Bray To Greystones Cliff Walk Guide (Parking, Walk Time, Trail + Starting Point)

Arguably one of the best walks in Wicklow, the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is a coastal trail that takes in some beautifully rugged scenery.

This 7km stretch showcases a lovely chunk of County Wicklow, and it’s packed with dramatic ocean vistas, verdant hillsides and jaw-dropping cliff views.

Easily accessible from many nearby counties and short enough to complete in a morning or afternoon, this walk is well worth trying this weekend.

In the guide below, you’ll find everything from the Bray to Greystones walk time to where to grab a bite to eat after.

Some quick need-to-knows about the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk

So, as the Greystones to Bray cliff walk is one of the most popular things to do in Wicklow, it tends to get very busy on the weekends, so try and start it early. Here are some other handy need-to-knows:

1. Walk time

All in all, the Bray to Greystones walk takes between 1.5 and 2.5 hours (depending on pace), with a total of 130m climbed across the 7km span. The highest point on the walk stands at 100m above sea level, affording some spectacular views across the adjacent Irish Sea.

2. Walk distance

Standing at 7km from start to finish, the Greystones to Bray walk sits right in that sweet spot of being long enough to build an afternoon around, yet short enough so as not to be too challenging.

3. Difficulty

Thanks to a relatively well-maintained footpath, it’s fairly short length and it’s forgiving climbs, the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is not a particularly difficult one for healthy, fit adults and older children. With that said, the rocky and at times narrow footpath is not particularly well-suited to buggies and so tackling this particular walk with small children is not recommended.

4. The best starting point

Although the route from Bray tends to be more popular amongst walkers, the Greystones to Bray walks is more scenic. You’ll find out why below

5. Parking

So, you can start the walk from the Bray side or the Greystones side, depending on where you’re travelling from. If you start the walk from Bray, you can park at Raheen Park. If you’re starting in Greystones, there’s parking at Greystones Beach (South Beach) and in the town itself.

6. Getting the DART back to your start point

If you don’t fancy walking the entire cliff walk and then restruning the same way, you can just hop on the DART from either town back to where you’ve parked.

7. WARNING (section of route now closed)

Due to a number of landslides, the Cliff Walk between Bray and Greystones has had to be temporarily closed, due to safety worries. We’ll update this guide when the trail reopens fully.

What to expect on the Bray to Greystones walk

The beauty of the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk lies in its simplicity. For much of the walk, you’ll follow the railway line around Bray Head through fields and hills and along the ruggedly beautiful eastern coastline.

The walk is ideal for nature lovers as it is packed with opportunities to glimpse local flora and fauna (there are also several interesting features along the way – more on this in a moment!).

For those less inclined toward the natural world, the walk nonetheless offers a refreshing way to spend an afternoon.

Regardless of which way you choose to complete the walk, most people decide to take the DART back to either Bray or Greystones once they have completed the route.

Why the Greystones to Bray Cliff Walk packs more of a punch (in our opinion)

The question of where to start the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is one that depends very much on personal preference and circumstances.

For example, most walkers agree that the most thrilling section of the walk is the area around Bray Head, where the views are at their most brilliant.

So, deciding where to start the walk should take into account that if you start in Bray, the most interesting section will be out of the way fairly quickly.

That’s not to say that the area toward Greystones is boring, it just means that the Bray Head part is particularly gorgeous.

Personally, I always start the walk from Greytones and continue out to Bray before grabbing the DART back to the car.

Things to keep an eye out for when doing the Greystones to Bray Cliff Walk

The main reason that the Bray to Greystones walk has proved so immensely popular down the years is due to the sheer volume of exciting sites that line the route.

Whether you come for the beautiful flowers and ferns that bloom throughout spring and summer or you’re more interested in the area’s rich birdlife, there is something to suit all tastes. 

Flora And Fauna

Gorgeous red valerian is everywhere to be seen along the walk, whilst there is ample opportunity to spy other floral species like honeysuckle and dog rose.

As for ornithologists, Guillemots, Black Guillemots, Razorbills, Shags and Cormorants are all frequently spotted along the Bray to Greystones walk.

Historical sites

For those more predisposed to human endeavors, the walk is packed with historical treasures too. These include the ruins of the hauntingly beautiful Raheen na gClig church as well as Lord Meath’s Lodge.

How to get to Bray or Greystones without a car

Bray is a major town in County Wicklow and so is easily accessible from across the region by either car or DART.

The car journey from Dublin will take a little over an hour whilst the train journey to Bray should take around forty minutes.

Greystones is merely an extra ten minutes further down the line if you would prefer to start the walk there. 

The beauty of the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is that you can simply jump the DART back ten minutes in either direction after you’re finished. From there you can jump back in the car and head home for some well-earned rest.

Things to do after the 

One of the beauties of doing the Bray to Greystones Walk is that there’s plenty to see and do (and eat…) after you finished.

Below, you’ll find some attractions and restaurants that you can nip into after you finish your walk. Dive on in.

1. Post-walk food

There’s plenty of great restaurants in Greystones and there’s an almost endless number of restaurants in Bray for a post cliff walk feed. From fancy dining to cheap and tasty eats, there’s something to tickle every tastebud. 

2. Things to do in both towns

If you fancy handing around either town, there’s plenty of things to do in Bray and there’s a fair few things to do in Greystones, too. In Bray, you’ve the likes of the Bray Head Walk while in Greystones, there’s Greystones Beach and much more.

3. Nearby attractions

There’s plenty of other places to visit in Wicklow that you can explore after you finish up the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk. Here are a handful of ideas (drive times listed):

• Powerscourt Waterfall (15 minutes from Bray, 18 minutes from Greystones)
• Wicklow Gaol (15 minutes from Bray, 26 minutes from Greystones)
• Lough Tay (27 minutes from Bray, 26 minutes from Greystones)
• Wicklow Mountains National Park (33 minutes from Bray, 32 minutes from Greystones)

Some final FAQs about the Bray to Greystones walk

Hopefully you’ll have found everything you need from the guide above, but I’ll pop in some of the most frequently asked questions about the walk below.

If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, let me know in the comments section below.

How long is the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk?

All in all, the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk takes about two and a half hours, with a total of 130m climbed across the 7km span.

Where do you park for the Greystones to Bray Cliff Walk?

If you’re doing the walk from Bray, you can park at Raheen Park. If you’re starting at Greystones, there’s parking at South Beach.

Is the walk buggy-friendly?

For the most part, the Bray to Greystones walk is buggy friendly, however, there is a stretch that goes on for around 1km where the ground is very rocky. There’s also a lot of sections where the path is narrow, which isn’t ideal.

What’s the best starting point for the walk from Bray to Greystones?

Although the route from Bray is more popular I far prefer the trail from Greystones, as it’s much more scenic.