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Sandy Bay-Maharees, Ireland

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

Also within 20 km of Castlegregory

Watch this spot We email you when Sandy Bay-Maharees is worth the trip.

About Sandy Bay-Maharees

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

The spot faces E (87°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (267°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea is about 9°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in July, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is Castlegregory, 2.3 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 1 wind sports spot.

Water about 14°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 16 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to KIR, changing at Dublin Airport (DUB). About 14 flights a week that month.

    See flights ORD → KIR · Skyscanner from about £365 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 55 min from the airport to Sandy Bay-Maharees.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in CastlegregoryAd

    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 Castlegregory · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Castlegregory · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Sandy Bay-Maharees on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

Sandy Bay-Maharees does not suit intermediates. This is the forecast for experts, so you can see what it does.

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

DayScoreExpertSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct41 ft12 s24kJ12°C
Mon 19Oct112 ft12 s100kJ10°C
Tue 20Oct32 ft11 s65kJ12°C
Wed 21Oct153 ft7 s101kJ11°C
Thu 22Oct103 ft7 s62kJ11°C
Fri 23Oct133 ft7 s88kJ11°C
Sat 24Oct163 ft10 s163kJ15°C
Sun 25Oct336 ft11 s705kJ11°C
Mon 26Oct144 ft10 s223kJ12°C
Tue 27Oct123 ft9 s137kJ10°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. 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 expert surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to KIR, changing at DUB, then 55 min by road. About 16h 20 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Gary William Point

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 7 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Brandon Bay

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 9 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Brandon Bay

    Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 8 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 25 of 80.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Brandon Bay

    Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 8 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to KIR, changing at DUB, then 55 min by road. About 16h 20 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Castlegregory each day: Brandon Bay, Gary William Point, Sandy Bay-Maharees.

The trip from Castlegregory, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,060–£1,965 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 KIR, estimated from distance and season, changing at DUB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£365–£755
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£60–£105
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£1,060–£1,965

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

Places to eat near Castlegregory

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.