For over two years, the famed 6-kilometre coastal stroll from Bray to Greystones in County Wicklow, which is a favourite amongst walkers on Ireland’s eastern coastline, has faced closure. Born out of necessity as a pathway for railway line workers in the 1840s, this cliffside walk has achieved international acclaim in the last half-century. Nevertheless, risk of rockfall from the Bray end and land subsidence nearby the pathway at numerous spots on the Greystones side has resulted in an official shutdown, leading to a marked sense of disappointment among both locals and tourists.
Jane Beirne, a local resident of Bray who often embarks on leisurely dog walks, mentions that a proposed walkway around Bray Head is in the works. However, she pointed out that a strong preference exists among many for rejuvenating the Bray to Greystones coastal walkway before implementing the circuit around the hill.
This walkway is uniquely known for its abundant avian occupants, which include cormorants, kittiwakes, terns and even transient Brent Geese. The panoramic sights stretching from Wicklow Head lighthouse in the south to Dalkey Island and Howth in the north lend this walk a distinctive charm. The train line snakes along the seaside beneath this walk.
Patricia Cooney, who leads walks from southern Dublin and was spotted on Bray Head earlier this week, expressed shock that the cliff walk had been shut for two years. She’s ashamed to inform others about the closure of this massive tourist hotspot. She went on to say that in other regions with comparable splendid walks, compulsory legal ownership would be enacted for the necessary land.
When we encountered Cooney, she was guiding a group of Wednesday Walks for Women up to Bray Head’s cross and down to Windgates, located roughly halfway between Bray and Greystones. Her group chose this alternative path due to an obstruction on the Bray side blocking access to the original walk. Additionally, notices conspicuously display the closure of the cliff walk because of the risk of rockfalls.
In Greystones, walkers are frequently ignoring barriers installed to prevent them from accessing the cliff walk, choosing instead to follow the path until they reach the barricade on the Bray side. In Greystones’ Dart station, a sole notice informs people of the closed path, yet the lack of signage across the area doesn’t seem to deter determined walkers.
Whether seen as people exercising their freedom or reckless behaviour, the scenic north Wicklow coastline path is heavily trafficked almost every day. This writer, in an investigative endeavour, traversed the entire route from Greystones last Saturday and met no fewer than 30 others. It’s evident that the obstructions intended to control pedestrian access are often breached, sidestepped, or simply flattened. The path presents particular danger during wet weather—erosion at two points of the trail increases the risk of slipping and plummeting into a gap.
Although previous warnings of closure were dismissed by a group of English-language students who vowed to retreat if things became risky, the concerns remain. In 2023, the council undertook assessment and mitigative planning for the rock face. A problematic single tender over the government’s €200,000 threshold for procurement on projects of this size has necessitated an open e-tender process for the work, which the council representative, Fox, explained.
The council hopes to bring in new tenders by this summer, and once secured, the winning bidder will be pressured for prompt delivery. However, the council’s paramount worry is public health and safety, causing the walk’s closure.
Steven Matthews, the Green Party TD for Wicklow, who has followed the issues surrounding the Bray-Greystones cliff walk for a long time, warns against using the route. He emphasised the real danger posed by potential rockfalls on the Bray side and the risk associated with attempting to navigate around the path’s obstructive barriers.
This is not the inaugural occurrence of the cliff trail closure, with past landslip incidents. Some alterations were also done by Wicklow County Council to bring the route inwards, away from the proximity of the Greystones coastline. The public can still access a part of the trail that passes through a rape seed oil field as the initial blockade is positioned further along the path.
[Roaming Ireland: The top 10 outdoor walking and festival events to experience in 2024]
Matthews, an ex-employee of Irish Rail, suggests that issues with erosion are due to both marine storms and land run-off sloping towards the sea. “The cliff path on the side of Greystones has subsided which means a new path would need to be created more inland, and this would entail negotiations for land procurement or mandatory buy orders with four or five property owners,” explains Matthews. The municipal district engineer for Greystones was indisposed for comment.
Matthews also stresses, “This trail is a significant attraction and offers a stunning walk with good public transport connections. It’s crucial that we re-open it soon.”