4 Breathtaking Places Near Dublin, Ireland To Enjoy Nature And Hiking
Home to the most incredible pubs in the world, a place full of a good vibe and such fascinating people, Dublin is certainly one of the best cities to visit if you’re looking for some good fun. It’s a place full of culture, history, and of course, very good beer.
I moved to the Emerald Isle almost one year ago, and I’ve fallen in love with this place. And throughout the time I’ve been here, I’ve shared a lot of my views on what’s it like to live here as an international student from Latin America. However, now I think it’s time to highlight some of my best experiences in nature.
This is why I’d like to share with you some of my favorite places to explore and enjoy nature here. If you’re planning a visit to Dublin (as you should) and you’d love to explore some of the beauty around here but you don’t have much time to go to the other side of the country to see places such as the Cliffs of Moher, this article is for you.
Most content on Dublin is often about the pubs, the museums, and the nightlife, but not a lot of them are about the incredible scenic places that are easy to get to from Dublin. And that is why whenever we hear about nature and the green, the first place that comes to our minds is always the Cliffs of Moher, which are located on the completely opposite side of the Island. How about I shared with you some of the scenic spots that the locals go to from Dublin?
The places I’m going to mention are very easy to get to from Dublin as you could easily be using public transport to get there. These are mountains, cliffs, nature, hiking trails, and the green of the east coast in less than one hour away from Ireland’s biggest city.
4- Bray (Bray Head)
This is one of my favorite places in the world, and it was just awarded by Time Out Magazine as one of the most underrated places in the world. It’s the perfect spot in the summer as there are lots of festivals and it is a place that offers such unique beauty and a good vibe.
My favorite thing to do there is to start the day on the boardwalk. I love walking around and seeing brave people jump in the cold water.
Then, I always stop by this cute coffee shop called Finnbees that has this incredible view of the ocean so I can grab something to eat.
From there, I head to the beginning of the hike called Bray Head.
You can’t really say you’ve seen Bray if you haven’t climbed Bray Head. This is the perfect morning activity if you’re trying to have a panoramic view of the ocean, the cliffs, Bray, and even Dublin. The summit where the cross is located is where you should go.
It’s only an hour long and it’s very easy.
The secret to this hike is to start where the road ends (south) and where there’s a metal barrier. Walk past this, and when you come to a fork, turn right, heading uphill. Then, you’ll reach a bridge over the railway track, before arriving at the Bray Head Car Park on Raheen Park. And this is where you have to pay extra attention: If you go in the left path, you’ll actually be doing a different trail (which I’ll mention after this one). If you want to climb Bray Head, you should keep heading straight on, with the trail climbing up some stairs. Once you’ve reached the top of the stairs, you’ll find yourself on a well-worn dirt path that winds up to the top of Bray Head.
Once you reach the summit, you’ll see why Bray is so beautiful.
I love going there. I have lost count of how many times I’ve seen the sunrise and how many laughs I’ve had there with my childhood best friend. It is so worth it and I’m sure you’ll love it too.
3- Greystones (Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk)
Located in the county of Wicklow, this is unquestionably one of the best walks in Ireland.
This 7 km walk is filled with breathtaking ocean vistas, verdant hillsides, jaw-dropping cliff views, and high points 100m above the sea level offering some spectacular views across the adjacent Irish Sea.
This walk will take between 1.5 and 2.5 hours (depending on your pace) and it is considered to be easy. It’s suitable for everybody, including children.
The start point is the same as when you do Bray Head. After you walk past the metal barrier and the parking lot, instead of walking straight onto Bray Head, now you have to turn left and you’ll be able to start the cliff walk from Bray to Greystones.
The walk is simply beautiful. I don’t have enough words to describe how connected to nature you’ll feel. Apart from the scenic views of the Irish sea, you will see beautiful flowers and ferns that bloom throughout spring and summer, huge rocks, and historical treasures too (including the ruins of the hauntingly beautiful Raheen na gClig church as well as Lord Meath’s Lodge).
When you finish the walk, a very common tradition is: after you get to walk around the village in Greystones, you take the DART (train) back to Bray. The view is spectacular as the train runs really near the edge with such a close view of the Irish Sea. I’d recommend you do it during the sunset.
2- Howth
Howth is an Irish village on the Howth Peninsula, east of central Dublin, and it is to this day my second favorite cliff walk in Dublin.
There are four long versions of this Howth walk, each of which kicks off at the DART station in Howth Village, and one shorter walk (#5) that starts from Howth Summit.
- The Black Linn loop
- The Bog of Frogs loop
- The Howth Cliff Path loop
- The Tramline Loop
- The Howth Summit Walk
The level of difficulty varies. I noticed that this walk (compared to Bray Head and Bray to Greystones) requires a more moderate level of fitness as well as more time. The Red Route is 8km/2.5 hours. The Purple Route is 12 km/3 hours. The Green Route is 6 km/2 hours). The Blue Route is 7 km/2 hours). The Howth Summit Walk takes around 1.5 hours.
Be very careful when walking near the edge of the cliffs, and make sure you do this hike when it’s not very wet. The first time I did it, I ended up making the mistake of going after a rainy day, and the trail was just too muddy and slippery. Also, this was where I felt the wind was the strongest, so make sure you’re wearing a good jacket as the wind gets super cold.
Bonus: I’m sure after you finish this hike you’ll feel a bit hungry. So, don’t forget to try Ireland’s typical dish Fish and Chips from one of their local restaurants in Howth village. There are just so many good options to choose from in the village.
1- Wicklow Head — Glen Beach Cliff Walk
Now, my favorite cliff walk is located in Wicklow town.
Most tourists normally think of Wicklow Mountains and the Guinness lake every time they refer to Wicklow. However, easier to get to by public transport are the cliffs of Wicklow town, a cliff walk that starts at Glen Beach. You can easily get there by bus (133 from Dublin to Wicklow). The bus runs every hour, and the last one is at midnight.
I’ve been living in Ireland for almost a year, and I noticed that going to Wicklow Mountains and the Guinness lake is actually a bit hard because there is no public transport that goes there, so you actually have to either rent a car or go there with excursion groups. And these trips don’t cost less than 50 euros from these tourist companies. So, Wicklow cliffs are actually a great idea if you want to see the beauty Wicklow town has to offer.
This walk begins at Glen Beach on the outskirts of Wicklow town and goes on south to Lime-Kiln Bay and towards the Lighthouse road before doubling back again in a loop. It is a total distance of about four kilometers.
This walk has some climbs and runs very close to exposed cliff edges where walking in a single file is required, so you’ll need to be very careful. I’d consider it moderate, and I would certainly say it’s fine to do it by yourself as I’ve done it several times.
I probably went there a thousand times last summer just because of how much I love it there. It is truly beautiful and watching the sunset on the top of one of the cliffs is simply a very unique experience I think everybody should live when coming to Dublin.
As you walk, you’ll be able to see so much of wild life. It’s very common to see dolphins and Grey seals swimming along the rocky shore. This area is part of Wicklow Head Special Protection Area (SPA), and the green is simply unique. If you’ve ever heard of the “different” green of Ireland, here is where you’ll be able to find it.
So, Bray Head, Bray to Greystones, Howth, and Wicklow Head are just a few options to connect you to nature when you come to Dublin. Dublin city itself won’t do a very good job at making sure you’re surrounded by nature, so if you’re interested in seeing the beautiful nature of Ireland when coming to Dublin, make sure you include these 4 breathtaking spots in your travel itinerary.
Let’s Show Some Green — This article was inspired by the Monthly Challenge from my favorite travel publication on Medium, Globetrotters.
The articles that inspired me were:
Adrienne Beaumont is one of my favorite writers on Medium. I truly feel inspired by her writing style and content. Thanks for sharing your experiences in Ireland with us. It made me so happy to read this article and see how much you love it here.
I also loved this other article. It made me want to book my trip to the Cliffs of Moher so badly!
P.S. — Thanks for reading! If you found this article to be valuable, please clap and follow me! 👏👏👏
