes

Sandymount Strand: the tidal sands of Ulysses