HOWTH. Can you feel the sea breeze in your face? Can you hear the seagulls screaming? Can you smell the fresh fish? Welcome to Howth!

Hey everybuuudy!

What’s the craic? (Not sure if I can pull off this degree of ‘Irish-ness’ (yet)…)

I spent the last week exploring the northern parts of Dublin and discovered one of my – so far – favourite spots in the county Dublin: Howth. Howth is a small fisher village, located on the east coast of Dublin. You can easily reach it by bus (31/a) or train. Besides the lovely inner town with its harbour and great fish restaurants – Howth is believed to have some of Ireland’s best fish & chips places – you can visit a castle, an old abbey or go on a stunning coastal walk up to the Howth lighthouse. There’s so much to do in Howth, that a day almost isn’t enough!

A coastal walk straight out of a picture book

I went to Howth on one of Ireland’s rare sunny days. So I thought, it’s the perfect day to go on a hike along the coastline – and I wasn’t disappointed. The loop walk ‘Bog of the Frogs’ took me along the harbour, around the Nose of Howth and onto the clifftops. Throughout the walk, I could enjoy stunning views of Lambay Island and Ireland’s Eye as well as passed the Baily Lighthouse, climbed the Ben of Howth and got overwhelmed by the scent of coconut from the bright yellow gorse on the heath. The trails are in fairly good conditions. However, you can also step off the beaten paths and climb the cliffs yourself – which is waaay more fun. But see for yourself!

Baily Lighthouse

Built in 1814, Baily Lighthouse is Ireland’s last still automated lighthouse. It is one of Ireland’s most photographed lighthouses – for obvious reasons.

Howth Lighthouse

Baily Lighthouse isn’t the only stunning lighthouse you can spot in Howth. The lighthouse guarding the entrance to Howth Harbour cannot be missed. It is not only a scenic treat but also a historically highly relevant building. It is a symbol for the fight for Irish independence. In 1914, Howth harbour was an entrance for illegal supplies, such as weapons and arms supplies.

I can only recommend to everyone visiting Dublin to plan a day trip to Howth. You can even combine it with visiting Malahide Castle, which is only a short drive from Howth. 

xx Lara