← All Ireland tours via partner · From €75 · 3 hours 
Howth: Guided Sea Kayaking To Baily Lighthouse with Pictures
Free cancellation 6 traveller reviews Booked securely via partner
Check availability & prices →
From €75 per person
This three-hour guided kayak trip takes you along one of the most scenic stretches of coastline on Dublin’s doorstep - from Shielmartin Road in North Howth out to the Baily Lighthouse. It’s a route that passes through centuries of history while putting you right at sea level, which is a very different perspective from the cliff path above.
You start with a safety briefing and get fitted with a wetsuit, lifejacket, and all the gear you need. Then you’re in the water and paddling south, with the Martello Tower coming into view early on. As you pass the 19th-century coastal buildings, the cliffs come alive with cormorants, seagulls, and terns, and seals are a common sight along this stretch. Your guide explains the architectural and maritime history as you go, from the Viking era right through to the present day.
The highlight is reaching Baily Lighthouse, perched at the southern tip of the Howth Peninsula above Dublin Bay. You stop at a small beach area for coffee, tea, and refreshments before paddling back to the start. Photos from the trip are included, so you’ll have the whole thing captured.
Shielmartin Road is on the quieter, northern side of the Howth Peninsula. If you’re coming from Dublin city, take the DART to Howth and give yourself enough time to walk up to the start point, or arrange a taxi from the village. Google Maps will get you there, but allow a bit of extra time if it’s your first visit.
No kayaking experience is needed, and the guides mean it. The safety briefing at the start covers everything, and the pace is gentle enough that first-timers are comfortable within a few minutes of being on the water. The guides pick routes that suit the group, so don’t let a lack of experience put you off.
The seal sightings along this stretch are genuinely reliable. Howth’s coastline is one of the better spots in the greater Dublin area for watching grey seals in their own environment. You’re at sea level with them rather than peering down from the cliffs, which makes for a very different encounter.
Baily Lighthouse from the water is something you don’t forget easily. It sits at the southernmost tip of Howth Head, and paddling up to it rather than viewing it from a trail above gives you a real sense of the scale of the headland. The beach stop there is a good moment to take it all in before the paddle back.
Bring a dry bag for your phone if you want to take your own photos along the way. The guide provides trip photos, but having your own options during the paddle is worth planning for.