Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk Update

24/09/2025

Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk Update

This week I attended an information session hosted by RPS on their long-awaited assessment of the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk. They presented their final report, which is now publicly available on Wicklow County Council’s website. The session gave a clear picture of the scale of the challenges facing this much-loved amenity.

The Assessment

For the purpose of the study, the cliff walk was divided into two sections:

  • South section (Greystones side)

  • North section (Bray side)

A drone survey, combined with LiDAR scanning, was used to create a highly detailed 3D model of the cliffs. This allowed for a comprehensive slope stability risk assessment.

In total, 30 slopes were identified and graded on a risk scale ranging from 1 (low risk) to 25 (immediate risk). Alarmingly, 7 slopes fell into the immediate risk category, with some reaching the maximum score of 25.

Key Findings

  • South section (Greystones): This area is mainly affected by coastal landslides, which are especially difficult to manage because the cliffs are being undermined from below. To the casual walker, the path may seem fine on the surface, but underneath, there is significant erosion that makes the cliffs extremely unstable and dangerous.

  • North section (Bray): The risks here stem from rock instability, which, while serious, is generally more straightforward to address compared to landslides.

Proposed Solutions

The report sets out two different strategies:

  • North section: Installation of protective netting and sprayed concrete to stabilise the rock slopes.

  • South section: Unfortunately, there is no engineering solution that can guarantee safety here. The only viable option is to reroute the path away from the undermined cliffs.

Next Steps

The main obstacle now is funding.  This report underlines just how dangerous parts of the path have become and why safety closures were unavoidable. While it may be disappointing to many who cherish the walk, the findings show that a long-term, safe solution is possible, but will take major resources.