Dublin Day Trips: Bray to Greystones

The other day, B asked me if I could send him my Dublin itinerary to forward to a visitor in town. As I'm writing itineraries for various European cities, you would think I'd have a great itinerary for the city I'm living in, right? Nope! It got me thinking that I need to put more focus back into Dublin and the surrounding areas. 

The city itinerary is a work in progress, but I'm starting a new series: Dublin Day Trips. 

I've gone on several day trips around the Dublin area that I would definitely recommend for visitors. What's great about Dublin being pretty compact is that you get out of the city quickly. You can take a 30 minute train ride or car ride and be in much more rural, picturesque spot for hiking, lounging, etc. The first trip I'll cover is Bray to Greystones.

Boardwalk & Beach in Bray

Bray and Greystones are two separate coastal towns located just across the Dublin county border in Wicklow. Trains first arrived from Dublin in 1854 and Bray became the hot spot for urban holiday goers, so it was developed to resemble an English beachside town. Greystones is a quaint little town named for a stretch of stones on the beachfront, and makes the location where the southbound DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) terminates.  

View of Bray Boardwalk from the start of the Cliff Walk

The "Bray to Greystones" trip involves catching the DART to either destination (I prefer Bray) and taking the Cliff Walk from one point to the other. You can walk along the boardwalk in Bray, complete the Cliff Walk, stop for a bite in Greystones, and hop on a train back to the city in 3-5 hours total. It's the perfect half day trip! I've done this 5 times now and have enjoyed it every time!

The Cliff Walk itself is about ~3.5 miles and is not strenuous (I've done it in flip flops a couple times, but I would recommend gym shoes!). The route boasts spectacular coastal scenery -- some that, in my opinion, rivals some of the most beautiful places in Ireland on a sunny day. Even after 5 times, the beauty doesn't get old and I'm still compelled to take pictures each time.

See what I mean? Stunning. The path winds around the edges of the cliffs, showing off views of the train cutting through the hillside, rounds off for a great vista of the beach and Greystones in the distance (below), and brings you through country fields on the decline into town. 

My favorite place to end the walk is at The Beach House in Greystones. It's a bright pink pub/restaurant at the end of the walk with a large back patio (useful if you're lucky enough to get a nice day!). It's the ideal place to refuel with a pint and some good local food before walking through the little town centre and heading back into Dublin. 

You can't miss it!

The Bray to Greystones walk is unquestionably one of my top choices for Dublin Day Trips. It's cheap, relatively quick, close to the city, and gorgeous! I'd suggest this for anyone staying longer than 1 day in Dublin, as the city itself is easy to see in a short amount of time. 

More day trips to come...