Two years ago I went to Belfast and Northern Ireland for my Master’s program where I conducted research with a team for an amazing organization, Widows Against Violence Empowered (WAVE). WAVE is a trauma support center that provides assistance for those impacted by the Troubles and surrounding conflict in Northern Ireland. It was an enduring, but inspiring project that informed my academic concentration in International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. I won’t forget the people I met, and tangible impact WAVE has on the victims and survivors across Northern Ireland. After almost two weeks of conducting interviews, attending group sessions, and conducting research, I was ready for a solo break to reflect and decompress. I had 24 hours to myself before I headed back home to Washington, DC and decided to spend it in the coastal town of Howth after a friend recommended the area to me.

If you are interested in booking an easy half-day tour to Howth from Dublin, I recommend this one. I traveled on my own, but I’m sure a tour reduces some of the stress!

On my last morning in Belfast, I took the Aircoach bus down from Belfast to Dublin, arriving at the train station. From there I took a Bolt ride (similar to Uber) to my hotel. It was around $25, but it was worth it for the ease. I ended up staying in Sutton on the outskirts of Howth because the hotels and inns in town had already been booked out. My hotel was the Marine Hotel Sutton. It’s a historic waterfront hotel that provided a dose of seaside quaintness.

After I checked in and dropped my bags off, I took a short walk to the Sutton train station and hopped on a short train ride down to Howth.

When I arrived, I decided to do some exploring among the shops and restaurants along the harbor. It’s an easy place to people-watch and just enjoy this cozy corner of the world. I had fun taking photos and popping into some of the cute shops. Similar to my previous Amsterdam post, I brought my 35mm Holga camera with me for unique film shots and am sharing a few black and white photos in this post.

I hadn’t planned to take a boat ride, but there were a few tours offering bookings on the spot that departed every hour. Since it was a foggy day, the captain recommended that I head to Ireland’s Eye, since the coastal tour would be too cloudy to see anything. I took his word for it and was so happy I did. If you’re interested in booking a boat tour ahead of time, see here on GetYourGuide for a few options. You can’t go wrong!

When I boarded the boat, I could see fog in the distance which we headed straight toward. Before I knew it, we were surrounded by fog and I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Mystical indeed! The fog opened quickly and the island appeared before our small tugboat. We off-boarded and were able to roam around at our leisure. There were small beaches and lots of birds, like kittiwakes and guillemots. It was fun to take photos and enjoy the serenity of this little island. I took some time to sit on the beach before the next boat came to take us back to Howth.

After going back through the fog and arriving to shore, I spotted two adorably ugly Irish grey seals. I couldn’t help but giggle and snap a few photos as they bobbed along in the harbor.

My original draw to visiting Howth was to take the hike up on the cliffs and see the lighthouse. I followed my GPS and the pathway along the eastern coastline. There were so many gorgeous spots to take photos and I had only wished my sister was with me so we could have photoshoots!

I spent a couple of hours walking along the coast and its cliffs, taking in the sights and sounds. There were so many birds nesting and cawing along the cliffs and nesting. It was truly stunning. The fog had settled in though, which added to the magic of the day, but also made it difficult to see the full views. I didn’t make it down to the lighthouse because the fog was too thick, but the trail was still striking. The pathway was well-maintained and easy to follow. The photos don’t do the views quite justice and the cliffs were higher up than they even appear!

After I arrived back into town, I was eager to get to my dinner reservation at 30 Church Street. It was such a cozy restaurant to relax in with a glass of wine after a long day. I indulged in the beet and goat cheese salad and the Supreme of Corn-Fed Chicken. I had a wonderful window seat with views of Saint Mary’s Abbey ruins next door. The lovely end to a day on the coast before I headed back to the hotel for the night.

I recommend this beautiful day or weekend trip next time you’re in Ireland! Reminder to book here if you want a day tour!

❤ Natalie