Burrow Beach is a tombolo – a 1.2 km bar of sand and dunes that physically joins Sutton to Howth Head, with Dublin Bay on one side and Baldoyle Bay behind. Locals call it the Hole in the Wall. The draw is how wide it goes at low tide and the clear view out to Ireland’s Eye, with Lambay Island and Portmarnock strand beyond. If you can, come early on a weekday: on a hot summer weekend it packs in thousands, and Fingal County Council has more than once spent the morning after clearing litter before anyone could use the place. The Irish Road Trip’s writer goes further and tells people to avoid summer weekends outright. Out of season, or before 10am, it’s a different, quieter beach.
What to do
The flat, soft sand is the whole point, and it does most jobs well.
- Low-tide walks – As the tide drops, a broad shallow shoreline opens up and you can walk out along the bar. Good for shell-hunting and watching the water come back.
- Water sports – The steady north-facing wind brings kite-surfers, windsurfers and paddle-boarders; the sea is forgiving for beginners on a calm day.
- Family sand-play – Wide, deep, soft sand for castles and digging, with shallow pools forming at the edge as the tide turns.
- Coastal fishing – Shore anglers work the water’s edge for mackerel and flatfish.
- Café stop – Sam’s Coffee House at Sutton Cross DART station, about 15 minutes’ walk from the beach entrance, does strong coffee, fresh doughnuts and light lunches before you hit the sand.
Wildlife and water quality
Burrow looks straight out at Ireland’s Eye, a nature-conservation site with colonies of gannet, black guillemot and great black-backed gull. Grey seals turn up regularly, hauling out on the offshore rocks or swimming close in. The water is monitored weekly from mid-June to mid-September under the bathing-water regulations and consistently records a ‘Good’ rating; current results go up on the beach noticeboard and on the EPA’s beaches.ie site.
Practical information
- Admission: Free.
- Lifeguards: Summer only – 11am to 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays in June, then daily through July and August.
- Parking: Free on-street parking on Burrow Road is limited and fills fast on sunny days. There’s paid parking at the Sutton Cross DART station car park, about 15 minutes’ walk away. Accessible bays are marked near the main entrance.
- Public transport: The DART to Sutton Station leaves you a 5–10 minute walk from the main entrance on Burrow Road. Dublin Bus routes including the H3, 6 and 102 serve Sutton Cross.
- Dogs: Welcome, and popular with local dog-walkers. Keep them on a lead near the dunes, where birds nest in the marram grass.
- Toilets: None on the beach – the nearest public toilets are at Sutton Cross DART station.
- Accessibility: The Burrow Road entrance is level, but the dune path down to the sand is uneven and awkward for a standard wheelchair.
Getting there
The easiest approach is the DART to Sutton Station, then five minutes on foot west along Burrow Road. By bus, the H3, 6 and 102 stop at Sutton Cross, a short walk from the entrance. By car it’s about 20 minutes from the city centre on the coast road; park on Burrow Road if you can find a space, otherwise use the Sutton Cross station car park.
Nearby
- Howth – The fishing village, its harbour and the cliff walk are a short drive or a longer coastal walk away; come for the seafood and the loop walks.
- Bailey Lighthouse – The working light on the tip of Howth Head.
- Aideen’s Grave – A prehistoric dolmen on the Howth peninsula with views over the bay.
- Ardgillan Castle – A short drive north, with gardens, grounds and a playground.
Check the tide before you set off: low tide gives the widest sand and the walk out along the bar, while high water pushes the sea up towards the dunes. Bring something to break the wind – the north-facing strand catches the afternoon breeze even on a warm day.