
Wicklow Harbour offers complete protection. In strong northeasterly to easterly winds a heavy swell develops in the outer harbour but a vessel can proceed upriver for further protection. The harbour offers secure access day or night, on any tide in all reasonable conditions and there are no immediate offlying dangers.
Keyfacts for Wicklow Harbour
Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Protected sectors
Approaches
Shelter
Last modified
July 18th 2018 Summary
A completely protected location with straightforward access.Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
At the end of the East Pier at the harbour entrance beneath the pier head light. This is a 7 m round cast iron tower with lantern, painted white with a red horizontal band at the base; 11 m flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction, visible for 13M.
What is the initial fix?
The following Wicklow initial fix will set up a final approach:

What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in eastern Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Dublin Bay to Rosslare Harbour
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Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Wicklow Harbour for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Greystones - 6.3 miles N
- Arklow - 7.4 miles SSW
- Bray Harbour - 8.5 miles N
- Sorrento Point - 10.7 miles N
- Dalkey Sound - 10.9 miles N
- Dún Laoghaire Harbour - 12 miles N
- Courtown Harbour - 13.4 miles SSW
- Dublin Port (Poolbeg Marina) - 14 miles NNW
- Balscadden Bay - 15.1 miles N
- Howth - 15.3 miles N
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Greystones - 6.3 miles N
- Arklow - 7.4 miles SSW
- Bray Harbour - 8.5 miles N
- Sorrento Point - 10.7 miles N
- Dalkey Sound - 10.9 miles N
- Dún Laoghaire Harbour - 12 miles N
- Courtown Harbour - 13.4 miles SSW
- Dublin Port (Poolbeg Marina) - 14 miles NNW
- Balscadden Bay - 15.1 miles N
- Howth - 15.3 miles N
To find locations with the specific attributes you need try our resources search
Chart
How to get in?

Image: SkycamIreland
Wicklow Harbour is a small commercial harbour fronted by two piers through which the Leitrim River discharges into the sea. The sizeable provincial and county town of Wicklow is situated within on the south side of the harbour.

Image: Sarah777 via CC BY-SA 2.0

Image: Michael Harpur
The Coast from Bray Head to Wicklow is composed of a low shingle beach along which the railway continues southward. It is flat a long way off with plenty of water except at the Moulditch Bank that has 3.8 metres over it. Leisure vessels may freely approach the shore to within half a mile. 5 metres and more will be found 400 metres off the shore to the south of the Moulditch.
Vessels hugging the coast can avoid an adverse current. Those taking this approach should be watchful for the drying Wolf Rock that has foul ground in the vicinity. It lies about half a mile offshore and three miles south by southwest of Wicklow Head.
A mile and a half south of the head is the Horseshoe Bank. Made up of gravel and stone, with depths of less than a metre, it is marked by a lighted buoy on its southern end. There are no other outlying dangers between the mainland and the Arklow Bank obstructing northbound vessels.

Image: Tourism Ireland
About 12 miles to the northeast of Arklow is the 71 meters high and prominent Wicklow Head. The head is readily identified by its two old lighthouses on its summit, plus the white walls and buildings on the seaward slope near the present lighthouse.
Wicklow Head Lighthouse - Fl (3) 15s 23M position: 52° 57.947’N, 005° 59.889’W

Image: Paul O'Donnell
There is also a light buoy marking an outfall pipeline situated almost a mile northeast from the shore.
Wicklow Outflow Buoy - Fl (4) Y 10s position: 52° 59.541’N, 006° 01.295’W
Wicklow Harbour lies a mile and a half to the northwest of Wicklow Head. On closer approaches vessels approaching from the south should keep well off the East Pier as the area outside is foul with the outermost Planet Rock, with 0.8 metres of cover, and Green Rock, with 0.8 metres of cover, situated about 100 metres out to seaward from the inner half of the breakwater.

Image: Michael Harpur
The currents inshore between Cahore Point and Wicklow Head set parallel with the coast and attain a spring velocity of about 3 knots. Overfalls off Kilmicheal Point can be very rough, as can the Glassgorman Bank, and are best avoided in rough weather. The currents which set strongly off Wicklow Head attain a velocity of about 4 kn in both directions. If on a fair tide keep east of the Horseshoe marker as there are lots of back-eddies to slow progress inside.

Image: Michael Harpur

Image: Michael Harpur
The entrance is located between the heads opening to the north. It is 120 metres wide and has a least depth of 3.2 metres at Mean Low Water. When approaching, two large silos standing on Packet Quay immediately inside the harbour will appear in the middle of the entrance. By night the head of the East Pier shows Fl. WR 5s 6M, the head of the West Pier is ISO G 4s, and Packet Quay has a light on a metal column Fl WG 10s 5m 6M. The harbour is almost always accessible.

Image: Michael Harpur
Visiting yachts are expected to berth on the inside wall of East Pier where the wall has been boarded. It is 91 metres long and has depths alongside of up to 3.1 metres. Vessels may have to raft up depending on how busy it is, but a place will always be found. Vessels should not be left unattended here and care should be taken not to obstruct the lifeboat slip.
Anchoring inside the harbour is not permitted as it is constrained by the fairway and the established moorings. It would be unwise to attempt to anchor inside the harbour as the likely outcome would be that the ground tackle will foul in the ancient harbour. It is worth noting that the local sea swimming club run races in the harbour vicinity on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings in June, July and August, where up to 100 swimmers participate. This has both spectator appeal and considerations for safety on the water for all users.
An excellent anchorage may be found immediately outside the harbour to the north of the West Pier in sand and mud with 2.5 metres. This anchorage is protected from everything except northeasterly or easterly conditions – the weather in this area is predominantly southern to westerly winds. The shore here is steep-to shelving rapidly at the water’s edge so it is possible to come in close to the shore. Moreover, the closer in the vessel goes the better is the gravel and sand holding.
Those electing to berth outside should avoid anchoring over an outfall pipeline that enters the sea 200 metres to the northwest of the West Pier. It tends to the northeast with the seaward end of the outfall being indicated by the above-mentioned light buoy. It may also be worth approaching Wicklow Sailing Club to see if they have any moorings.
When northeast and east gales occur a heavy swell runs into the harbour that will subject all the outer berths to a heavy rolling swell. The Commercial Harbour, inside the river, is usually busy with ships unloading their cargos or fishing vessels.

Image: Michael Harpur
However, this does provide protection from north-easterlies and in such an event it is worthwhile contacting the Harbour Master on +353 404 67455 (Mon-Fri 9-5) to see if it possible to accommodate a vessel further in. The quay is accessed via the dredged channel that leads along the inner side of East Pier Head and then into the river mouth. From there pass close along the east side of Packet Quay.
Why visit here?
Established by the Vikings, the name Wicklow comes from the word "Vikinglow" meaning "Viking meadow" or "Viking's lake". Akin to Arklow the Vikings established a base in the mid-9th century taking advantage of the natural harbour provided by the river and its fertile lands.The area was occupied long before this as is evidenced by a Bronze Age cooking pit and hut uncovered in the lower area of the town in 2010. Radiocarbon-dating aged the discovery to 900BC. Much later Ptolemy's map, referred to as Menapia and dating back to 130 AD, shows the area to be settled by a Celtic tribe called the Cauci or Canci who originated from today's Belgium/German border. The towns Irish name is Cill Mhantáin meaning "church of the toothless one" indicating a 5th-century Gallic settlement.

The Norse influence dominated for centuries until the Norman Conquest. They quickly built castles to fortify their lands and focal points for Norman rule. The more important areas had stone castles, such as Wicklow’s Black Castle that lies ruined on the coast to the south of the East Pier. The land-facing fortification was built by the Norman Maurice Fitzgerald on land provided by Strongbow. It was a significant structure on a well-chosen site, as it is surrounded by the sea on three sides leaving only one small piece of ground, cut through the underlying rock, to be defended by a large ditch spanned by a drawbridge.
A major pitched battle, the Battle of Wicklow, was fought in the Black Castle grounds in 1599 at the height of the Irish Nine Years War. The English Crown under Sir Henry Harrington planned to eliminate the Gaelic Irish forces that were a fraction of their number. The two groups initially met at Deputy's Pass where the English troops were utterly routed. They fell back upon Wicklow Castle in complete disorder chased by the Irish within half a mile of the town. The battle finally ended here with the complete defeat of the army; something that earned the Earl of Essex a sharp reprimand from Queen Elizabeth.

From 1702 to 1928 Wicklow’s crime, cruelty, exile and misery were focused in Wicklow Gaol house. It was a place of execution up to the end of the 19th century. Wicklow Gaol received many of Wexford’s 1798 rebels, many of whom were executed and disposed of from fishing boats into waters offshore. Amongst their number was Billy Byrne, a rebellion leader, who met his end in Gallows Lane in 1799.
Today Wicklow is a tourist town with a wealth of historic sites such as the Black Castle ruins, and the Abbey ruins, and notable buildings include the Town Hall and the Gaol that is now a heritage centre and tourist attraction. Billy Byrne is commemorated by a statue in Market Square. Another monument in Fitzwilliam square commemorates Captain Robert Halpin one of the town’s most celebrated mariners. He was responsible for laying the first underwater cable communications between Europe and America in the 19th century.
Wicklow is today known as 'The Garden of Ireland', and is one of Ireland's scenic treasures with its magnificent hills and mountains, long sandy beaches, rivers and lakes. The dominant features are the Wicklow Mountains and their foothills. These are the largest highland area of Ireland with the highest summit being Lugnaquillia at 926 metres. This is an unspoilt wilderness of towering mountains and hidden valleys with fantastic views out to the Irish Sea, and north to Dublin from which the capitals famous River Liffey rises. The county's interesting ruins and many deep glens, especially Glendalough, are suitable for tours, and arrangements to visit the area can easily be made from the town via the tourist office.

Image: Joe King via CC BY-SA 3.0
From a sailing perspective, Wicklow is a good harbour, with excellent provisioning and an abundance of things for the visiting yachtsman to see and do. It is an important yachting harbour being the host to Ireland's premier offshore yacht race, the Round Ireland Yacht Race
What facilities are available?
Visitors are welcome at Wicklow Sailing Club where male and female toilets/showers (for a small fee) and a handicapped toilet are available. The clubhouse is situated on the South Quay adjacent to the RNLI station. The bar is open seven nights a week during the summer months (Jun/Aug) and from Thursday to Sunday the rest of the year, usually from 8.30pm. Live music, meals or snacks are often available there, and also in the town any night of the week.Gas Oil is available and other fuels by prior arrangement, also water is available at the Packet Pier and the North Quay. There are three major supermarkets within ten minutes walk from the East pier so it is an excellent location for provisions. You can usually find resources for rigging, engine and hull repairs.
Wicklow is a provincial town where there are shops, banks, an internet cafe, dentist, doctor, hospital, chemists, and a range of restaurants to choose from, all of which are three to four minutes walk form the East Pier. It also has a good Tourist Office to assist you to make the best use of your leisure time.
Bus Éireann and Irish Rail both operate through the town. Bus Éireann provides an hourly service, which is half hourly at peak time, to Dublin City Centre and Airport. A train service operates northbound to Dublin's Connolly Station and southbound to Rosslare Harbour with ferry connections to the UK and mainland Europe. Dublin International Airport is 40 miles away and accessible via the above mentioned bus service or via the train service utilising the airport Bus from BusÁras (Central Bus Station) less than 5 minutes walk from Connolly Station.
Any security concerns?
Never an issue known to have occurred in Wicklow Harbour. However as with any provincial area secure and lock up your vessel if leaving it unattended.With thanks to:
Frank Murphy, Local sailor and member of Wicklow Sailing Club, and Roisin Hennessy, Vice Commodore WSC.Expand to new tab or fullscreen
The above plots are not precise and indicative only.


The remains of Black Castle on the shore line
Image: eOceanic thanks Tourism Ireland
Aerial views of Wicklow Harbour and The Black Castle
A summary of the life of Robert Hapin one of Wicklow's greatest mariners.
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