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10 amazing cliff walks around Ireland
Howth Cliff Path Loop, County Dublin
1. Howth Cliff Path Loop, County Dublin
Jump on a Dart from the centre of Dublin and, a pleasant train ride later, you’ll be out in the small coastal village of Howth. Despite being so close to the city centre, Howth feels like a world away with its restaurant-lined pier, bustling pubs, gregarious seals and bobbing boats. It also boasts one of the most gorgeous cliff walks on the east coast: the Howth Cliff Path Loop. The 6km trail sweeps out towards the tip of the craggy, lighthouse-tipped Howth Peninsula along a narrow path and boasts incredible views of the surrounding coastline and the Irish Sea. Once back in the village, treat yourself to a well-earned feast of fish and chips from Beshoff Bros.
North Antrim Cliff Path, Country Antrim
2. North Antrim Cliff Path, Country Antrim
The Causeway Coast is a rugged, wave-lashed coastline in Northern Ireland with black basalt and chalky white cliffs, romantic crumbling castle ruins, and long sandy beaches. It’s also a great place to walk with the Causeway Coastal Way a firm favourite with ramblers. The route takes about two-to-three days to complete, so if you’re short on time (and energy) then the Antrim Cliff Path Section (8km) is ideal. The trail goes from the Giant’s Causeway to the ancient royal site of Dunseverick Castle and boasts a spectacular cliff landscape on one side, with sylvan farmland on the other. Bear in mind the route is linear, but if you’re feeling too puffed to walk back, a bus will bring you most of the way, so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the view!
Gobbins Cliff Path, County Antrim
3. Gobbins Cliff Path, County Antrim
With most cliff walks on the island of Ireland, it’s all about the view from the top, but the Gobbins is different. This immersive, exciting path instead brings you into the heart of the action – along the cliff face where you can enjoy front-row views of the churning waters and crashing waves of the North Channel. Expect bridges, tunnels, swirling sea birds and purifying sea air along this 5km guided experience. Advance booking is advised.
Ardmore Cliff Path, County Waterford
4. Ardmore Cliff Path, County Waterford
Set close to the small village of Ardmore in County Waterford, the Ardmore Cliff Path is a wonderful walk into history. The 4km trail starts with an introduction to St Declan’s Well, an Early Christian well, before following a cliff-edge path that passes a shipwreck and two lookout posts from the Napoleonic era. With fabulous sea views and gorgeous green fields, the walk then descends towards the village, where you’ll see a 12th-century cathedral and round tower, one of the best preserved in Ireland.
Sheep’s Head Lighthouse Loop, County Cork
5. Sheep’s Head Lighthouse Loop, County Cork
The Sheep’s Head Peninsula in County Cork is home to an array of incredible scenery – it’s wild and windswept and makes a great place to walk. The pinnacle of the Sheep’s Head Way – a 93km walking route around the peninsula – is the Lighthouse Loop, a 4.2km looped trail that undulates over rugged landscapes out to the lighthouse. Expect monumental sea views, craggy headlands and cliffs, and blasts of fresh Atlantic air.
Bishop’s Gate Walking Trail, County Londonderry
6. Bishop’s Gate Walking Trail, County Londonderry
It might be short at 3.2km but this walk out to the clifftop at Downhill Demesne is most definitely sweet. The trail is a mix of sheltered gardens and dramatic clifftops, which starts at the Bishop’s Gate Gardens and heads towards the stunning cliff-edge Mussenden Temple, an 18th-century building perched high above the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, stop off and have a look at the ruins of Downhill House, a late 18th-century mansion built for the 4th Earl of Bristol and Bishop of Derry.
Erris Head Loop, County Mayo
7. Erris Head Loop, County Mayo
If cliff-walk perfection for you means dramatic headlands, scraggy sheep and a panorama of green hills that tumble to the sea, then Erris Head is the one for you. Located on the Mullet Peninsula in County Mayo, this is a varied and exciting walk of around 5km, with spectacular views of the rocky island-studded waters around this coastline. Go on a clear day and you might also get a view of Eagle Island, which was once home to the families of the island’s lighthouse keepers.
The North Engine Loop, Allihies, West Cork
8. The North Engine Loop, Allihies, West Cork
This walk – accessed from the colourful West Cork village of Allihies – has two quite different sections: coastal and inland. Bird-flecked cliffs, rocky fields, crashing waves and vast sea views mark the coastal part of the walk, which then detours inland and climbs into the disused Mountain Mine area. Keep going and you’ll eventually loop back to the village, where music, food and pints await inside the bright-red O’Neill’s Bar & Restaurant.
Aughris Head Cliff Walk, County Sligo
9. Aughris Head Cliff Walk, County Sligo
Sligo tends to get overlooked when it comes to coastal cliff walks, but those in the know seek it out for its wild scenery, quiet trails and lovely coastal views. The Aughris Head Cliff Walk is perfect for getting the very best of coastal Sligo in one short walk. It may only be about 4km long, but you’re brought out along majestic cliffs with outstanding coastal views on one side and Sligo’s flat-topped Ben Bulben mountain on the other. Finish things off with a bite to eat at The Beach Bar, a traditional thatched pub and restaurant.
Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk, County Clare
10. Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk, County Clare
Probably the best-known of Ireland’s cliff walks, this 20km linear route is also arguably one of the best. You can start and finish either in the town of Lahinch or the village of Doolin, or else just walk a section of it – such as Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher. It’s as breathtaking as you’d expect with green fields that sweep out to meet vertiginous cliff edges, scatterings of pretty sea-pink flowers and soul-stirring ocean views.
