A Day in Howth (pronounced Hoeth)
You can take the bus (31/31A), which will take an hour, or the faster DART train, which takes about 30 minutes. Board the train from a number of Dublin stations and alight at Howth Station which is conveniently located in the middle of Howth Harbor. The convenient Leap Card can be used for both modes of transport. Don't forget to tap on and off. Note there are no toilet facilities at the station.
On weekends, Howth Market is open just to the right of the train station (facing the harbor) and has some varied food vendors, a few gift shops, and a tiny bathroom reserved only for customers. Both sides of the harbor have fish markets, pubs and finer restaurants that you can peruse now or at the end of your hike. Consider making your dinner reservations now if it's a popular tourist day as we found most top-rated places were full by 6pm on the Saturday we visited.
The harbor is lively with active fishermen, a marina, buskers and tourists walking the piers. The pier to the right leads to the lighthouse and allows stunning views of the boats, lighthouse, Eye of Ireland, and the coast and cliffs you are about to walk along. There are a few coffee shops, including Insomnia and Starbucks, where you can fuel up before your hike.
Take time to detour uphill and behind the Starbucks to visit the Abbey and surrounding graveyard. You'll get a preview of views over the harbor and see some older and newer stones. A sign on the Abbey door states a key is available from Mrs. O'Rourke on Church Street. Please comment below if you meet her and gain access to the inside of the Abbey.
Continue uphill after visiting the Abbey and connect back to the crowd streaming up Balscadden Road. As most guides describe it the paths are meant to be followed in a clockwise fashion but you'll encounter plenty of walkers going against the flow. There are opportunities to step aside for photo opportunities and each one gives you a slightly different viewing angle. The path is not paved, pretty narrow and definitely uneven so watch your step. There's a snack stop early on and then not again until The Summit so bring snacks and drinks. We recommend dressing in layers so you can adapt to changing weather conditions.
The short loop (marked by green arrows) is the most popular but if you have the time and energy, push to do the longer hike, marked by purple arrows. You can detour to the Baily Lighthouse gate but the view is quite obstructed. It's reportedly open once a year for visitors and that seems worth checking out. On this path you'll get views of the lighthouse from the other side, likely with the sun in your favor. Other benefits of the purple path are many fewer hikers, plant life, peeks at more cliff-front homes, access to a few beaches, views of Dublin harbor, and access to another Martello tower. On this path you'll also walk through an active golf course (fore!) and encounter some locals walking their dogs, a sign you're returning to civilization.
After the hike, pick a place for some Howth Harbor prawns and catch the bus or train back to City Center.