The weekend trip to Dublin did not go entirely to plan. But the day trip to the Howth Cliff Walk certainly did.

An easy 40 minute train ride (or ferry if you want the scenic route) from Dublin city center and you’re standing on a clifftop looking out over the Irish Sea.

My friend and I had two days in Dublin – two and a half, technically, though the half was spent on airport floor courtesy of our own stupidity. A 7am flight is not a 7pm flight, it turns out.

Anyway, one of the full days was spent in Howth. And I easily preferred it over the day in Dublin.

Why Howth is Worth the Trip

Dublin is the only bit I saw of Ireland. The city was always a draw for me, but by far the biggest draw to the country were the images I kept seeing of the dramatic cliffs, impossibly green coastline, and the Cliffs of Moher specifically – that iconic shot of the rocks dropping straight into the Atlantic.

I may not have had the time to make it to the Cliffs of Moher, but Howth fulfilled my desire to see Ireland’s dramatic coastline – and it definitely didn’t feel like a consolation prize.

It’s beautiful any time of year – we visited in December, and if it’s beautiful in December it’s beautiful always. In the summer, you can also visit some of the beaches in the area.

Simply put- if you love dramatic, rugged scenery and are short on time in Ireland, the Howth Cliff Walk is non-negotiable.

Getting to Howth from Dublin

By DART

It’s very easy to reach Howth using the DART, which is Dublin’s train system.

Trains leave from Dublin Connolly station, and the ride costs around €5 round trip and takes about 40 minutes.

Trains to Howth run about every 30 minutes. Definitely check the timetable before you head out. You can buy tickets online or get them at the station.

Make sure you get the train to Howth, and not Howth Junction.

By Ferry

If you want the scenic route, there are ferry options from Dublin as well.

You can either take a ferry straight from Dublin, or get to Howth by train and take a ferry from there. I’ll attach ferry options for both cases below.

Worth noting – ferries often also run to Ireland’s Eye in addition to Howth, which is a small uninhabited island just off the coast that’s supposed to be stunning.

Note: There are also guided bus tours that go to the Howth Cliff Walk from Dublin. If you’d rather have all the logistics figure out beforehand, check out this tour.

The Howth Cliff Walk

The walk runs from Howth village all the way to the Baily Lighthouse at the southern tip of the Howth Head peninsula – it takes about two hours at a relaxed pace, but more if you stop frequently (which you will).

Early on you gain a good amount of elevation and get an awesome view of the coastline from high up. On the second half of the walk, the path drops closer to the cliff edge itself, and there are spots where you’re looking straight down into the water below.

Throughout the walk, there will be opportunities to venture off the main trail. Take as many of these opportunities as you can, particularly later in the hike when you can venture down to the lower cliffs.

In general, the walk itself isn’t difficult – there’s a reason why it’s a walk and not a hike. There’s minimal incline, and it’s meant to be taken slow. Stop at nice spots, take lots of photos.

Getting back, you have a few options. You can retrace your steps along the cliff – the same trail but a different perspective is always nice. You can also walk back inland via roads, which takes around 30-40 minutes and is the move if it’s already night-time (this was the case for us).

There’s also a bus from the lighthouse area back to Howth village if you’re lazy. Plug in Howth Station from your location at the end of the walk into Google Maps and it’ll show you where to go.

Beshoff Bros – Best Fish and Chips After the Walk

I usually try and avoid chains, and Beshoff Bros has three locations in Dublin.

However, this one is the original, and I can vouch for it being the best – by far.

The fish is crispy, the fries are fantastic, and you’ll inhale it after the long walk on the cliffs.

It’s a takeout spot – don’t confuse it with Beshoffs Market and Restaurant nearby, which is a different place entirely. Grab your order, walk down to the harbour, and eat there.

Fair warning: the seagulls in Howth are bold. Aggressively, shamelessly bold. I imagine they would make for good Bold Passport readers.

They will gather. They will watch you with their small, beady black eyes. And they will make a move on your fries the moment your guard drops.

A Few Honest Notes on Dublin

Pub hop. This is non-negotiable. My friend and I hit around 15 bars in one night, splitting a Guinness in each. It sounds excessive. Probably was. But every other building in Dublin is a pub, and each of them has their own vibe. Definitely one of the best nights out I’ve ever had traveling.

Check your flight time. Twice. At around 4pm we ended up on the roof of the Guinness Storehouse, beers in hand, when we discovered our 7pm flight was actually a 7am flight. An oh-fuck moment, softened somewhat by the circumstances.

We hurried to the airport, managed to get a flight for the next morning, and spent the night in the terminal. It turned out to be a pretty good night – nice terminal, had the whole place to ourselves, and I FaceTimed into my uncle’s wedding from a departure gate at 2am.

Vet your hostel. On our first night, we were woken around 3am by the sound of liquid hitting the floor. A fellow guest – clearly not in full command of his faculties – had decided the hostel floor was a reasonable alternative to the bathroom.

His (very Irish) friend jumped down from his bed and a very comical confrontation ensued, which included the sounds of slapping, slipping, and roaring that confirmed every stereotype I had ever held about the Irish, but in the best possible way.

Eventually security arrived to restore order. Luckily nothing landed on my bags. I don’t say that randomly, it’s somehow happened to me before (Vietnam), which perhaps says something about my hostel-picking instincts.