The Howth Cliff Path

The Howth Cliff Path is a hiking trail that takes in the best of the Howth Peninsula (Co. Dublin). Over a distance of 7.1km, you can plunge into the heart of a magnificent wilderness, where land and sea gracefully coexist. The trail offers breathtaking views of the sea, Howth lighthouse and its cliffs. You’re in for a real treat!

Howth Cliff Path

A hike to explore the Howth Peninsula

If you like pretty walks with beautiful panoramas as rewards for your effort, then you won’t be disappointed doing the circuit! It has to be said that the path to do the walk is quite hilly and doesn’t represent any great difficulty, but the surrounding view is breathtaking!

The hike takes about 2 hours to complete. The path is signposted from end to end, alternating between dirt and asphalt at different points. However, there are some very narrow, muddy passages on the cliff edges: be careful!

Nonetheless, good sneakers or hiking boots are all you need for this tour: it’s an easy one and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

The Howth Cliff Path is a pretty nice loop to do. Howth is easily reached from Dublin by DART or bus. And it’s a sight to behold straight away: the highlights include Baily Lighthouse, a magnificent Irish lighthouse at the end of the Peninsula. Always active, he tirelessly watches over the comings and goings of the boats. The view is fascinating and a real change of scenery.

And don’t hesitate to take your time to admire and take some photos of the Howth cliffs. The peninsula’s rugged coastline overlooks Dublin Bay, offering some of the finest sea views in the region!

These are quite pretty, and are home to some unique flora and fauna. It’s a great opportunity to observe the many seabirds that live nearby.

A word of advice, though: don’t forget to bundle up warmly and bring rain gear: the sea is cold, and you can feel the spray, even from the top of the cliffs! And don’t forget to stay close to children: there’s no protection on the cliffs, and falls can unfortunately happen.

Where to start the tour?

The Howth Cliff Path starts at Howth station: signs with green arrows immediately mark out the loop. All you have to do is follow the path, and stay on it. You’ll then take the east pier of Howth harbour, and follow the coastline.

One advantage of the loop is that you can stop midway to eat at one of Howth’s many restaurants.