Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk

The path runs from the southern end of Bray promenade around the seaward flank of Bray Head and down to Greystones, following the line of the railway that Brunel's engineers cut into the cliff in the 1850s - a route so exposed that sections have had to be moved inland repeatedly as the sea took the ground. It is about seven kilometres, mostly level, on a gravel and dirt path with the sea below and the cliff above, and it is one of the few genuinely good walks in Ireland reachable entirely by public transport: DART at both ends, so most people walk one way and take the train back. Erosion is a live issue and sections have been closed and rerouted at various times, sometimes with the official route diverted uphill. Check the current status before setting out, and stay on the path - the cliff edge is undercut in places.

What you actually see

• The cliff path - seven kilometres above the sea around Bray Head.
• The railway - Brunel's 1850s line cut into the same cliff below.
• The two towns - Bray promenade at one end, Greystones harbour at the other.
• The DART - train at both ends, so the walk works one way.

When to go

April to October. It is exposed to wind off the sea in any season. Weekends are busy with Dublin walkers; weekday mornings are quiet.

Honest expectations

Erosion closes and reroutes sections periodically - check before going. The cliff edge is undercut in places and there is no fence for much of it. Fully exposed with no shelter and no facilities between the two towns.

Nearby

Bray Head rises above the path; Greystones and the Wicklow coast run south.