Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk, Dublin

Just a short 15 minute DART ride from the city, the Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk is a handy seaside stroll for one and all, with the crowning jewel being the fire engine red lighthouse at the end of a cobblestone path.

Distance:

The walk is about 11km long (depending on where you start) and takes roughly 2.5 hours to complete.  

Difficulty:

Easy  

How to get there:

As this blog post is focused on public transport accessibility, your starting point will be Dublin Connolly Station. Here you will have to jump on the DART (train) heading towards either Bray or Greystones.

Your stop to get on the Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk is Sandymount Station.

The DART ride to Sandymount takes about 15 minutes and a return ticket costs €3.30.

To find out DART times, visit www.irishrail.ie

Getting on the Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk:

Originally, there is a well-trodden path that starts at the Sean Moore Park in Sandymount and leads you all the way to the lighthouse.

If you are up for a bit more adventure and it happens to be low tide, I can definitely recommend starting at Sandymount Beach and walking on the beach all the way to Poolbeg Lighthouse. It is a pretty cool experience, just be prepared to walk through knee-deep water at times. Shorts, no shoes and sand between the toes; what’s not to love? 

Map of the Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk from Sandymount Strand. I have also indicated where the swimming spot is.

What to expect:

The walk is an easy stroll on both off-road terrain and a short piece of tarred road with the last 1.5km being a long strip of cobblestone road that leads you to Poolbeg Lighthouse. The views of ships coming into Dublin’s harbour and being surrounded by the Irish Sea left and right is quite special.

It is pretty cool that you can get so close to the lighthouse – it is probably the first lighthouse in Ireland I have been to that is not fenced off.

Not to be missed:

I LIVE for a good dip in the sea and I have found one of my favourite swimming spots around Dublin on the Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk.

There is a small changing area on the cobblestone path to the lighthouse. A ladder leads into the most beautiful, crystal-clear water.

It’s a really calm spot to go for a swim, so definitely hop in – you won’t regret it.

There are no lifeguards on duty here.

Public toilets:

There are no public toilets along this route. If you do need to use the restroom, this is the only trick I know: Get a coffee, treat, meal and use the premise’s toilets. It’s a win-win situation really.