Spanish Point: Beach, Golf and History

If you’re planning a hotel stay in Spanish Point, you’ll find several options to shape your trip: a long sandy beach, walking trails, a golf course on the Atlantic and stories from the area’s past. Whether your plans focus on beach time, golf or nature watching, you can draw inspiration from these different possibilities.

Beach and Atlantic

Spanish Point Beach is a long sandy beach in a sheltered location. Collecting shells and building sandcastles are some of the activities to enjoy there. Surf schools operate there in summer. The high Atlantic waves are popular with surfers and swimmers; if you’re planning lessons, check the schools’ availability for your dates before your trip. There is ample parking at the beach. As conditions can change, it’s a good idea to check the situation for your planned visit.

The rock pools at Black Rock and the rocky shore of Spanish Point also offer a different view of the coast: you can observe a variety of seaweed, shellfish and other marine life there. The tides affect access to the rock pools. Take this into account when planning to spend time there.

Walking and cycling routes

There are four signposted, colour-coded walking trails in Spanish Point. The Kelp Walk is marked green, the Cleedagh Walk blue, the San Marcos Walk yellow and the Morony Walk white.

On cycling tours in Spanish Point, guides Kevin and Aron introduce participants to the area’s history, heritage and wildlife. If these subjects shape your choice of tour, cycling offers a way to explore them together. Tour availability may change; check in advance for your planned visit.

Golf and historical traces

Spanish Point Golf Club was founded in 1896. Its challenging 9-hole links course offers views of the Atlantic and can be played year-round. The club welcomes visitors throughout the year; check the visitor arrangements before your visit, as these may change. For golf travellers, the club’s long history meets a course with a distinct links character.

The grounds of Spanish Point Golf Course were also home to the former New Milltown Race Course, near tee number 3. The Miltown Malbay Races were an annual festival, first mentioned in 1787. The name Spanish Point comes from two ships of the Spanish Armada that were wrecked off the coast in 1588. These historical connections tell different stories: the racecourse places a former use on the present-day golf grounds, while the Armada ships are linked to the area’s name.

Geology and nature

The rocks in Spanish Point are about 317 to 320 million years old. They date from the Pennsylvanian, also known as the Upper Carboniferous or Namurian. Spanish Point is also located within both a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA). Those interested in nature can connect this designation with observations along the rocky shore and at the rock pools; access to the pools remains dependent on the tides.

Your interests offer a practical guide when choosing a destination: the beach and waves take centre stage at the beach, golf combines Atlantic views with a 9-hole links course, and the marked trails provide a choice of walks. Historical traces and nature watching add to these options, without requiring you to focus on just one subject.

Discover more destinations: Clarecastle, Clonlara, Ballyvaghan, Kilmurry, Labasheeda, Kilshanny, Shannon, Killaloe

For the broader travel overview: County Clare.