It’s hard not to feel good when you’re by the sea. The restorative power of the ocean is tangible, whether you’re taking a brisk walk along the seafront or a bracing dip in the water. On the island of Ireland, people have long harnessed the coastal elements in the quest for wellness, from swimmers in their 70s who take the plunge every morning, to those who soak in baths full of seaweed. You can follow in their footsteps along the epic coastline, from the Causeway Coastal Route to the Wild Atlantic Way, splashing in the sea, hiking up coastal mountains and sweating in beach saunas. Here’s how to plan the ultimate feel good trip across both these iconic routes …
Build up a sweat in a seaside sauna
In recent years, one wellness trend has taken over the Irish coastline – the seaside sauna. Whether you’re on the Causeway coast, which snakes along Northern Ireland’s shoreline from Belfast to Derry~Londonderry, or the Wild Atlantic Way, which stretches along Ireland’s west coast, there are outdoor saunas positioned right next to the sea, so you can build up a sweat before leaping in the ocean to cool off.
One of the most scenic is Hotbox, with an incredible location on the white sands of Benone Strand in County Londonderry – look out over the ocean and you can see Inishowen in County Donegal, but look up at the cliffs overhead and you have a great view of Mussenden Temple, one of the most-photographed landmarks along the Causeway coast.
Farther down the western shore on the Wild Atlantic Way, the Salt and Ember Sauna has two locations by the calm waters of Donegal Bay – one is in Bundoran, and the other is on the pier in Rossnowlagh. They’re both perfectly placed to relax and watch the waves.
Forage for seaweed and then soak in all its goodness
In Ireland, seaweed has been used in many concoctions over the centuries. If you’d like to try some, the family-run Nourished in Nature in County Sligo offers a foraging tour at Strandhill where you can eat raw, cooked and baked seaweed, as well as find out about its history and uses.
While you’ll find seaweed in many local foods (and even some spirits, like gin), its other use is more focused on relaxation. Seaweed baths have been a coastal tradition for hundreds of years – in the 19th century, there were hundreds of bathhouses along the coast – and it’s as simple as it sounds. A bath tub is filled with piping hot seawater and freshly harvested seaweed, and as you lie back and soak, you absorb all the healing oils released in the water. Try it yourself at one of the oldest in Ireland, Kilcullen’s Bath House in Enniscrone, County Sligo, and you’ll see why the craze is still popular to this day.
Hike in the footsteps of giants
If there’s one thing you can be sure of along the island’s coast, it’s that you’re never far from a top-notch hiking trail. Among the highest sea cliffs in Europe, Slieve League on the south coast of Donegal are almost 600-metres above the Atlantic Ocean and provide a spectacular backdrop to a hike. There are plenty of options to be had, including the Pilgrim’s Path, a 3km-walk which showcases the seascapes over a couple of hours.
One of the most distinctive mountains in Ireland, Benbulben, stands guard over the Sligo coastline, the flat top and glacial tracks down the sides giving it a unique silhouette. There’s a four-mile hiking trail around its base, which gives you a great vantage point of both the mountain and the surrounding coast. But if you want a real challenge, you can climb to the summit on a guided hike with Northwest Adventure Tours, where a mountain leader will guide you right up to the sheer peak.
Moving farther along to the Causeway coast, you’ll find another scenic icon, the Giant’s Causeway, a couple of miles from the village of Bushmills. While you can explore this unique rock formation up close on a walk along the coast, it’s best seen from above, on a two-mile trail along the clifftops. From that height, you’ll get a unique view of these hexagonal rock stacks as the wild waves batter the shore, spraying up between the towers of black stone.
Take to the water for a restorative dip
It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is – in the island of Ireland, dedicated sea swimmers leap into the waves every single day. Every morning, there are swimmers who head out to the buoys at Rosses Point in Sligo, and you can join them to see why they’re so dedicated to the art of a fresh, cold-water dip.
There’s also a strong surfing tradition along the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route – watch the big wave surfers tackle the epic swell at Mullaghmore Head, or try it yourself with a lesson in Portstewart Strand, where the waves are more beginner-friendly. Fancy something a little lower octane? In the summer, you can take an outdoor yoga class right on the beach in surfer hotspot Strandhill, then head up to one of the shorefront cafes for brunch afterwards.
Sleep under the stars in a unique hideaway
After all of that adventure, you’ll need a place to lay your head. And on the island of Ireland, your accommodation can be just as inspiring as the great outdoors. At Cromore Retreat on the north coast at Portstewart, you can sleep in transparent bubble domes, lying back in a four poster bed as you gaze up at the twinkling night sky. Farther round the coast in the direction of Belfast, in the grounds of Glenarm Castle, there are ocean view glamping pods with floor-to-ceiling glazing, and there’s a wood-fired hot tub, too.
For an off-grid stay in Donegal, check out the yurts or romantic shepherd’s hut at Lough Mardal Eco Lodge, 20 minutes from Donegal Town on the Wild Atlantic Way. You won’t be cold – Donegal tweed blankets are standard and there are wood-burning stoves. The aforementioned eco lodge is a large wooden and straw building with showers and a kitchen, and acts as the social hub for guests at the 90-acre bogland and lake site.
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