Swim at the Cove
A designated bathing area with water quality rated Excellent for 2021-2024, though there are no lifeguards on duty, so you swim at your own risk. It is at its best near high tide, when the water is deepest in the cove.
The Cove
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About
A small, sheltered pebble cove tucked beneath rocky cliffs just south of Greystones Marina, reached by a long ramp and loved by year-round sea swimmers. It is a designated bathing area with "Excellent" water quality, but no lifeguard.
Things to Do
Find the ramp down
The Cove is a naturally formed shingle beach nestled in the rocky foreshore 170m south of Greystones Marina. Access is by a long sloped path at the southern end of the beach, taken at your own risk.
Join the sunrise swimmers
Locals have met here daily at sunrise for years, with the Happy Pear cafe crew bringing tea and treats to the beach. Bigger 'swimrise' gatherings draw hundreds of swimmers a few times a year.
Warm up in the sauna
Fad Saoil Saunas sits right beside the Marine Road parking, so you can move straight from cold water to heat. It is roughly a 50m walk from the sauna to the water's edge.
Walk the Bray cliff path
The Greystones to Bray Cliff Walk starts in Greystones and follows a paved path along the cliffs for about 7km, taking roughly two hours each way. You can return by DART instead of walking back.
Eat around Greystones
Greystones has become one of Wicklow's foodiest towns, with fresh seafood and local produce on most menus. The Happy Pear cafe is a 500m walk from the cove, and the harbour is the spot for ice cream.
Plan Your Visit
- Admission: No admission charge - it is an open public cove.
- Parking: Free parking on Marine Road, about 50m from the water's edge; Fad Saoil Saunas is next to this parking. The nearby South Beach car parks charge roughly €1 per hour and fill quickly on sunny days.
- Food: No food or drink at the cove itself. The Happy Pear cafe is about 500m away in Greystones town, which has a wide choice of restaurants and cafés, plus ice cream by the harbour.
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