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Rossnowlagh, Ireland

Stay in Rossnowlagh: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Rossnowlagh

Watch this spot We email you when Rossnowlagh is worth the trip.

Rossnowlagh beach - Looking north
Rossnowlagh. Photo: Dean Molyneaux, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Rossnowlagh

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces W (266°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (86°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.8 km out (1 in 175). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 9°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in August, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For beginners the best months are usually January, March, April and May, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Rossnowlagh, 0 km away (about 5 min by car).

Water about 13°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 15 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Dublin Airport (DUB), direct. About 26 flights a week that month.

    See flights ORD → DUB · Skyscanner from about £370 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 15 from the airport to Rossnowlagh, 215 km.

    By bus: Bus Éireann, TFI Local Link Donegal Sligo Leitrim. Time from the published timetables, on a weekday.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in RossnowlaghAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Rossnowlagh · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Rossnowlagh · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Rossnowlagh on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct544 ft9 ssoft203kJ12°C
Mon 19Oct415 ft11 ssoft488kJ12°C
Tue 20Oct464 ft10 ssoft342kJ13°C
Wed 21Oct126 ft10 smushy576kJ10°C
Thu 22Oct506 ft9 ssoft419kJ11°C
Fri 23Oct164 ft9 smushy272kJ9°C
Sat 24Oct07 ft9 ssoft860kJ10°C
Sun 25Oct82 ft14 smushy154kJ11°C
Mon 26Oct08 ft10 smushy1,045kJ11°C
Tue 27Oct233 ft10 smushy170kJ9°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 3h 15 by road (or about 4h 25 by bus, one change, 6 a day). About 15h 05 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Rossnowlagh

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, wind 11 kn (20 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 21 of 80.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Rossnowlagh

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 6 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 18 of 80.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 3h 15 by road (or about 4h 25 by bus, one change, 6 a day). About 15h 05 door to door

The trip from Rossnowlagh, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,115–£2,055 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to DUB, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£370–£770
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£110–£180
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£260–£430
Food7 days eating out£245–£455
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£95–£155
Total£1,115–£2,055

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Rossnowlagh

  • The Gaslight0.9 km from the centre

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.