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Howth Coastal Walk
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From €5 per person
Just 20km from Dublin city, the Hill of Howth feels like a completely different world. You can watch porpoises and seals from the cliff path, eat some of the best seafood on the east coast, and wander around an old harbour that seems barely touched by the last century. Dense forests, dramatic cliffs, and a genuinely characterful village make it easy to understand why people call it Dublin’s best-kept secret.
This private five-hour walk starts at the top of Howth Hill, right beside the Summit Inn - the highest pub in Dublin at 200 metres - where you take in views across Dublin City and the Bay before you set off. From there you ramble along the cliffs with the screech of seagulls and salt air for company, arriving into the old harbour about 90 minutes later. It moves at a natural pace, with your guide pointing out the flora and fauna along the way and saving the stories for the right moments.
Those stories are worth waiting for. Your guide brings Howth’s history to life as you go - Howth’s part in the 1916 Rising, the tales of Grace O’Malley the Pirate Queen, local folklore, and plenty of the easy wit and banter you’d expect from someone who knows this place inside out. The walk finishes at the harbour, and you can round off the afternoon at one of the bar-restaurants close by. It pairs naturally with a Dublin city tour if you’re spending a few days in the area.
Start with the views before you head down. You’re beginning at 200 metres, and on a clear morning you can see right across Dublin Bay to the Wicklow Mountains on one side and Lambay Island on the other. Take a few minutes at the Summit Inn before you set off - it’s one of the finest vantage points in the county and easy to rush past when you’re eager to get walking.
The harbour is worth lingering in. When you arrive at the old harbour after your clifftop walk, resist the urge to head straight for food. Walk along the pier first, watch the fishing boats, and take in the way the village wraps around the water. Howth has been a working fishing harbour since medieval times and it still feels that way, especially in the early morning or late afternoon when the boats are coming and going.
Seals are reliable but unpredictable. There’s a seal colony near the harbour that tends to be very visible, particularly in the late morning. You might also spot them from the clifftop path if you keep an eye on the rocks below. The seabirds are even more reliable - cormorants dry their wings on rocks, guillemots nest on the cliffs, and you’ll likely hear puffins before you see them in the right season.
For seafood, go local and go fresh. Howth is one of the few places in Ireland where you can eat seafood that was caught the same morning. The harbour has a handful of restaurants and fishmongers that locals trust - your guide will point you toward the right ones. Avoid anywhere with a laminated menu and a tout out front.
The DART back to Dublin is part of the experience. Howth is on the DART line, which means you can travel back to the city along the coast with views of Dublin Bay the whole way. It takes about 30 minutes to Connolly or Tara Street, and the journey from Howth station - right at the harbour end of your walk - is one of the most scenic commutes in Ireland.