Afternoon Trips to the Coast

Something that I didn’t originally know about Dublin is how close it is to the coast… and I must say, I am very happy about it. There are tons of adorable beach towns that are just a 30 minute train ride from Dublin. Plus, they’re easily accessible (and affordable) via Dublin Area Rapid Transit or DART.

The beauty of these towns is how easy it is to get there. One day, we got out of class at 1pm and a few of us spent the afternoon in Dún Laoghaire (pronounced “done leery,” Irish is hard). Dún Laoghaire is a cute little beach town just south of the city center. First, we stopped into a place called Scrum Diddly’s for some decadent ice cream. (Check them out on Instagram… Their photos will make you hungry.)

There is a place called “40 Foot” where you can cliff-jump into the ocean, but it was a bit chilly that day, so we just watched the local kids swim. Also, there is a long walk that you can take to the top of Killiney Hill. At the top of the hill there is a gorgeous view of the coast and the town. We trekked up to the top of the hill and spent about an hour having a picnic in the late afternoon sun. It was one of the most relaxing afternoons that I have spent here so far.

Another town that we visited was Howth. Yet again, it was only about 30 minutes on the train from Dublin city. Howth has an amazing hiking trail that takes a little over an hour, and there are some magnificent views of the coast. After the hike, we ate lunch and explored the town a bit. There is a great market with food from all over the world, souvenirs, sweet treats and jewelry. I even bought a few souvenirs for myself there! Once we had seen everything at the market, we walked out to the water and sunbathed while listening to street performers.

There is still more coastal cities with hiking that we haven’t visited yet. I have been told to visit two neighboring towns called Bray and Greystones. There is another hike with fantastic views in Bray called the Bray Head Cliff Walk. It is also a nice walk to the town of Greystones. In both of these towns, there are some lovely beaches for swimming, walking and sunbathing. I have absolutely loved traveling around Dublin county and seeing all of the gorgeous little beach town. I can’t wait to see more!