Originally written in August 2017.
Just south of Dublin, in Wicklow County, awaits the Bray to Greystones cliff walk - a perfect escape from days spent touring the city.
While many travelers in Ireland find it difficult to explore nearby attractions (such as the Wicklow Mountains & Glendalough) without a car, this trip is very accessible and a worthy way to spend a sunny afternoon -if you’re lucky enough to have one. (But as my Irish friends tell me, if you use the weather as an excuse not to do something, you never will.)
For travelers based in Dublin, the easiest way to get started is a 30-45 minute ride on the Dart, a commuter train that goes up and down the coast. Take any train going south and you’ll find yourself in the town of Bray, which is where your hike will begin.
The cliff walk takes about 1.5 hours each way, but you really only need to go one way to enjoy it. You’ll arrive at the town of Greystones at the end of your journey, which offers a Dart back to Dublin and some great restaurant options.
As far as hikes go, I would say this one isn’t very challenging (plenty of kids and older people were walking the trail), but the views are exceptionally rewarding. My partner and I enjoyed it on a sunny Sunday in June, and more than a few times I found myself forgetting where I was, I was so entranced by the turquoise water and lush landscape. (Is this place actually in Ireland, or somewhere on the French Riviera?!) I had no idea Ireland’s coastline would look like this.
The beach in Bray (where the cliff walk begins) was full of people and music, plus tons of food stands, ice cream stands, little coffee shops, etc that all had massive lines out the door. It was wonderful to stroll by, although I do recommend eating before your hike and getting food in Greystones afterward, which is what we did.
While the cliff walk is pretty popular with tourists and locals alike, it’s definitely worth doing. At no point did the trail feel crowded, even on a weekend. Some parts of the walk even felt a bit secluded.
The walk starts at the beach (just steps from the Dart station) and takes you up along the cliff where you’ll enjoy the coastline for the full ~1.5 hours.
We got to see tons of birds, tunnels carved into the cliff for the train and even found a little ice cream truck. Plus, we made a friend! An adorable dog followed us for most of the hike until we stopped too long to take pictures... at which point he found a new group to join.
At the end of the trip, you’ll find lots of quaint places for food. My recommendation is to eat at The Happy Pear, a vegan restaurant that is very popular with locals. Neither my partner nor I are vegan, but we loved the fresh, affordable food options and generous portions. My favorite was the daal lentil dish, which I have now gotten twice.
When you’re done enjoying Greystones you can easily grab the Dart home, or do the walk back to Bray. Either way, it’s sure to be a great experience if you’re eager to see Ireland’s natural beauty without a lot of hassle!
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