I’ve always loved going to Howth on a Sunday, it makes me feel like I’m on a little holiday, which is great as it’s only a 25 min train ride from where I live.
I usually
have a little walk along the pier, say bonjour to the seals, buy a few bits and
pieces at the market, take the exact same pics of the lighthouse I’ve been
taking for the last 8 years and end up at The Bloody Stream’s terrace if it’s
sunny.
Last
Sunday, my friend and I discovered the 4 different loop walks that you can do
while in Howth. These 4 trails range from 6 to 10 km long and are a great way to discover
the amazing coastal views, cliffs and other wonders of Howth.
We did the Bog of Frogs Loop, the ‘hard’ one because we’re tough cookies. It wasn’t that hard to be honest and we LOVED it! You just have to follow the little yellow round signs with the purple arrows, admire the beautiful landscapes and in less than 3 hours you'll deserve a little treat from the food market.
We did the Bog of Frogs Loop, the ‘hard’ one because we’re tough cookies. It wasn’t that hard to be honest and we LOVED it! You just have to follow the little yellow round signs with the purple arrows, admire the beautiful landscapes and in less than 3 hours you'll deserve a little treat from the food market.
After our walk we visited the marquee of The Dublin Bay Prawn festival which took place from the 26th to the 28th of April. There were a few events going on: cookery demonstrations, food trails, a fun fair, gigs... Visitors could treat themselves to mini fish and chips, seafood paella, thai prawn and seafood curry and many other dishes cooked onsite at the stalls of different restaurants.
The festival
was very busy and queues at the food stalls were endless and I couldn’t handle
the wait: we were starving after our long walk. Dear readers, I have to confess: I ended up not having a single prawn at the
Dublin Bay Prawn Festival. Oops, I devoured a falafel wrap from the Lebanese
Kitchen stall at the regular market. I blame my middle Eastern food obsession on the Jerusalem cookbook. In fairness, I always have seafood while in Howth and I
know I can enjoy it there anytime!
Also, I was happy to discover a stall selling chimney cakes, like the ones I've eaten in Budapest last year. They are cylindrical yeast pastries sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. I enjoyed watching the Chimney Cake Ireland team making their products in front of the market’s visitors and the smell of cinnamon was so delightful I had to try one: it was lovely.
That was a perfect day despite the rain, the wind and the cold; we truly fell in love with Howth. We actually were lucky to get some sunny spell during the walk and when it happened it was wonderful. Next time I’m up there, I’m so bringing a little picnic basket filled with cheeses, homemade salads and other goodies. Roll on Irish summer!
