5 Howth Cliff Walk Trails (With Maps)

The Howth Cliff Walk, also known as the Howth Head Walk, is one of a series of trails that takes you along some of Dublin’s most impressive coastal scenery.

On the plus side, the trails are well-trodden and clearly marked, making navigation easy. However, the downside is their popularity—few walks in Dublin attract crowds like the Howth walking routes.

There are five trails, ranging from 1.5 hours to 3 hours, with the longest—the Bog of Frogs Purple Route—starting in Howth village.

Below, you’ll find:

• A Howth Cliff Walk map for each version of the trail
• Info on where to park/how to get there by bus/DART
• A Google Map (at the end) with each of the trails plotted

Some quick need-to-knows about the different Howth Cliff Walk routes

The different versions of the Howth Cliff Walk in Dublin are relatively straightforward, once you take some time to get to know the route before you set off:

1. The trails

There are 5 versions of the Howth walk to tackle, each of which kicks off at the DART station:

1. The Black Linn loop: 8km/2.5 hours
2. The Bog of Frogs loop: 12 km/3 hours
3. The Howth Cliff Path loop: 6 km/2 hours
4. The Tramline Loop: 7 km/2 hours
5. The Howth Summit Walk: 2km/1 hour

2. Difficulty

If you start any of the Howth walks at the DART station, prepare for a long, steep walk. A moderate level of fitness is needed. If you fancy an easier walk with less inclines, drive or get the bus to Howth Summit and do the shorter Howth Summit Walk.

3. Parking

So, there’s no official Howth Cliff Walk car park. Your best bet, if you’re starting the walk in the village, is to park at the harbour (here on Google Maps). Note: the various walks in Howth are some of the most popular things to do in Dublin – if you’re driving, arrive early!

4. Getting here from Dublin City

Getting from Dublin to the Howth Cliffs from the city is easy. You have two options:

• Get the DART from Connolly station (takes around 35 minutes)
• Get the bus from D’olier Street (takes up to 50 minutes)

5. Safety

Regardless of which Howth Head walk you tackle, care is needed. Never get too close to the cliff edge and be mindful of dressing for the weather.

Howth Cliff Walk maps and guides to each of the routes

Below, you’ll find an overview of each of the trails along with a map of each route and what to expect.

At the end, you’ll find an interactive map of the Howth walking routes that’ll prove handy!

Route 1: The Howth Cliff Path loop (aka the Green Route)

This is the most popular version of the Howth Head walk.

It starts from the village, follows the road past Balscadden Bay Beach and then takes you up along the cliffs.

If you look at the map above, you’ll see point ‘E’ – this is the section where most people go wrong. When you reach the residential area, go straight and then follow the instructions on the map.

• Start/finish point: Howth DART station
• Duration: 6 km / 2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Ascent: 130 m

Route 2: The Bog of Frogs loop (aka the Purple Route)

The Bog of the Frogs (what a name!) Loop, aka the Purple Route is one of the tougher walks in Howth, and decent fitness is needed.

This Howth walk kicks off from the DART station and follows purple arrows, taking in everything from Howth Hill and Red Rock Beach to Bailey Lighthouse.

If you look at point ‘G’ on the map above you’ll see that the trail takes you through the golf course – don’t let this put you off, just follow the signs.

• Start/finish point: Howth DART station
• Duration: 12 km / 3 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Ascent: 240 m

Route 3: The Black Linn loop (aka the Red Route)

The next Howth Head walk is known as the Black Linn Loop. This is, as the name suggests, a looped walk and it follows red arrows.

Now, a warning – this is one of the trickier Howth Walks to follow. When you leave the Summit Pub, head here (point ‘E’ on map).

This leads you to the main road (point ‘F’) where you’ll walk up this trail head. Point ‘G’ is also easy to miss (see it here). Then it’s straight sailing!

• Start/finish point: Howth DART station
• Duration: 2.5 hours / 8km
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Ascent: 160 m

Route 4: The Tramline Loop (aka the Blue Route)

Next is the Howth Cliff path Tramline Loop which follows blue arrows and it is arguably the easiest of the trails to follow.

The first section of the trail is the same as the other Howth walking routes, but it changes when you pass the Summit Pub – you need to enter the trail at point ‘E’ on the map.

• Start/finish point: Howth DART station
• Duration: 7 km / 2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Ascent: 130 m

Route 5: The Howth Summit Walk

This is the Howth Cliff Walk that I do most frequently. Usually when I fancy soaking up sea views/air without having to exert myself too much.

You can either park at the summit or get the bus up to the pub. From there, follow the trail to the left of the car park and then follow the well-trodden trail.

• Starting point: The car park at Howth summit
• Duration: 1.5 hours max (you could do it in less time if you don’t stop to soak up the views, but sure what’s the point in that
• Difficulty: Easy

A Google Map of the Howth Head walks

The Google Map above gives a rough outline of each of the Howth hikes.

To use it, tap the square button on the top right and then you’ll be able to show/hide the different trails.

What to do after the Howth hike

So, there’s plenty of things to do in Howth after you’ve polished off one of the Howth walks, from boat tours and pubs to great food and more.

1. A post-walk feed (or pint)

If you fancy a feed or a pint after the Howth Head Walk, you’ve your pick of cosy pubs and excellent restaurants. Here are two guides to hop into:

• 7 of the cosiest pubs in Howth
• 13 of the finest restaurants in Howth

2. Beaches galore

Although you’ll see several of the beaches in Howth over the course of the Howth hike, you won’t see them all.

Red Rock, Balscadden Bay Beach and Claremont Beach are all worth a look!

3. Tours and castles

If you want to do some more exploring after conquering one of the walks in Howth, you’ll find plenty to see and do in our guide to Howth, from Howth Castle (note: now closed) and the boat tour to Ireland’s Eye to the Hurdy Gurdy Museum and more.

FAQs about the Howth Head walk routes

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from where to find a Howth Cliff Walk map to which Howth Cliff Walk car park is the most convenient.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.