The Path Well Travelled

Follow the yellow gravel road…

mbarrassed to say that it’s probably been close to a year since we’ve tackled the beloved Cliff Walk.

We’ve recommended the bugger, oh, about 365 times over the past 12 months, but, with Max having a little cartilage problem – due to too many long walks – we just kept putting this old favourite on the long foot.

Not that we should have worried about the world’s greatest Guide dog. Max had a ball, and was still ready to chase a cheetah or two when we arrived back into Greystones train station.

Besides, even on a Monday, there were 101 damn fine dogs for Max to meet along the way, the Camino de Greystones today proving its usual conga line of happy, loving couples, twinkle-eyed pensioners, Pear pilgrims and good, old-fashioned day trippers.

Making our way through the soon-ending Marina Village works, the beginnings of our soon-come dog park were a welcome sight, but it was once you got beyond the diggers and the drab, high-wire fencing that the beauty of The Cliff Walk quickly hits you. Like an old friend who just gets better looking with age.

The feck.

There’s something about The Cliff Walk that connects everyone on its path too, as you catch up with holidaymakers from San Francisco, a walking group from Enniskerry, and one man and his recently-deceased brother’s dog. “It’s only been two weeks,” he says, “and the poor thing doesn’t know what’s going on. So used to being brought here by my brother, hoping these walks will help settle the girl…”

Arriving in Bray, the sunlight is bursting through some very dark clouds, giving the sea a silvery sheen, as the rain threatens to arrive. But not before a platoon of seagulls take a few more dives at that chip-chomper with the greasy fingers. Noice.

You can check the history of The Cliff Walk right here. In the meantime, let us take you down… 

You can catch our October 2016 big day out at The Cliff Walk – and videoed bus ride home – here.