When it’s right on our doorstep… they say you rarely use it. Personally, I always loved the beach.

I hated it as a child. I had to get in. People would be in duffle coats and I’d be in my pants freezing, eating salad covered in sand Oh happy days! Great memories But when I was a teen my family moved there and the strand took a whole new meaning.

It was more than a getaway for me in the teen sense of it. Because I love[d] nature so much… this had everything. It was I suppose the ultimate in escapism. I had no mobile phone then….. Last week, a meeting was delayed…. an hour to spare. I took my flask of coffee and went for a wander. I loved every second of it.

A few points of note if you are going. Make sure and park in the municiple car park [next to the country club hotel]. Cars parked on the main road have a habit of getting parking tickets. Also I read in the Portmarnock local newsletter that they had done some work on the dunes and grasslands around to attract bees so be mindful of that. Aparently the efforts have been quite successful and numbers appear to have increased. Make sure and see the Southern Cross Monument called Eccentric Orbit. The two islands are Lambay and Irelands eye and a walk up by The old Martello Tower [which goes all the way to Malahide] is also quite nice.

Also do take your time…. and enjoy