Sea Bridges For Cliff Walk

An artist impression of a new Cliff Walk Sea Bridge

s the closure of much of The Cliff Walk reaches its two-year anniversary, Wicklow County Council have finally announced a future-proof plan for its reopening.

With erosion leadings to rockfalls, and negotiations with local landowners along Bray Head stalling, the decision has been made to head out to sea.

With a series of bridges that will circumvent any trouble spots whilst also providing walkers with exciting new views of this nationally recognised and much-loved Wicklow walk.

“It has proven to be a headache too far when it comes to trying to deal with the crumbling land and dangerous rocks along the walk itself,” says town engineer Ruairi O’Hanlon. “Having bridges that take walkers on a parallel hike along the original Cliff Walk path will mean that we can let nature do its thing in complete safety.”

The only question being, of course, how much of The Cliff Walk should be rerouted out to sea.

“There’s a plan for what we’re dealing with now, and a budget, but what might be needed in 50 years time?” continues O’Hanlon “Or 100 years time? We need to plan for the next generation, and the generations after that…”

Designed by Droichead Bréige in Connemara, work is due to start this summer, with the hope of a spring 2025 reopening of The Cliff Walk.

“We’re aiming to have the grand reopening on April 1st, 2025, to be precise,” says O’Hanlon. “That seems like the perfect date for a project like this…”