No sooner does the weather dial reach north of 20 degrees and our beaches are swamped, beer gardens jam-packed and people are lashing on the sunscreen with gusto.
If you are Dublin-based and looking for a spontaneous micro-escape but want to avoid crowds, here are a few outings accessible from the city centre via public transport for a quick, feel-good holiday vibe.
Wood-fired pizza at Portrane-Donabate cliff walk
A 2.5km stretch of vast white sandy beach, a cliff walk book ended by Martello towers and delicious pizza? Say no more.
Day trippers using public transport can take the 20-30 minute train to Donabate from Connolly Station. Once you land in the town, take the 33B bus from the station to Portrane. If you’re itching for a swim, Portrane Beach offers a quiet bathing spot, even on busy days, but note there are no lifeguards on duty.
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On the Portrane end of the cliff walk is Nino’s by Doughbox, a wood-fired pizza joint at The Brook pub which deals in delicious thin-crust pizza and home-made pasta.
For a good stretch, hit the 2km Portrane-Donabate cliff walk where you will arrive at the expansive Donabate Beach, which is manned by lifeguards.
Before heading home, soak in views of Lambay Island on the terrace of the Shoreline hotel before the 2.5km stroll back to Donabate train station, making for a loop.
Tolka Greenway to Clontarf baths
This relatively new Dublin Bay cycle route not only provides cyclists with safe, segregated access to ferry terminals, but also public access to the lesser visited Dublin Port.
The port can be accessed either via the 151 bus from city centre or by a 20 minute walk from Clontarf Dart station.
With a cooling sea breeze beneath their pedals, cyclists (or pedestrians) can work their way from Dublin Port on a path that hugs the coastline, along the Alfie Byrne Road to Clontarf Baths – an outdoor lightly chlorinated saltwater swimming pool.
Once you have completed your cycle and swim, you’ve probably worked up a hefty appetite, and Chubbys in Clontarf is one of the hottest reservations to snag in the city right now.
White Rock Beach, Killiney, followed by a pint in Dalkey
Any beach along a Dart line is thronged on a hot day, and Killiney beach (accessible by Killiney Dart station) is no exception. However, for those looking for a more secluded spot they need only walk a few minutes along Vico Road toward Dalkey before crossing a railway footbridge to access White Rock Beach.
It is advisable to pack a picnic for this beach as there aren’t many dining spots around, or else you can pick up a coffee and a sandwich at Fred and Nancy’s food truck on Killiney Beach.
Once you’ve soaked in the views and gone for a dip, it’s a 25-minute walk to Dalkey village, and you can squeeze in a trip to Sorrento Park en route with its views of Dalkey Island. Before catching the Dart home, it’s well worth enjoying a pint and fish and chips at the long established Finnegan’s pub.
Cycle along the Royal Canal to Howth
This is a route you could start as far out as Maynooth if you fancy, but the opening of the Royal Canal Greenway in Dublin city now means cyclists can pedal an uninterrupted cycle path from Castleknock to Sutton.
The Drumcondra section of the greenway will have you whizzing by Croke Park before taking the cycle lane from Connolly Station through to Sutton. To cycle all the way to Howth, it requires cycling on Howth Road, but if you would prefer to avoid cars, you can park your bike at Sutton Dart station and take the Dart to Howth.
From here, day trippers can take a dip at Claremont Beach, which has a seasonal lifeguard. After a refreshing swim, savour fresh seafood at Beshoffs which serves everything from the ocean, best enjoyed while viewing Howth Lighthouse.
Blessington Street Basin
If beaches on hot days are not your scene, but you still fancy a water feature, then check out the often underrated Blessington Street Basin in Phibsborough, which is easily accessible from the Broadstone Luas stop. Once you’ve soaked up the rays and admired the swans, ducks and mallards, there are endless dining options within strolling distance.
Elliot’s bakery serves all manner of delicious and interesting bakes including leek and potato galette or miso caramel dark chocolate and Cloudpicker coffee.
If it’s early evening, you could nab a pre-dinner drink in the outdoor terrace of The Bernard Shaw before bagging a table at nearby Borgo, which Irish Times food critic Corinna Hardgrave describes as “generous – in the service, in the size of the plates and in how relaxed it feels to sit there. You can come for a quick pizzette and a glass of wine, or make an evening of it and work through the pastas and mains”.
