The old Hatchery, Ireland
Also within 20 km of Waterville
Watch this spot We email you when The old Hatchery is worth the trip.
About The old Hatchery
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (245°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (65°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 4–18 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 450 m out (1 in 45). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 10°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in August, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is Waterville, 1.3 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 13°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 16 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
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 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 20 from the airport to The old Hatchery.
Accommodation.
Stay in WatervilleAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Waterville (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Waterville 2 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 21 places to stay · where The old Hatchery stays
Places to stay in Waterville · Booking.com AdGlenbeigh 55 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 13 places to stay
Places to stay in Glenbeigh · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Waterville · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Waterville · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury _(27404855973).jpg){kind=link}
Where it is
The old Hatchery on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
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
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 25, too small | 2 ft8 scrumbling | 67kJ | offshorewind from the east, 5 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft11 ssoft | 844kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 5 knots | 12°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 22, poor | 5 ft10 ssoft | 503kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 17 knots | 12°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, too big | 10 ft9 smushy | 1,385kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 13 knots | 12°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 10 ft9 smushy | 1,340kJ | wind from the south-west, 7 knots | 11°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft9 smushy | 923kJ | wind from the north-west, 20 knots | 11°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft9 smushy | 1,393kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 15 knots | 15°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 11, poor | 5 ft11 smushy | 528kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 23 knots | 11°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, too big | 10 ft9 smushy | 1,514kJ | wind from the south-west, 12 knots | 13°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft10 smushy | 1,100kJ | wind from the west, 20 knots | 11°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
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to KIR, changing at DUB, then 1h 20 by road. About 16h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 26 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to KIR, changing at DUB, then 1h 20 by road. About 16h 50 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Waterville each day: Ardkeragh, Baslicon, The old Hatchery.
Rough cost
About £1,110–£2,040 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to KIR, estimated from distance and season, changing at DUB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £365–£755 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £110–£180 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £260–£430 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £245–£455 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £95–£155 |
| Total | £1,110–£2,040 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Waterville
- Charlie's RestaurantIrish · 0.1 km from the centre
- The Fishermen's Bar - WatervilleSeafood · 0.1 km from the centre
- Dooley's Seafood and Steak HouseSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- OhmarylooItalian · 0.5 km from the centre
- Waterville Golf Links 1889 Bar and Restaurant.0.8 km from the centre
- Faraday Bistro Restaurant Waterville Co Kerry0.4 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
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.