Brittas Bay
About 12 km south of Wicklow Town ·
About
Brittas Bay is four kilometres of dune-backed sand about twelve kilometres south of Wicklow Town, and it is the beach half of south Dublin drives to on a hot day. It is split into two beaches, north and south, each with its own car park off the R750, and both held Blue Flags in Wicklow County Council's 2026 awards along with Greystones South, which makes them the only Blue Flag beaches in the county. Both are lifeguarded by the council through the bathing season, 1 June to 15 September. The dunes behind the beach are a designated conservation area and are fragile: stay on the marked accesses rather than cutting through them. The council notes that outside the bathing season Brittas Bay sees pressure points with traffic and litter, and on a fine summer Sunday the R750 and the two car parks back up early, so this is a beach to arrive at before eleven or after four.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Blue Flag status for both Brittas Bay North and Brittas Bay South in 2026
- ✓Lifeguards through the bathing season, 1 June to 15 September
- ✓Four kilometres of sand backed by a protected dune system
- ✓Two pay car parks, north and south, off the R750
Tips
- →Both car parks and the R750 fill early on fine summer weekends. Arrive before 11am or after 4pm.
- →There are no lifeguards outside 1 June to 15 September.
- →Keep to the marked dune accesses; the dune system is protected and easily damaged.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
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Wicklow's Historic Gaol
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Wicklow Head and its Lighthouses
The easternmost point of the Republic of Ireland, with three lighthouse towers on one headland, one of them let as self-catering accommodation.