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Dublin: Coastal Hiking Tour with Howth Adventures
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From €39 per person
Howth is only 30 minutes from Dublin city centre on the DART, and yet most visitors who make it out there never get further than the harbour and the fish and chips. This 3-hour coastal hike takes you through the parts of the peninsula that most people miss - the heathland trails, the elevated paths, the places where the views open up in a way that genuinely stops you in your tracks.
You meet your guide and fellow guests at Howth Market. From there you head along the harbour, where seals are a regular fixture and your guide fills in the stories of local artists, writers, and rock stars who’ve called Howth home over the years. It’s a good list. Passing through the village, you’ll go by St Mary’s Abbey, founded by the Viking King Sitric in 1042 - a ruin that most people walk past without knowing what it is.
The route climbs to the Ben of Howth, the highest point on the peninsula, where you get panoramic views stretching along the east coast of Ireland. From the summit, the trail heads off the beaten track across heathlands and through wildflowers in season, with plenty of stops for photos along the way. The Summit overlooks the Baily Lighthouse, Dublin Bay, and the Wicklow Mountains on clear days. You finish back down in the village and harbour, where you can make your own plans for the rest of the afternoon.
Wear proper walking shoes, not trainers if you can help it. The heathland trails and cliff paths can be uneven and occasionally muddy after rain, which in Ireland is most of the time. Good grip makes the difference between enjoying the climb to the Ben of Howth and spending it watching your feet.
Check what’s in season before you go. In late spring and summer the heathland is covered in heather and wildflowers, and the views from the summit have a completely different quality to autumn or winter. That said, a clear winter day on Howth Head is something special too - sharper light, fewer people, and the Wicklow Mountains looking very close across the bay.
Howth Market is a great place to linger before or after. It runs on weekends and has local food, crafts, and a decent coffee. Getting there a little early gives you a chance to browse before the walk starts, and it’s a good spot to come back to if you want something to eat after the hike.
The video memento is a nice touch. Your guide captures footage from the walk and puts together a short clip you can keep. It’s not something you’d think to ask for, but it ends up being a genuinely good record of the day - better than trying to film the cliff path yourself with your phone in one hand.
Stay for the afternoon if you can. Howth has seafood restaurants, a castle, a lighthouse walk you can do independently, and cliff paths that go further than the tour covers. The DART back to the city runs regularly, so there’s no rush to head back the moment the guided section ends.