The Spinnaker · Dunmore East

Cliff Walks and Food in Dunmore East

Counsellor's Strand, Dunmore East
Counsellor's Strand, Dunmore East · Photo: Paul O'Farrell, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Doneraile Walk is the reason most visitors come to Dunmore East. The meal after is the reason they come back. Here's how to time the day so the food lands when you actually want it.

The walk first

Start the cliff walk mid-morning if you've got the day, or 3pm if you're driving in for the afternoon. The 2km loop runs north out of the village above Counsellor's Strand. Allow 40-60 minutes. Bring layers — the headland is exposed even in summer.

The timing window for the perfect post-walk meal

Finish the walk hungry. The Spinnaker takes bookings from around 5pm — earlier is fine if the kitchen is open. A post-walk pint, a hot plate, and the long Atlantic light through the window in summer.

Ringing ahead from the cliff path

There's mobile signal across most of the cliff route. Ring (051) 383 133 from the top of the headland to lock in your table for the time you'll arrive back.

Off-season — the under-rated version

October to April the cliff path is yours. Crowds gone. Wind sharper. The reward is a pub fire and a hot meal at The Spinnaker with nobody hurrying you.

Book a table at The Spinnaker

Peter is doing food himself — fresh, simple, local. Ring or email direct, no app, no fee.

Quick questions

How long after the cliff walk should I leave before eating?

Straight in. Boots off, hands washed, table. The Spinnaker is on the road into the village — five minutes from the cliff path end.

Is the cliff walk dog-friendly?

Yes on a lead, particularly near the unfenced cliff edges.

Can I do the cliff walk in wet weather?

Yes with proper boots — it's grass and packed earth, slippery in rain. Atlantic squalls move through quickly.