Located on the east coast of County Wicklow, Ireland, approximately 12-16km south of Wicklow Town (a 15-minute drive) and 65km south of Dublin city centre. It's part of a longer stretch of beach separated from the R750 road by extensive sand dunes.
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Location
Access Information
Accessed via the R750 regional road. Separate car parks exist for North and South beaches. South Beach car park costs €4 per day during summer.
Beach Details
Activities
- Swimming
- Bathing
- Walking
- Surfing
- Sailing
- Sunbathing
- Picnicking
Facilities
- Toilets (located in car park)
- Car Parking (paid during summer)
- Lifeguards (during bathing season)
- Bins
Environment
Coastal sand dunes and beach
Conservation Status
Proposed Special Area of Conservation (SAC), part of the Buckroney Dunes and Fen SAC.
Views
Views of the Irish Sea, the extensive sandy beach, and the surrounding sand dunes.
Wildlife
The dunes are ecologically important, hosting Rabbits, Badgers, Red Foxes, Wood Mice, Wood Pigeons, Pheasants, Cuckoos, Red Kites, Buzzards, Barn Owls, Kestrels, Chiffchaff warblers, Whitethroats, Sea Buckthorn thickets, Pyramidal Orchids, Dune Pansy, Marram Grass, Dark Green Fritillary butterflies, Yellow Shell moths, Little Blue butterflies, Small Heath butterflies, and Common Blue butterflies. The beach and bay area support Razor shells, Lugworms, Sand Eels, Lesser Weaver Fish, Thornback Rays, and Common Skate.
Cultural & Historical Significance
Nearby Three-Mile-Water had a pre-Patrician Christian settlement. St Baoithin and St Kevin have connections to the area. The pirate Captain Jack White operated from nearby Jack's Hole cove.
Beach Tags
Reviews
Reviews Summary
Overall positive reviews highlight the beautiful, clean, sandy beach and dunes, ideal for swimming (when lifeguarded), walking, and family days out. Parking facilities are generally considered good value, though toilets were reported locked on one occasion. It's very popular, especially with Dubliners, and can get crowded in summer. Some reviewers noted occasional litter.
Absolutely amazing beach, but no toilets. Ohh, toilets are here, but they are locked. So many people coming here, but they locked so you just can look at them. That's very bad. Otherwise the beach is class.
This for all its beauty could be missed coming from the motorway. You turn at Jack Whites restaurant, and basically drive a straight road to smaller coastal road. There’s a car park, unsure if you pay or not ( maybe at high season). We didn’t have to. It’s a short walk through sand dunes to an absolutely magnificent beach. Again in winter this is blissful solitude , I have no doubt would be packed in summer months. It must be a couple of kilometres long and is hidden from the hurly burly of road noise by the dunes.
Beautiful, sandy beach. We went early July 15th. Uncrowded but not desolate. Mostly young families. Good swimming areas with lifeguard. 4e charge for parking is reasonable. Picnic areas, tarmac pathways, and toilet facilities are well maintained and safe. Close to other amenities but I advise that you bring lunch or snacks.
Such an amazing place to swim to cool off in the warm weather, the beach is lovely and clean and to take the horses for a good canter early in the morning or in the evening
Went to Brittas Bay beach and I really enjoyed it. Its great to go for walk, to sunbathe in or to have a picnic and it’s only about 1hr drive from Dublin
Brittas Bay is much beloved by people from Dublin and in the summer they flock there. Many have mobile homes and summer houses and it gets really busy on hot days. The beach is vast and can accommodate the crowds but the issue is that there are only two car parks which while big do fill up given the demand. I like to go here more off season and it is amazing when it’s nearly empty. It has great sand dunes a wide expanse of golden sand and the sea is generally safe for bathing, is clean and in season it has beach rescue. In winter dogs are allowed on the beach but not in summer (check before you go) and it’s a lovely walk along the beach if you want a stroll.
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