Dollymount beach: A Complete Guide for a perfect getaway!

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Dollymount beach, with thin white sand and beautiful views, is one of the best beaches near Dublin. Dollymount strand is very popular among locals but often overlooked by tourists. It remains a gem located just a 10 minute train ride from Dublin City centre. Just like going to the Wicklow Mountains National Park or checking out Phoenix Park, heading to Dollymount beach, Dublin County, is a great way to catch a break from the city.

If you are staying more than 2 days in Dublin City, we’d recommend checking it out! This post is a detailed guide about Dollymount beach from how to get there to the things to do at the beach and near Dollymount beach. We also share with you our practical tips and what you need to bring with you for a successful day at Dollymount!

***Some of the links in this post are affiliate links meaning we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not change the fact that we only recommend products, stays, activities and attractions we are satisfied with and all opinions expressed here are our own.

How to get to Dollymount strand

Dollymount beach is located in the coastal suburban neighbourhood of Dollymount, Dublin County. More specifically, it is located on North Bull Island, also known as Bull Island, in Clontarf, about 10 kilometres from Dublin City centre. 

You might be wondering “How to get to Dollymount beach?”. If you look at a Dollymount Strand map, you will notice that the Dollymount beach directions are pretty easy and straightforward. Dollymount strand Dublin is easily accessible either by public transportation or by private transportation. 

1. Dollymount strand directions for public transportation

Dublin public transportation drops you off either close to St Anne’s Park or on Clontarf Road. this means there is a little bit of walking involved to reach Dollymount beach. You will need to walk either Causeway Road or the Bull Wall (also known as Dollymount wooden bridge) to reach the beach. 

DART train to Dollymount strand

The DART is Dublin’s local train that takes you all along the coast from Greystones in the South to Malahide in the North. It is one of our favourite ways to get around Dublin!

To reach Dollymount beach by DART from the city centre, you will need to catch the DART at one of the stations like Connolly. From there, it’s about a 10 minute ride to Killester station. You can also get off at Harmonstown station or Raheny station but it doesn’t make much of a difference. Killester is a quaint costal village. You will need to walk across Killester and then across St Anne’s Park to get to Clontarf Road. From Clontarf Road, head to Causeway Road and cross to Bull Island and Dollymount beach Ireland. From Killester station to Dollymount strand is about a 30 minute walk. 

Budget: €4,80 for a return ticket from Connolly station to Killester station.

Dollymount beach by Bus

“What bus goes to Dollymount beach?” you may ask. Well, there are three main buses that head to Dollymount, Ireland.

• First, you can take Bus 130 on Abbey Street Lower towards Castle Avenue. The bus comes  about every 10 minutes. The ride to Dollymount beach Dublin takes about 20 minutes. However, you’ll need to factor in some time to walk to the bus stop and then to walk from your drop off point to the beach itself. The bus drops you off by the wooden bridge at The Wooden Bridge stop. From there, it is about a 20 minute walk to Dollymount Strand. 

• Second, you can take Bus 6 on Abbey Street Lower towards Howth Station and get off at Killester. The bus ride is about 24 minutes and it’s then a 17 minute walk to Dollymount beach. 

• Finally, you can take Bus H1 on Abbey Street Lower which drops you off at Watermill Drive in St Anne’s Park. From there, you’ll walk about 20 minutes to the beach. 

Budget and Insider Tip: A bus ticket to Dollymount beach will be between €2,15 and €3,30. When getting on the bus, just tell the driver where you are going and he will tell you your fare. Note that drivers do not accept bills and cannot give change back so it’s best to have the exact amount in coins. Alternatively, you can get a Leap Card for a few days. 

Cycling to Dollymount strand

Cycling is a great low-budget way to get around Dublin. Dublin is equipped with cycling lanes, especially along the water so it’s perfect to go to Dollymount Strand.

From the city centre, you can easily rent a bike at the Dublin Bikes stations spread over the Dublin. You will need to purchase a 3 day ticket. Then you will be charged per hour with the first 30 minutes free. 

Budget: A 3 day ticket costs €5 and the first hour costs €1,50. 

Walking to Dollymount strand

Of course, you can walk from Dublin to Dollymount beach if you fancy a nice long walk! The walk takes about 2,5 hours and is about 9 kilometers. From Dublin City centre, you’ll want to walk along the Liffey towards the famous white Samuel Beckett Bridge. From the bridge, head north towards Fairview Park, cross the park and then walk along the water on the Clontarf promenade. Keep walking until you see Bull Island and cross over to the beach.

2. Dollymount strand directions for private transportation

Dollymount strand is also accessible by private transportation.

In Dublin, you can either drive your own car, rent a car with a regular rental company, rent a car with the car sharing service GoCar or take a Taxi. 

GoCar, a car sharing service

GoCar is a car sharing service that is very convenient if you want to pick up your car in the city centre. You’ll need to download the app and enter your information. The verification can take a few days so we recommend doing this ahead of time. Once verified, you can book a car for a few hours or a few days on the app. Cars are spread out the city which is super convenient. You can then unlock the car with your phone at the time of pick up! You also don’t pay gas and a number of kilometres are included in the price. This is a service we have used in the past and really enjoyed.

Budget: Small cars cost €10/hour or €54 per 24 hours with an additional charge of €0.50 per km over 50km. 

Taxis to Dollymount beach

It’s really easy to catch a taxi in Dublin. We would recommend downloading the FreeNow app and booking your taxi directly on the app. This is super convenient and also avoids taxi drivers to charge you a random price!

Budget: About €20 one way. 

The Drive to Dollymount strand

The drive itself is about 20-25 minutes from Dublin City centre. It’s a nice drive along Dublin Harbour and the coast. 

Dollymount beach parking

If you are driving your own car, you will need to find parking at the beach. In Ireland, you can sometimes drive on some beaches like Inch Beach on the Dingle Peninsula. It used to be the case for Dollymount beach Dublin as well but this practice was banned in 2014.

There are two ways to get to the beach by car. The first way is to cross on Causeway Road. You can park on either side of Causeway Road and parking there is free. The second way is crossing on the wooden bridge and park next to the Pier. Parking there is free as well.

Budget for visiting Dollymount Beach

Dollymount beach is free to access and parking there is free as well. Your biggest cost to visit Dollymount beach is therefore transportation. However, if you are using public transportation, it shouldn’t cost you more than €10. Visiting Dollymount Beach is a great day trip from Dublin under €10. 

About Dollymount beach 

Dollymount beach, also known as Clontarf beach Dublin or “Dollyer” is a 5 km long strand of thin and compact white sand. On the West side, it is protected by bumpy dunes while it’s fully open onto the sea on the other side. 

There is a tide at Dollymount strand so the width of the beach may vary depending on the time at which you visit. From the beach, you get beautiful views on the Howth Peninsula, Dublin Bay and on the Poolbeg Lighthouse walk, one of best walks in Dublin. 

What to do on Dollymount beach

If you love the outdoors and are a beach enthusiast, you will love all the things to do on dolly mount beach. 

Dollymount Strand swimming

Swimming is one of the main things to do at Dollymount beach. Although the official bathing season is opened from June to October, you’ll see quite a few people going into the water at any time of the year. After all, this is Ireland!

As the tide can be quite far out, it might not be super convenient to go into the water from the beach. Alternatively, you can head to the swimming shelters for men and women and the other side of the pier. You can go down to the water by the stairs and ladders there. We saw people swimming in March!

If you are going swimming, there are a couple things you need to be careful about for your safety. First, there might be a lot of waves. Please don’t underestimate them. People drown regularly! Second, be mindful of the currents and of the Dollymount beach water quality. Always check whether there are bans or warning from lifeguards. 

Tanning on Dollymount beach

Please don’t laugh! Contrary to popular belief, Ireland does get a few nice hot sunny days, usually in late spring and early summer. On those days, it’s absolutely realistic to expect to tan! You can either lay in the dunes or directly on the beach but either way, don’t forget to put your sunscreen on. The Irish sun can quickly betray you!

Dollymount Strand Walk

One popular activity on the beach is walking. The long strand is favourable to such activity and the sand is quite compact so it’s easy to walk there with your shoes. 

Picnic at Dollymount beach

This is something we often do and we love it! Bring your picnic with you and enjoy it while appreciating the views! If it’s too windy, we would recommend eating in the dunes as you’ll be well protected there. Bring your own food as there is no food (more on this below) on Bull Island. 

People watching

Do I really need to explain this one? People watching is fun and relaxing. After all this time spent indoors these past few years, it’s nice to watch these beautiful places get lively again!

Kitesurfing Dollymount beach

Kite surfing and windsurfing are two popular activities at Dollymount beach! It’s also really fun to watch! Ireland is very windy so it is quite unsurprising that kitesurfing is big here. You will be surprised to see that from afar, kitesurfers look like they are in the middle of the sea. However, it’s just an optical illusion, they are actually close to the beach and it’s not very deep!

Searching for seashells

You’ll find lots of different seashells on Dollymount beach from razor seashells to whelks and hermit crab shells! Although it’s not strictly forbidden to take seashells home with you, this is not something we encourage as removing seashells from the beach can actually harm the ecosystem. Instead, look at them, and see if you can find any special or unique ones. Take a photo with them, bring the photo home but leave the shell at the sea.

Bird watching

Dollymount beach is located on North Bull Island which is a National Nature Reserve. The reserve is of international scientific importance for Brent Geese protection but it is also the home of other bird species such as waders and wildfowl. Bring your binoculars and start looking! It’s best to come early in the morning to have the best chances to see them. 

Dog watching on Dollymount beach

On Dollymount strand, you’ll find lots of dogs wandering around with their owners. A lot of them are off-leash and are playing in the water or on the beach. If you enjoy the company of dogs, you’ll love it! 

Watch ferries from Dublin Port

From the beach, you’ll be able to observe ferries coming in and out of Dublin port. These ferries are heading to a few different destinations such as the Isle of Man, Cherbourg in France, or Holyhead in the UK.

Safety tips for Dollymount beach Ireland

As mentioned above, if you decide to go swimming, we would recommend that you check the Dollumount beach water quality ahead of time for safety.

Note also that due to the Dollymount beach tides, mudflats and sandblast appear. These can be dangerous as you can get stuck so do not try to reach them or walk on them even if they appear to be close.

When it comes to the tide, please be aware that it doesn’t only come up from behind you. The tide can come up and circle you leaving you stuck in the middle of the sea. We have seen several people get stuck and they either had to walk back with water up to their knees or get rescued!!

Of course, always remember to act responsibly towards wildlife on the island and do not disturb animals you might see. 

What to do near Dollymount beach Dublin

There is a lot to do near Dollymount strand which is why this is a great day outing!

Walk in the dune grassland

The dune on Bull Island are right behind Dollymount beach and are covered in beach grass which looks super cool. The dunes are sandy and hilly with lots of different winding paths you can follow for a walk. Inside the dune is more protected from the wind so it feels nice to catch a break! 

Walk on the pier

At the end of Dollymount beach, you will find a pier which is an extension of Bull Wall (the wooden bridge). You can walk the pier and from there you’ll have great views on Dollymount beach, Dublin Harbour, and the Poolbeg Lighthouse. 

The statue of Our Lady, Star of the Sea

Of course, once on the pier, you’ll need to walk all the way to the end to have a look at Our Lady, Star of the Sea. Our Lady wears a halo of 12 stars which were made of Waterford glass and is looking over the workers at Dublin port and seafarers as well. 

Golfing

There are two Golf clubs near Dollymount beach. One is called The Royal Dublin Golf Club and is accessible from the Bull Wall side. The other one is called St Anne’s Golf Club and is accessible from the Causeway Road. You can watch people play a little bit from the road but not much. Both are open to visitors but booking in advance is highly recommended. Be aware though that the island is usually windy which can make golfing a lot more challenging (but fun too!)

Walk around Bull Island

Of course, one other thing to do near Dollymount beach is doing the loop walk around Bull Island which takes about three to four hours. 

Learn more about Bull Island

Bull Island didn’t exist 200 years ago and appeared after mankind intervened in the area. The history behind the island is quite interesting and you can find out more on the island!

Clontarf Promenade

Clontarf Promenade is only a 20 minute walk from Dollymount strand and is quite well-maintained and enjoyable. You can either walk or cycle there with specific lanes for each.

St Anne’s Park

St Anne’s Park is about a 25 minute walk from Dollymount strand. From the red stables to the river walk, it is a huge park with lots to do and see. 

Fairview Park

Fairview Park is located closer to Dublin City centre and is a small but quaint park. It is located about 35 minutes by transit or 15 minutes driving from Dollymount strand. 

Visit Croke Park

Croke Park is actually very fun to visit although sadly often overlooked by tourists. From the rooftop, you get a 360° view on the city! 

Dublin City

Finally, heading to Dublin City is definitely something to do near Dollymount strand. You can head to the city for dinner and eat at one of the best restaurants in Dublin. You can also visit more of Dublin from visiting Phoenix Park and the Phoenix Park deer to going on some fo the best walks in Dublin. If you’re only here for a short amount of time, you can get tickets to the sightseeing bus tour to see all the main landmarks!

Dollymount beach essentials

I’m not going to lie, there are a few things you should bring with you to Dollymount beach.

• Good walking shoes: The beach is quite long and it’s a bit of a stroll to get there so good comfortable shoes are essential. 
• Wetsuit: This is a must in my opinion if you want to take a dip, although Irish locals might disagree with me.
• Food and water: There is limited access to food and water near Dollymount strand so if you want to have a picnic on the beach or know you’re going to get hungry, bring your own snacks!
• Winter: In the winter, you’ll need to bundle up as it gets quite cold, especially with the wind!Bring your coat, scarf, and sunglasses if it’s sunny.
• Summer: In the summer (on a nice day), you can definitely wear shorts and sandals although you might need to bring an additional layer because of the wind. You also won’t want to forget your sunscreen!
• Binoculars: These will be essential if you are into bird watching or want to get a closer look at Howth and the Poolbeg Lighthouse!

Practical tips for Dollymount beach Ireland

• There is only one café near Dollymount beach which is called “Happy Out”. It is located right after Bull Wall near the pier. It is popular and there’s often a long line there. In the summer months, there are more mobile bars and food outlets available. If you’re willing to walk a bit, the Bay Restaurant Dollymount is locate don Clontarf Road and well rated with views on the island!
• There are public washrooms near the beach at the Bull Wall Swim Point although they were closed when we went. Nature and the privacy of the dunes remain your best bet if it’s also the case for you!
• Please adopt a Leave No Trace approach. Bring all your garbage with you and throw it away in a bin or at home. 

 Where to stay near Dollymount beach

• The Artist Residence Dublin: Located on the beach front in Sutton, this Bed and Breakfast offers beautiful views on the sea. It is a 1920s cottage that will make you feel right at home but with high-end service and a decor that will remind you of the history of this place. 
• Clontarf Castle Hotel: Located close to the beach, this is a one of the kind hotel as it combines ancient architecture with modern amenities in a castle from the 11th century! If you’ve always want to stay at a castle, this is it!
• Gracefield Bed and Breakfast: Located in Artane, this is a simple but cozy bed and breakfast with comfortable private rooms and a welcoming host.
• Marine Hotel Dublin: Located in Sutton, this hotel is the perfect place to relax as it offers an indoor pool, a sauna and most rooms have a sea view. 

Questions on Dollymount strand

No time to read the whole post? You might find the answer to your question below.

Is Dollymount beach open?

Yes, Dollymount beach is open all year round and is free to access.

How long is Dollymount beach?

Dollymount beach is 5 km long. 

Where is Dollymount beach?

Dollymount beach is located on North Bull Island in the north of Dublin City in Ireland. 

Is Dollymount a blue flag beach?

Dollymount beach is not always a blue flag beach. There might be warnings or bans from lifeguard if the water quality is not good enough. The water quality at Dollymount beach today might not be the same as in three months so you need to check before going. 

Can you swim in Dollymount beach?

Yes, you can swim at Dollymount beach. There are also swimming shelters for men and women by the pier. You can get down the ladders to get into the water there. 

Can you drive onto Dollymount beach?

Driving on Dollymount beach used to be allowed but isn’t anymore because of accidents. For example, a visitor had reversed his car across a person lying on the beach. When emergency vehicles tried to access the accident, they couldn’t because of all of the cars parked there. Parking on Dollymount beach was banned in 2014. 

Is there parking at Dollymount beach?

Yes, you can either park on Causeway Road or near the pier right by the beach after Bull Wall.

Are dogs allowed on Dollymount Strand?

Yes, dogs are allowed on Dollymount beach but must be kept on leash.

Is Dollymount polluted?

You can get the most recent information on whether Dollymount beach is polluted on this website or in the news. In the past, the beach has been polluted with algae and warnings were put out for safety. The water quality is tested regularly especially before and during the bathing season which runs from June to October.

Want to discover more about Ireland? The following guides might interest you:

• 30 best experience of Glamping in the Wicklow Mountains National Park
• Alpaca Walking in Ireland: an unforgettable experience
• Christmas in Dublin

Any questions on Dollymount beach? Drop them in the comments or on insta and we will get back to you asap.