Howth Harbour Walk & Coastal Boat Tour: Private Group

Three hours through a Viking harbour, Martello towers and 500-million-year-old cliffs

A three-hour guided walking and boat tour of Howth combines a harbour walk through the village's medieval and maritime history with a coastal cruise around Ireland Eye. The local guide leads you through the West and East Piers, past St Mary's Abbey (built by Viking King Sitric in 1042), the Martello Tower, and the cliff paths where W.B. Yeats once lived, then boards a boat for views of seal colonies, puffins, gannets and the rock formations of the offshore islands. The tour is private to your group. Infants can ride in a pram and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Howth Harbour and Coastal Boat Tour

• Explore Howth Harbour port area
• Visit Howth Lighthouse and East Pier
• See Martello Tower and Tower Hill
• View St Marys Abbey over harbour
• Walk Balscadden Road cliff paths
• Enjoy boat tour around Ireland’s Eye

The experience

The walk starts at Howth Harbour, where your guide takes you through the working port (the West Pier and King's Landing, past cafes and restaurants), and into the stories that shaped the place. You'll see the East Pier shipwrecks and hear about the Asgard, the ship that armed the 1916 Easter Rising, and the Howth Gun Running. The Martello Tower comes next, one of many built against Napoleon, standing on Tower Hill where Howth Castle rose after the Normans defeated the Norse in 1177. St Mary's Abbey, perched above the harbour, was founded by Viking King Sitric in 1042 and offers views across the water.

From there the route climbs Balscadden Road to the cliff paths: the stretch where W.B. Yeats lived at Balscadden House, with views that open across the coast. Then you board a boat for a cruise around Ireland Eye and along the Howth Cliffs. The boat carries blankets and music. The cliffs themselves are 500 million years old, layered in rock formations that rise from the water. Seals haul out on the rocks below, and the seabird colonies (puffins, gannets, guillemots, cormorants, kittiwakes) nest in the cliff faces. The boat passes secret beaches, caves and coves among the formations before returning to the harbour.

What’s included

• Local guide leading the walk and boat tour.
• access to the harbour, piers, cliffs and abbey.
• the three-hour coastal boat cruise around Ireland Eye with blankets and music on board.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 14:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Howth Adventures

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're traveling as a private group and want to move through Howth's history (from Viking foundations through the 1916 Rising) without splitting between separate walking and boat bookings. The guide's local knowledge and the boat's access to the seal colonies and seabird cliffs make the combination worth the three-hour commitment.

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Top questions

What is St Mary's Abbey and why does the tour stop there?

St Mary's Abbey was built by Viking King Sitric in 1042 and sits on a cliff overlooking Howth Harbour. The guide includes it as a landmark of the village's medieval history and for the views it offers across the water.

Will I see seals and puffins on the boat part of the tour?

The boat cruise passes seal colonies hauled out on the rocks and seabird cliffs where puffins, gannets, guillemots, cormorants and kittiwakes nest. The wildlife depends on the season and conditions on the day.

How long is the walking part and how long is the boat?

The tour runs three hours total. The guide leads the walking section through the harbour, piers, Martello Tower, cliffs and abbey before boarding the boat for the coastal cruise around Ireland Eye and the Howth Cliffs.

What is the Martello Tower and when was it built?

The Martello Tower on Tower Hill is one of many defensive towers built along the Irish coast to protect against Napoleon. It stands on the site where Howth Castle was later built after the Norman victory over the Norse in 1177.

Can I bring young children or a baby in a pram?

Infants can ride in a pram or stroller during the walking section. Infants must sit on an adult's lap during the boat tour, and children of any age must be accompanied by an adult throughout.