While it may seem as if I travel far and wide, if you look closely you’ll see that I have favorite spots to which I return time and time again. Howth is one of those places.
This seaside village on the north end of Dublin Bay, has never failed to charm me, although, I discovered when it’s pissing rain and there are another 6km remaining before the trail’s end, there might be a moment of annoyance.
It passed quickly – just like that shower.
My cousin, a Dublin native, and I met at my favorite lunch spot, Octopussy. I arrived on an earlier DART than she which gave me the chance to get us the last seating for two in this tiny tapas restaurant. By the time she arrived, the bottle of rosé was open and the restaurant was humming.
Barely an hour later, bellies full of chowder, potatoes and two small plates of fish, we set off under dry skies to pick up the Cliff Walk trail near the DART station. We had discussed taking either the red or blue trails, but somehow (sense of direction may not be a strength on the McMenamin side of the family) ended up on neither. Instead, we found ourselves on the purple trail, the one that is longest and considered to be most challenging.
Game on.
The early parts of the trail (we did the walk in what is considered to be the reverse direction), were less than scenic as we made our way through a housing estate and up wooded paths. Eventually, though, things became rugged, rocky and incredibly scenic with views of the Irish Sea threatening to distract us from the importance of careful foot placement on the narrow, uneven path.
That’s when the rain began.
It’s a funny thing the way it rains here. Yesterday, it began as an almost indiscernible mist. At that point in our trek, we were warmed from our exertions and the soft rain was more welcome than resented. Later, this was not the case.
As I walked, I thought about how long people had been taking this path. Probably centuries, right? I considered how the views had changed over the years, what it must have looked like before the twin stacks of Sandymount had jutted up across the bay.
I wondered how many people with whom I share DNA had walked this very same trail.
Along the way, we encountered other hikers (much more serious about their task than we with our casual approach in brogues and Stan Smith’s), dense clumps of fragrant gorse, twisted trees and cliff dwelling birds. It was truly spectacular.
But, it was also not for the faint of heart. I found myself walking as far from the edge of the cliffs as possible – the drop to the sea was something I wasn’t interested in experiencing. I was acutely aware of the rain adding to the slipperiness of the stone path and adjusted my pace to one that was cautious.
And, I got cold. Colder than I realized, in fact. It wasn’t until, upon recognizing that I was going to be late for my sauna reservation, I tried to use my phone to send a message that I realized my fingers were practically numb.
Yet, somehow, I didn’t regret a moment of the hike. Time spent with a cousin (3rd or otherwise!) is something I’ll forever seek out and cherish. That being said, I was thrilled to discover that the sauna I was booked to enjoy was directly on our path on the way into Howth. Hugs exchanged, A and I parted until next week’s scheduled family gathering, and I pushed open the gate to the Wonky Sauna.
This place was an absolute delight. Kee welcomed me warmly and got me sorted out, assuring me that I could enjoy whatever time I’d like in the barrel shaped sauna, regardless of my delayed arrival. With freezing fingers, I got changed into my swimsuit and forced myself into the outside cold shower before opening the door and stepping into the perfect combination of heaven and hell – the sauna.
The heat and view came together to warm me from the outside in. It was absolutely spectacular. For the next 45 minutes or so, I moved between the sauna, the shower and simply standing gazing at the Irish Sea below me. It was a fantastic way to end what had been a wonderful day in Howth.
DelSo 