The Forty Foot

About

Year-round sea-swimming spot at Sandycove Point. Steps down to deep water from a stone platform. Used by the same Dubliners every day of the year, including the famously busy Christmas Day swim. Water about 6-8°C in winter, 13-15°C in summer. Free, no booking, no facilities beyond a changing wall.

Highlights

• ✓Year-round outdoor swimming
• ✓Setting for the opening of Joyce's Ulysses
• ✓Steps cut into the rock, deep water immediately

Tips

• →Christmas Day is the busiest day of the year; arrive early
• →Water 6-8°C in winter, 13-15°C in summer
• →No lifeguard; swim with someone
• →Combine with a visit to the James Joyce Tower next door

Best Season