Overview
Howth is a working fishing harbour on a headland at the north end of Dublin Bay, 30 minutes from the city centre by DART. That short train ride is the reason it works so well as a day out: you step off at the harbour, and within ten minutes you can be on a sea-cliff path with the whole bay below you. If you only do one thing, walk the Cliff Path Loop and eat afterwards at the harbour – the seafood restaurants on the piers are the other half of the day.
The headland is protected by a Special Amenity Area Order, so it has stayed largely undeveloped: heathland, nesting seabirds and long views over Dublin Bay. The trade-off is crowds. On a fine summer weekend the village and the trails fill up, and parking runs out early, so come by DART or come early.
A Norse name and a Norman castle
People have been on this headland since the Neolithic: there’s a midden dating back some 5,000 years and the portal tomb known as Aideen’s Grave. The name comes from the Old Norse hǫfuð (“head”), a trace of the Viking presence in Dublin Bay. The Anglo-Normans took the peninsula in 1177, and in 1180 the St Lawrence family was granted the lordship of Howth.
The family held Howth Castle for over eight centuries – an unusually long run – before the Gaisford-St Lawrences sold it to Tetrarch Capital in 2019; it is now being conserved with public access in mind. The oldest parts, the keep and gate tower, date to around 1450, built by Christopher, 14th Lord of Howth, and the house was added to and remodelled over the centuries, including a well-known early-20th-century remodelling by the architect Edwin Lutyens. Note that the castle itself is not a general visitor attraction – it operates as an events venue, with a golf course and cookery school on the estate – so check ahead rather than turning up expecting to get in.
Walking the cliffs and coast
Howth’s best asset is its trail network. Five colour-coded loops start from the DART station and are marked the whole way round:
- Green – Cliff Path Loop: 6 km, about 2 hours. The most popular, running from the East Pier past Balscadden Bay along the sea cliffs and back to the village.
- Blue – Tramline Loop: 7 km, about 2 hours. Follows the route of a former tramway; one of the gentler options.
- Red – Black Linn Loop: 8 km, about 2.5 hours.
- Purple – Bog of Frogs Loop: 12 km, about 3 hours. The longest.
- Summit Walk: 2 km, about 1 hour.
Keep an eye on the water as you go. Grey seals regularly haul out on the rocks below, porpoises and dolphins pass through the bay, and the cliffs hold a seabird colony that makes spring and early summer the best time for birdwatching. The paths are narrow with steep, unguarded drops in places, so keep children and dogs close.
The summit and the lighthouse
Climbing to the Ben of Howth (171 m) gives one of the finest viewpoints on the east coast. On a clear day the panorama runs from Lambay Island and Ireland’s Eye across to the Wicklow Mountains.
Below the summit, on the tip of the headland, the Baily Lighthouse (built 1814) still guides ships into Dublin Bay. You can walk out to a viewpoint above it, but the lighthouse itself is closed to the public, so don’t plan the walk around getting inside.
The harbour and Ireland’s Eye
The harbour is the centre of the village. The East and West Piers were enlarged in the early 19th century for the mail-packet service, and today they frame a mix of leisure boats, an RNLI lifeboat station and the commercial fishing fleet. Several restaurants sit right on the water serving the day’s catch, and this is where most people end up for lunch.
In summer, seasonal ferries run from the West Pier to Ireland’s Eye, a crossing of about 15 minutes. The island is uninhabited, good for puffins and guillemots in spring, and makes a quiet spot for a picnic and a walk around the shore. Across from the DART station, Howth Market (open weekends, roughly 09:00–18:00) has run since 2013 and is a handy stop for coffee and food before or after a walk.
Practical tips
- Getting there: The DART from Dublin Connolly is the easiest and most scenic option, dropping you steps from the harbour and the trailheads; Dublin Bus routes H3 and 290 also serve the village. If you drive, parking is limited: the main car park is by the harbour, and DART-station parking runs about €3–5 a day. In summer it goes early.
- Accessibility: The village centre and harbour promenade are flat and wheelchair-friendly. The cliff walks are not – uneven ground, steep drops, narrow paths. The Tramline Loop and the short summit walk are the most manageable if mobility is a concern.
- What to pack: Weather on the headland turns fast, even in summer. Bring a waterproof and proper shoes; the cliff edges are exposed.
- Toilets: Public toilets are at the harbour and the summit car park.
Nearby coastal stops
If you have time beyond the headland, a short coastal walk or bus ride reaches Baldoyle, with its long promenade and access to the coastal cycle route. Heading the other way, Sutton has a quieter harbour and a sandy beach, and is the far end of the coast path back to Howth. Come in late spring or early autumn for the best light and the quietest trails, and start early to catch the wildlife before the day crowds arrive.