Guillamene Cove Swim, Then Eat at The Spinnaker Bar in Dunmore East

Guillamene Cove sits on the Waterford coast between Tramore and Dunmore East — a sheltered saltwater inlet with ladder access, calm water most days, and a local swim crew year-round. The drive from Guillamene to The Spinnaker Bar in Lower Village, Dunmore East takes twenty minutes. Ring Peter on (051) 383 133 after your swim to book a table for seafood chowder, beer-battered fish, or a cold pint on the harbour.

Guillamene Cove: Where It Is and What You Get

Guillamene sits two kilometres west of Tramore town on the R675 coast road. Park at the small car park above the cove — spaces fill fast on summer mornings and weekend afternoons. A steep set of concrete steps leads down to the rocky platform and the fixed metal ladder into the water. The cove faces south-east, sheltered by cliffs on three sides. Swell from the Celtic Sea rolls in, but the inlet dampens most of it. Water stays clear except after heavy rain when the stream running down from the fields muddies it for a day or two.

The local swim group — Guillamene Swimming Club — meets most mornings at 8am. You'll see regulars in tow floats and neoprene gloves through winter. Summer brings families, tourists, and people swimming without wetsuits when the water hits fifteen degrees in July and August. Depth drops to four metres off the ladder. No lifeguard. No cafe. Bring a flask if you want tea after.

The Twenty-Minute Drive to Dunmore East

From Guillamene car park, head back up to the R675 and turn left toward Dunmore East. The road hugs the coast — you'll see Brownstown Head across Waterford Harbour and the Hook Lighthouse further east on clear days. Pass through Annestown (small beach, no facilities), then Bunmahon (copper mine heritage, another beach). The road narrows through farmland and climbs over the headland before dropping into Dunmore East from the west.

Total distance: sixteen kilometres. Drive time: twenty to twenty-five minutes depending on tractor traffic in summer. Turn left at the village centre to reach Lower Village and the harbour. The Spinnaker Bar sits harbour-side with outdoor seating on the deck when the weather allows. Park along the harbour wall or in the small public car park fifty metres up the hill.

What Peter's Serving After Your Swim

Peter runs the kitchen and the bar at The Spinnaker. The menu pulls from day-boats landing at Dunmore East harbour — mackerel, pollock, crab, prawns depending on what came in that morning. Seafood chowder costs €13.50 and comes with brown bread. Mussels run €14 (chorizo, sherry, cream, garlic bread). Beer-battered fish and chips cost €22.50. The 8oz striploin is €37. Lamb shank is €27. Pizzas range €13.50 to €21. Desserts — cheesecake, crème brûlée, strawberry mousse, chocolate orange tart — are €8.95 each.

Sunday roast runs on the day while it lasts. Peter posts this week's opening hours and food times on Facebook at facebook.com/p/The-Spinnaker-Bar-61579148378692/. Walk-ins welcome most days. Ring Peter on (051) 383 133 for Friday or Sunday evenings, or any group of six or more.

Cold Pints and Harbour Views

The Spinnaker sits on the working harbour. Trawlers tie up at the pier opposite. Gulls circle. The smell of diesel and salt water mixes with kitchen smoke from the bar. The deck has bench seating — first come, first served when the sun's out. Inside, the bar runs along the left wall. Wooden tables, mismatched chairs, Premier League and GAA matches on the big screen. Live music some weekends — Ash and Laura play when they're not touring, but Peter posts the live schedule on Facebook each week.

Guinness, Smithwick's, Hop House 13, Rockshore on tap. Bottles in the fridge. The crowd skews local — fishermen, villagers, walkers finishing the Doneraile cliff path, families after the beach at Counsellor's Strand. Conversation stays easy. No rush. No upsell. Just cold pints, hot food, and the tide rising and falling outside the window.

The Village After Lunch

Dunmore East has twelve hundred permanent residents and doubles in summer. Thatched cottages line the narrow streets above the harbour, painted cream, pink, pale blue. The lifeboat station sits at the eastern end of the harbour — Dunmore East RNLI launched 138 times in 2023. Counsellor's Strand is a ten-minute walk from The Spinnaker — sand and shingle beach, lifeguard in summer, calm water for kids. The Doneraile cliff walk starts at the western end of the village and runs three kilometres to the next cove.

Two pubs, one chipper, one Spar, a post office, and the harbour. That's Dunmore East. The River Suir meets the Celtic Sea here — Waterford City is twelve kilometres upriver to the north-west. Hook Head is visible across the harbour mouth. Sailing dinghies and fishing kayaks launch from the slip at low tide. The village stays quiet outside July and August. Peter and the locals keep it that way.