Cliff Walk Makes Ireland’s Top 10 Treks

Away we go…

t’s been three year of closures along The Cliff Walk, thanks to the ever-increasing coastal erosion, and yet, this fine hike between Greystones and Bray is clearly still very much loved.

And very much missed, especially by Greystones cafés and restaurants.

Pic: Adrian Hendroff

A new readers poll in the Indo has put The Cliff Walk in their Top 10, sitting pretty at no.8. Which is pretty remarkable, given how many people have given up on negotiating the constant diversions and high security fencing.

Sitting at no.1 is Glendalough and its long and winding Spinc, whilst the rest of the country gets a look-in with the Howth Cliff Walk at no.2, Connemara’s Diamond Hill at no.3, The Cliffs Of Moher at no.4, Mayo’s Croagh Park at 5, Donegal’s Slieve League at 6, The Burren at 7, the Slieve Bloom mountains spanning Loais and Offaly at 8 and Ardmore Cliff Walk in Waterford at no.10.

Cliff Walk landslide

With landslides still an issue along much of The Cliff Walk, Wicklow County Council have been in negotiations with local landowners as they make plans to move the popular hike inland. Some farmers are happy to oblige; others are reportedly holding out for a bigger payday.

There are also negotiations in place for farmers to change the use of the land above to help reduce the amount of water run-off. It’s this run-off, says Greystones town engineer Ruairi O’Hanlon, that’s currently the main cause of landslides along The Cliff Walk.

The coastal erosion, says O’Hanlon, has been going on “possibly for the last 10,000 years, since the end of the last ice age.”

Local councillors have been banging the drum loudly for the reopening of the popular tourist attraction, but they know the true complexity and scale of the challenge. Recently, Irish Rail estimated that the cost of protecting the train tracks around Bray Head will cost at least €230 million.

In the meantime, despite the fencing, the warning signs, the diversions and the WCC campaign, people are still finding ways through on the old Cliff Walk route.

You can check out our archives on The Cliff Walk here, and explore other local hikes right here.