Strandhill, Sligo – An Essential Travel Guide for 2025

Strandhill is a coastal village on the Coolera Peninsula, just west of Sligo Town. It sits at the foot of the majestic Knocknarea Hill which dominates the views here. A vast beach and great location on the Wild Atlantic Way have made Strandhill a popular spot among international surfers. Social media rightly portrays it as a surfing powerhouse, but is there more to the area than monstrous waves?

Read on to find out!

Public Transport: Strandhill doesn’t have its own train station, but it handily lies just 7km from Sligo Town. Sligo itself is excellently connected to many parts of the country via MacDiarmada Train Station.

Having arrived in Sligo, avoid taking an expensive taxi and instead board the S2 Bus. It costs less than €2 each way and runs from Rosses Point, stopping in Sligo in between. This means that you can easily check out the exquisite beach at Rosses Point during your visit if time allows.

Head to The Strand Bar and Restaurant to indulge in fresh seafood landed at nearby. Prices are reasonable, across a lunch menu, evening menu and even a pizza menu. The fresh fish admittedly comes with a slight premium, with an exquisite fish and chips setting us back €19.50.

The Venue Bar and Restaurant is another popular choice. It is famed for its mix of local mussels, crab claws and seafood chowder served with home baked breads. Prices are a little steeper, but still reasonable given how fresh and delicious the food is. For comparison, a cod fillet in beer batter cost us €21.60 here. Customers are treated to some incredible views of the wild Atlantic Ocean while they eat.

Check out our Killybegs Travel Guide

Hot Beverages: The ever popular Shell’s Cafe is a charming spot with outdoor seating and stunning sea views. They actually have a really decent food menu that is much cheaper than the other eateries here. We came for the tasty coffee but we stayed for the sensation €13 toasties and the really chilled atmosphere. There are plenty of gluten-free and dairy-free options available too.

Alcohol: There are bars aplenty here and the town’s status as a gathering place for international visitors really adds to the craic. Dunes Bar is our favourite, with its famous open-mic Mondays particularly good fun! You can grab everything from cocktails to gins and the atmosphere here is the best in town. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for regular events – We landed for a Latin music and taco night which turned out to be an absolute blast.

Alternatively check out the Venue Bar and Restaurant, a favorite among locals. They offer delicious pints, host live music on weekends, and the food is supreme.

The breathtaking coastal views here are dominated by the presence of Knocknarea Mountain in the background, the hill that gave the town its name. The Queen Maeve Trail is a picturesque but challenging 6km forest trail ascending towards the hill’s summit, via 500 wooden steps. Dogs can’t access certain parts of the Queen Maeve Trail because it crosses private farmland.

Nestled at the base of Knocknarea, you’ll find the enchanting Glen, a natural chasm stretching 1.2 kilometers. The wild flowers here are remarkable and it’s worth checking out for the wonderful aromas alone!

Queen Maeve Trail Visitor’s Information

Like the rest of Ireland, the weather here can be atrociously bad at times. However, on the few sunny days that we do get, the magnificent beach here comes alive. Follow the short path past Shell’s Café to access Strandhill Beach and its immense collection of sand dunes.

You will find rare plants and animals uniquely adapted to the sandy conditions here. It’s important to note that certain areas of the dunes are restricted to safeguard the delicate ecology. Follow the signs on the beach for Shelly Valley, where you can admire a incredible collection of shells resting beneath a massive sand dune. Try your hand at climbing the sandy behemoth!

The town is a magnet for the international surfing community, who often post up at one of the local hostels. This creates a lively hub of diverse international communities and a vibrant, cheerful village. The typical Irish banter blends with the lively touristy vibes, contributing to the special ambiance here.

During the summer the town is popular with families, as children grab delicious treats from Mammy Johnstons and play in the sands. Swimming being off limits does not hinder the young visitors, who still have tremendous fun on the beach. During the winter months Strandhill remains popular, the ferocious waves of the Atlantic Ocean making it a nice place for a walk to clear one’s mind. It’s the perfect place to come for a stroll when life gets a little too busy.

Scenic walks flank the town on either side, with our recommendation being the easier trek to Culleenamore Beach. This tranquil route is especially scenic during low tides when you might catch a glimpse of the seal colony that frequently visits. If a 90-minute trek seems too lengthy consider halving the route by cutting across the dunes.

Alternatively, take the 2 hour Killaspugbrone Coastal Walk in the opposite direction, which offers incredible views of the setting sun if visited at the right time. Start at the promenade and head right towards the airport. Follow the looped trail from here to Killaspugbrone Church, which gave the walk its name, and on to the beautiful Nun’s Beach.

You can explore Coney Island by car from nearby Cummeen Strand, but following the waymarking posts. Interestingly, this tiny Irish island gave the more famous Coney Island in New York its name. The name originates from the Irish word for ‘rabbit,’ inspired by the abundant furry inhabitants.

There is actually only one family of permanent residents left on this secluded island, renowned for its secluded beaches and its frequent festivals. If driving to Coney Island from the mainland, be sure to note the tide times. Locals have horror stories aplenty of people getting stuck on the island overnight.

Coney Island Tide Times

The Voya Seaweed Baths attract over 40,000 visitors to Ireland annually. While seaweed baths were once commonplace in this region, a combination of emigration and a destructive hurricane led to their disappearance. In 2000, Neil Walton and his family established Voya, restoring this cultural practice and making it the sole bathhouse in the area. A 50-minute double bathing session for couples within your own exclusive private bathing room costs just €80, which isn’t bad at all!

Book a Treatment at Voya Seaweed Baths

Should you find yourself here on a Sunday head to Sligo Airport to check out the People’s Market. This is a bustling little place where you can grab a coffee and snacks while you viewing the crafts on offer. Even if you don’t intend on buying anything, we recommend checking it out for the atmosphere alone. If you are lucky you might just witness some live entertainment!

We were disappointed to find that the market was closed the last time we visited, as the hangar was needed by the coastguard. We really hope it opens again soon!

Surfing is massively encouraged at Strandhill Beach! The sea boasts high-quality waves throughout the year, accommodating both regular and goofy-footed surfers with left and right-hand waves. Optimal conditions for advanced surfers occur in autumn and winter, when Atlantic swells are consistent. You can enlist in top-notch local surf schools for equipment and expert guidance, and there are convenient changing facilities at the nearby County Sligo Surf Club.

The area hosts surfing events year round, but if you are here in August a visit to the Strandhill Open surfing competition is certainly worth the trip. It’s one of the biggest events of its kind in the country!

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