After a very windy morning along the Sligo coast and our stop at Roslee Castle, we crossed into Co. Mayo for the highlight of our day: Downpatrick Head and the sea stack Dún Briste (often written Dun Briste). In this post we cover the parking, the short walk to the blowhole and the cliff edge, how much time to plan, and a clear warning about the unfenced cliffs.
Downpatrick Head at a glance
- LocationNorth Mayo coast, about 5 km north of Ballycastle, on the Wild Atlantic Way
- ParkingAround 30 spaces, free, no height barrier, plus coach bays
- Entry feeFree
- WalkingAbout 5 minutes to the blowhole, another 5 to the cliff edge; slightly uphill, uneven ground
- Time neededAt least 1 hour, better 1.5 hours
- FacilitiesPortable toilets, benches with tables; a food truck on our visit
- SafetyCliffs are not fenced. Only the blowhole is
- Worth it?Yes, a must-see on any Ireland trip
Where Is Downpatrick Head?
Downpatrick Head is a headland on the north coast of Co. Mayo, about 5 km north of the village of Ballycastle and roughly 35 minutes by road from Ballina. It is one of the signature stops on the Wild Atlantic Way. Do not confuse it with the town of Downpatrick in Northern Ireland, which is on the other side of the island.
The walk starts at the car park, and everything you come for is within a few hundred metres of it.
Downpatrick Head Parking and Van Access
The car park has room for around thirty vehicles. It is free, and there is no height barrier. There are also bays for coaches, so even larger campers will find a place here. With our Ford Tourneo Custom this was as easy as it gets.
Right at the car park you will find portable toilets and a few benches with tables. When we were there, a food truck had set up as well; we would not count on it being there every day. We did not stay overnight and would not plan to.
Leaving the Van While You Walk
Downpatrick Head is a popular stop, but once you walk out along the cliffs you will easily be away from your vehicle for an hour or more. When we leave the van for a longer walk like this, two things are part of our routine:
- Steering wheel lock: we fit this KRASER steering wheel lock before we set off. It is not a guarantee, but it is a clear, visible deterrent.
- Dashcam in parking mode: on car parks where we leave the van for longer, we switch our Wolfbox G900 Pro dashcam to parking mode with a switch we added ourselves, so it keeps recording around the van while we are away.
Take valuables with you or keep them out of sight, as you would at any trailhead.
These are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
The Walk: Blowhole, Saint Patrick and the Cliff Edge
From the car park it is only about five minutes on foot, slightly uphill, to the Downpatrick Head blowhole. Its Irish name, Poll na Seantainne, means “hole of the old fire”. It is a large opening in the ground where the roof of a sea cave has collapsed, and you look down to the water moving far below. In a storm, the sea pushes foam and spray up through the hole. From a distance, that looks like smoke rising from a fire.
Another five minutes brings you to the statue of Saint Patrick. From there it is just a few metres to the cliff edge, and to the view everyone comes for.
North Mayo’s tourism site describes the official Downpatrick Head Loop Walk as an easy 1.4 km loop on grass tracks and gravel, and recommends sturdy footwear. We agree on the footwear: the ground is uneven in places.
Dún Briste, the Broken Fort
Dún Briste means “the Broken Fort”. The sea stack stands forty-five metres high, and its rock is around three hundred and fifty million years old. You can only look at it. Nobody can walk onto it.
According to the local site dunbriste.com, the arch that once connected the stack to the mainland collapsed in very rough seas in 1393. The legend is more direct: Saint Patrick is said to have struck the ground with his crozier, splitting the stack from the headland and stranding a pagan chieftain on it.
Standing at the edge, with the layers of rock in the stack matching the layers in the cliff under your feet, you can see exactly where it once joined. It is a place that fascinates you.
How Long Do You Need at Downpatrick Head?
We would plan at least one hour here, better an hour and a half.
If you have the time, keep walking west along the cliffs. You reach a headland with a wonderful view back to Downpatrick Head and Dún Briste together. That extra stretch is what turns a quick photo stop into a proper visit.
Is Downpatrick Head Safe? Read This Before You Go
One word of warning. The cliffs are not secured, and the ground is uneven. Only the blowhole is fenced. There is nothing between you and the drop at the edge where everyone stands to look at Dún Briste.
In strong wind, take special care with children. We had just come from an extremely windy morning further east, and we were glad the wind had eased by the time we got here.
As far as we could see, dogs are not allowed on the site. Check the signs at the entrance before you set off with one.
Is Downpatrick Head Worth Visiting?
Yes, without hesitation. We were lucky: after an extremely windy morning the weather got better, and we had a spectacular view. Free parking that works for vans and bigger campers, a short walk, and one of the most striking pieces of coast we saw in Ireland.
Best Time to Visit
We can only speak for our own visit: calmer, clearer weather made all the difference for us, both for the view and for feeling comfortable near the edge. In a storm the blowhole is at its most dramatic, but that is also when the unfenced cliffs are at their most dangerous.
Our Honest Takeaway
For us, Downpatrick Head is an absolute must-see on any trip to Ireland. Plan an hour and a half, walk on to the western headland, and treat the cliff edge with respect: it is not fenced, and the ground is uneven.
Our Downpatrick Head stop on video
Downpatrick Head: 🎥 Walk out to the cliff edge with us and see the Dún Briste sea stack – watch from 06:02.
Or watch the full video of our fourth day in Ireland, from the Sligo coast to Erris Head.
Downpatrick Head FAQ
Is Downpatrick Head free?
Yes. We paid nothing for parking or for access to the headland.
Is there parking at Downpatrick Head?
Yes. The car park has room for around thirty vehicles, it is free, and there is no height barrier. There are also coach bays, so larger campers fit too.
How long is the walk to Dún Briste?
From the car park it is about five minutes, slightly uphill, to the blowhole, and another five minutes to the statue of Saint Patrick and the cliff edge facing Dún Briste. The ground is grassy and uneven in places.
How tall is Dún Briste?
The sea stack is forty-five metres high. Its rock is around 350 million years old, and it is said to have separated from the mainland in 1393.
Are there toilets at Downpatrick Head?
There were portable toilets at the car park when we visited, along with a few benches with tables.
Are dogs allowed at Downpatrick Head?
As far as we could see, dogs are not allowed on the site. Check the signs at the entrance.
Can you walk onto Dún Briste?
No. The stack stands in the sea off the headland. You can only look at it from the cliff edge.
Plan your own trip
What we used on our Ireland road trip
📶 Mobile data
We used a local Three SIM — an eSIM is the easiest alternative if you want data from the moment you land. Get an Ireland eSIM from Airalo
🚁 Our drone
Most of our aerial shots were filmed with the Potensic Atom 2. Check the current price on Amazon
Some of these are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep the road trip — and this blog — going.
Where We Went Next
Our last stop of the day took us all the way out to the far north-west of Mayo, for a short walk on the cliffs: the Erris Head Loop Walk.
Watch the road trip
See Ireland from the driver's seat
Every stop on this blog is also on our YouTube channel — the drives, the detours and the van-life reality in between.
Subscribe on YouTubeOur Ireland road trip, stop by stop
← Previous stop: Roslee Castle, a free castle stop beside Easkey pier
Next stop → Erris Head Loop Walk, cliffs at the edge of Mayo
⛴️ Planning your own trip over? Here’s how our 24-hour ferry from Dunkirk to Rosslare went.
🗺️ See every stop on our interactive Ireland road trip map.
Planning your own Mayo road trip? Check our Roslee Castle post, our Dunmoran Beach post, our Aasleagh Falls stop, our Erris Head Loop Walk post and our Ireland facts before you go.