Overview
Howth is a working fishing harbour on a headland at the north end of Dublin Bay, reached from the city centre by DART. That train ride is the reason it works so well as a day out: you step off near the harbour and can soon be on a sea-cliff path with the whole bay below you. Walk a waymarked route on the headland and eat afterwards at the harbour, where seafood restaurants sit by the water.
The headland is protected by a Special Amenity Area Order, so it has stayed largely undeveloped: heathland, nesting seabirds and long views over Dublin Bay. The trade-off is crowds. On a fine summer weekend the village and the trails fill up, so come by DART or come early.
A Norse name and a Norman castle
People have been on this headland since the Neolithic: there’s a midden dating back some 5,000 years and the portal tomb known as Aideen’s Grave. The name comes from the Old Norse hǫfuð (“head”), a trace of the Viking presence in Dublin Bay. The Anglo-Normans took the peninsula in 1177, and in 1180 the St Lawrence family was granted the lordship of Howth.
The family held Howth Castle for over eight centuries before the Gaisford-St Lawrences sold it to Tetrarch Capital in 2019. The oldest parts, the keep and gate tower, date to around 1450, and the house was added to and remodelled over the centuries, including an early-20th-century remodelling by the architect Edwin Lutyens. The castle is not a general visitor attraction, so check ahead rather than turning up expecting to get in.
Walking the cliffs and coast
Fingal County Council maps several waymarked walks from the DART station. The green arrows lead towards the Summit. Longer routes add more climbing and exposed ground, so follow current signs and keep back from the cliffs. In poor weather, choose the harbour for a shorter walk.
Keep an eye on the water as you go. Grey seals haul out around the harbour and the rocks below, porpoises and dolphins can pass through the bay, and the cliffs hold a seabird colony, which makes spring and early summer a good time for birdwatching. Leave harbour operations clear and give any seals space. The paths are narrow with steep, unguarded drops in places, so keep children and dogs close.
The summit and the lighthouse
Climbing to the Ben of Howth (171 m) gives a fine viewpoint on the east coast. On a clear day the panorama runs from Lambay Island and Ireland’s Eye across to the Wicklow Mountains.
Below the summit, on the tip of the headland, the Baily Lighthouse (built 1814) still guides ships into Dublin Bay. The lighthouse itself is closed to the public, so don’t plan a walk around getting inside.
The harbour and Ireland’s Eye
The harbour is the centre of the village. The East and West Piers were enlarged in the early 19th century for the mail-packet service, and today they frame leisure boats, an RNLI lifeboat station and the commercial fishing fleet. Seafood restaurants line parts of the waterfront.
Visit Dublin lists local boat trips to Ireland’s Eye, an uninhabited island. Ask the operator whether the trip circles the island or includes a landing, and check the return and weather terms before you book.
Practical tips
- Getting there: Use the TFI journey planner for the train to Howth. If you drive, use signed public parking.
- Accessibility: The cliff paths are uneven, narrow and exposed. For a gentler outing, stay around the harbour.
- What to pack: Weather on the headland turns fast, even in summer. Bring a waterproof and proper shoes; the cliff edges are exposed.
Nearby coastal stops
If you have time beyond the headland, Baldoyle has a long promenade and access to the coastal cycle route. Heading the other way, Sutton has a quieter harbour and a sandy beach. Come in late spring or early autumn for the best light and the quietest trails, and start early to catch the wildlife before the day crowds arrive.