When planning a longer weekend in Dublin, it's worth taking a moment off the city's hustle and bustle and spend one day visiting the capital’s neighbourhood. Particularly noteworthy is Howth Head - a peninsula located about 15 kilometers north-east of Dublin. It's a popular holiday destination among Dubliners, offering several spectacular walking trails around the Howth Hills. The paths lead mainly along the shoreline, which is why you can admire steep cliffs, coves with hidden wild beaches, and on sunny days the skyline of Dublin stretched in front of the Wicklow mountains. The town of Howth itself is a typically tourist fishing village with numerous pubs and street attractions.

HOW TO GET TO HOWTH HEAD?

You can easily get to the peninsula from the center of Dublin in several ways: by car, by train or by bus. You can find the route via GPS when travelling by car, and here's how to get there using public transport:

• Train - use the so-called DART train and start at the Dublin Connolly station, which is in the center of Dublin, then get off at Howth station (not Howth Junction and Donaghmede). An adult ticket costs 3.30 euro one way, or 6.25 euro return. The journey lasts less than 30 minutes. HERE you can check the exact timetable.

• City bus – Howth Head can be reached by line 31, 31b or 38 - it all depends where you want to departure. The easiest way to set the destination route is on Google Maps and choose the access by public transport. The ticket costs 3.30 euro one way. ATTENTION: the driver only accepts the exact amount in cash, so prepare yourself with enough coins! More information about prices and timetable can be found HERE.

HOWTH HEAD’S WALKING TRAILS
All routes begin at the DART railway station in the town of Howth, but if you travel by bus, it stops much further, near the descent to the cliffs. It does not really matter where you start the journey, unless our goal is only cliffs - then I recommend getting as far east as possible.

• PURPLE TRAIL - The longest hiking trail, called the Bog of Frogs Loop, is twelve kilometers long, and it takes an average of three hours to walk. This route is relatively easy, because in addition to several hills, you will not encounter major difficulties along the way, so even children can easily pass. It is recommended, however, to put on built-up shoes on a rigid sole, because there are many stones in some places on the path.

• RED TRAIL – an eight-kilometer route leads along the coast to the highest elevation on the peninsula, and then to the starting point. It is called Black Linn Loop.

• GREEN TRAIL – Cliff Path Loop is the shortest route with a length of six kilometers leads mainly along the cliffs up to the highest "peak" on the peninsula and back to the beginning of the route.

In addition to spectacular views, during treks in Howth Head, you can admire different species of birds, or look out for seals diving in the ocean. Moreover, you can just sit on the beach, relax in the harbor, take a bike ride or play golf.
ON THE MARGIN: Howth Head appears in popular culture in "Ulysses" by James Joyce and in Kate Bush's "The Sensual World" from an album with the same title released in 1989.

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