Thursday 27th June 2024
Side Quest Two: Killing time in Howth
My morning started with a swim—hoorah! The tide was still out, and it was quite the wade to get to swimming depth. The beaches are shallow in Ireland. But the sea was refreshing, and the wind was strong, blowing my swim robe off the rock on which it was perched and into the water. It was a chilly trot back to the van to get warm and dry.
Late morning, I left camp and continued along the coast, finding things to entertain me until my ferry at 8:30 PM. Fearful of ‘nearly’ missing it again, I checked and double-checked the time and made sure that I was within sprinting distance of the port… should side quests go wrong.
The first side quest for the day was Swords Castle, an early medieval castle located in Swords, Dublin. I was glad it was free, as parking charges were at a premium, and for a tiny town, it was very busy.
The newly renovated castle was used as a film location for the production of TV series The Tudors in spring 2010. In 2019, the chapel opened its doors to weddings.
Following coffee and brunch in a very mediocre high street cafe, the rest of a very windy day was spent in the charming harbour town of Howth.
With free parking and more pubs, restaurants, tapas bars, and coffee shops than you can shake a stick at, I should have just come here yesterday. I bet it’s a really vibrant place at night.
There was much to see. The grounds of 15th-century Howth Castle have rhododendron gardens and a transport museum with local trams. The 19th-century Martello Tower houses a vintage radio museum. The medieval ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey lie nearby, and a clifftop trail offers sweeping sea views. Offshore, Ireland’s Eye is an island bird sanctuary with an ancient ruined church.
Damn, I could have gone on a boat trip! Alas, I had left it too late to enjoy all the wonders of this delightful town. I walked around the harbour; the ruined St Mary’s Abbey and a sumptuous ice cream waffle were all I had time for… the ferry awaits.
This time, arriving anxiously early, there was nearly a two-hour wait, watching huge lorry trailers being taken on and off at speed. Finally boarding, the ferry was late sailing, and I had a long, noisy night ahead.
Final Irish Road Trip Tuuuuune
Tales From The Trails 
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