Morriscastle Beach is, in my opinion, one of the most stunning beaches in Wexford.
I’d say any beach that forms part of a ‘Golden Mile’ should be taken seriously! In fact, this stretch of stunning sands goes on for a lot longer for a mile, but let’s not get bogged down in semantics!
Morriscastle Beach is a great spot on the County Wexford coast and it’s a spectacular spot to visit regardless of time of year.
Below, you’ll find info on parking, swimming and things to do while you’re there. Dive on in!
Some quick need-to-knows about Morriscastle Beach
Although a visit to Morriscastle Beach is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.
1. Location
Stretching from Cahore in the north to Tinnaberna in the south, Morriscastle Beach is found along the Wexford coast in the east of Ireland. It’s a 25-minute drive from Courtown and a a 30-minute drive from Enniscorthy and Wexford Town.
2. Parking
The car park on Morriscastle Road (here on Google Maps). You’ll find it on the left-hand side of the road and then it’s just a short walk down to the beach (look out for the big blue flag in the middle of the cark park!).
3. Swimming
Awarded Blue Flag beach status in 2008, Morriscastle is a gorgeous clean family-friendly beach that’s popular for swimming. There are also lifeguards on-site during the summer months, should you decide to take a dip!
4. Toilets
Male, female and disabled toilets are available all year round, though it should be noted that a Universal key is required to gain access to the accessible toilets. An outside cold shower (not for the fainthearted outside of the summer months!) is also available if you want to clean down after a swim in the sea.
5. Water safety (please read)
Understanding water safety is absolutely crucial when visiting beaches in Ireland. Please take a minute to read these water safety tips. Cheers!
About Morriscastle Beach
Remember that Golden Mile I was talking about earlier? So Morriscastle Beach is actually part of a number of beaches that stretch for approximately 22 km from Cahore Beach to Curracloe in County Wexford, one of the longest unbroken stretches of beach in Europe!
The beach itself runs parallel to a wide, deep sand dune system, meaning that it’s very sheltered if you want to relax on Morriscastle during the summer months (and is especially good for families).
This stretch of Wexford coast is important from a natural point of view with a Special Area of Conservation (SPA) – the Kilmuckridge / Tinnaberna Sandhills – just to the south where, if you’re lucky, you might see seals swimming near the shore!
Morriscastle also has a reputation as an angler’s beach, with bass often caught here as well as various dogfish and flatfish.
Things to do at Morriscastle Beach
Photos via Lawlers of Morriscastle on FB
There’s a handful of things to do in and around Morriscastle Beach that makes it the perfect morning or afternoon destination.
1. Grab a coffee (or ice cream) from Lawlers of Morriscastle
Lawlers of Morriscastle is one of those perfect little beach shops that you wish could be at every beach! And by that, I mean it serves every need – Coffee in the morning? Check. Fish and chips for lunch?
Check. Ice cream at pretty much anytime? Check! And they even do pizza, too. Find them on the north side of Morriscastle Road just before the car park.
2. Then flick off your shoes and head for a ramble
If you’ve come for a nice long ramble then you’ve certainly come to the right place! With arguably more sandy beaches than any other spot in Ireland, there’s an absolute ton of choice for a stroll at any time of day.
Whether it’s a brisk winter walk or a balmy summer stroll, feel the sea air coming in from the Irish sea and enjoy Wexford’s golden sands to their fullest.
3. Or brave the chilly water and head for a paddle
Even if it’s a nice summer’s day, the chances of the water being warm are still pretty minimal – this is Ireland after all! But just because it isn’t the Mediterranean, that doesn’t mean you can’t go in for a paddle and enjoy splashing in this freshest of coasts.
And with its Blue Flag status, these are some of the country’s cleanest waters. Just make sure to always use caution when entering the water.
Places to visit near Morriscastle Beach
One of the beauties of Morriscastle Beach is that it’s a short spin away from many of the best places to visit in Wexford.
Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Morriscastle.
1. Wells House & Gardens (15-minute drive)
Photos via Wells House & Garden on FB
Wells House and Gardens is a Victorian Tudor-Gothic country house museum, located around 7 km outside of Kilmuckridge and a 15-minute drive from Morriscastle Beach. Dating back to the 1830s, there’s loads to do here including a tour of the house, an animal farm and woodland walks.
2. Old Bawn Beach (15-minute drive)
Photos via Shutterstock
Merging with Morriscastle Beach to the north, Old Bawn Beach sits at the northern end of this cracking stretch of golden sands. It’s a lovely spot and also forms part of the Cahore Cliff Walk if you’re of an active mindset and fancy hitting a trail for the afternoon (it’s not too long and only takes an hour to complete).
3. Talbot Lake and Nature Walk (20-minute drive)
Photos via Talbot Lake and Nature Walk on FB
Speaking of walks, this one is in the other direction and more inland but is just as pleasant. Set on the grounds of a sprawling Georgian estate, the trail is a 1.5km lakeside nature walk around a beautiful man-made lake. Just a 20-minute drive from Morriscastle, it’s a nice change of scene from Wexford’s many coastal spots.
4. Tulach a’ tSolais monument (20-minute drive)
Opened in 1999, the Tulach a’ tSolais monument was built to commemorate the bicentenary of the 1798 Rebellion. Located on Oulart Hill and around a 20-minute drive from Morriscastle Beach, it’s a unique grassy burial mound that really catches the eye at first glance.
FAQs about visiting Morriscastle Beach
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘How long is it?’ to ‘Where do you park?’.
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.
Is Morriscastle Beach worth visiting?
Yes, yes… yes! This is a glorious beach, especially around sunrise, that’s an absolute joy to saunter along regardless of time of year.
Can you swim at Morriscastle Beach?
Morriscastle is a gorgeous clean family-friendly beach that’s popular for swimming. Note, however, that lifeguards are only on-site during the summer months.