Howth: Culture, Cooking Classes and Island Experiences

There are plenty of reasons to discover Howth: the National Transport Museum is all about historic vehicles, the Howth Castle Cookery School offers classes covering a range of cuisines, and boat trips head to Ireland’s Eye or along Dublin Bay. Howth’s cliff paths are another highlight. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can consider which of these experiences will shape your holiday plans.

Vehicles, collections and cooking classes

The National Transport Museum is located in the Heritage Depot in Howth Demesne. It displays 60 of the 100 vehicles located in Howth; the number of vehicles on display may change. The oldest items in the collection date from 1883, and the newest from 1984. This time span describes the collection, not just the vehicles on display.

The Howth Castle Cookery School on the Howth Castle Estate offers another way to engage with local experiences. Its wide selection of classes includes Japanese, Spanish and Indian cuisine, as well as baking, barbecues, “Catch and Cook” and Sunday brunch. The class offering may change; if you have a particular class in mind, check in advance whether it is available.

By boat to Ireland’s Eye

The Ireland’s Eye Ferry offers a short round trip from Howth to Ireland’s Eye. Passengers can disembark on the island and explore it. Whether the trip runs depends on operating conditions; checking current departure options can help with planning.

A boat trip along Dublin Bay lets you explore Ireland’s Eye up close. Possible sightings include seabirds and seals, though sightings are not guaranteed. The crossing with a stop to explore the island and the trip along the bay offer different experiences: one focuses on spending time on the island, while the other explores it from the water.

Howth’s cliff paths and the coast of County Fingal

In the wider destination of County Fingal, Howth’s cliff paths run alongside habitats for important bird species; grey seals can also be spotted there. The paths offer views of Ireland’s Eye and Lambay Island. The Howth Cliff Path Loop starts at Howth DART station, follows the cliffs to “The Summit” and returns along a path parallel to the outward route. The Howth Cliff Path comprises four loop walks in total, ranging from 6 to 10 kilometres. Waymarking and path conditions may change, so it is advisable to check for current information before setting out.

County Fingal’s wider coastal area is also useful for travellers considering several locations: the coastline stretches for 88 kilometres from Sutton to Balbriggan and includes three protected estuaries, salt marshes and 13 larger beaches. Specific examples include the 5-kilometre-long Velvet Strand in Portmarnock, Balcarrick Beach with 3.4 kilometres of sandy shore, dunes and rock pools, and the 2-kilometre-long Skerries South Strand with a promenade and coastal path. These details describe different coastal landscapes in County Fingal, not features of Howth alone.

More things to see in County Fingal

Other places in the wider destination of County Fingal also offer distinctive cultural and craft attractions. Skerries Mills is a restored complex with two windmills, a watermill and a 19th-century bakery. During guided tours, visitors can grind flour using a traditional millstone and see the waterwheel in operation. The visit combines the history of milling with a hands-on look at how grain is ground.

In Malahide, the Casino Model Railway Museum is housed in the restored Casino Cottage, next to Malahide station. It is Ireland’s first model railway museum. Together with the National Transport Museum in Howth, it presents two different ways of exploring technology and transport: here, model railways take centre stage; there, vehicles from a collection of items dating from 1883 to 1984.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Howth, you can base your choice on the experiences that interest you most: the museum and cooking classes, a boat trip or the cliff paths. If you are also considering other places in County Fingal, its beaches and cultural attractions offer further, distinct ideas for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Portmarnock, Malahide, Tyrrelstown, Ballyboughal, Castleknock, Santry, Rush, Lusk.

Back to the wider travel overview: County Fingal.