Newtown Cove / Guillamene

August 2010

This is an absolute gem of a swimming place, or two places to be precise.

Newtown and Guillamene are side by side and this is where ‘real swimmers’ from Tramore and beyond come to socialise and swim.

Newtown is a small sheltered cove and traditionally this was where the ‘ladies’ used come to swim, with the men going to Guillamene on the other side of the cove. Now it’s a place where men, women and children happily congregate. When we were there on a weekday evening at full tide it was packed .

The water here is deep when the tide is in and lovely and clear. There is good access via ladders and a slipway along the side. Young people dive in all the time but there is a warning sign SO DO TAKE CARE. Watch the tide times as it isn’t half as attractive when the tide is low

Guillamene stopped being a men only place back in the 1980s and now male and female swimmers descend its steep steps. There is a small changing area which leads to good access into deep, clear, sometimes turquoise looking waters. Like Dublin’s forty foot you will be able to swim here when the tide is low.

When we were there in August a few jellyfish were lurking, but otherwise this is just a great swimming spot.

There is a large car park and basic toilets. A couple of seats and picnic tables overlook Newtown Cove. I am told that there is wheelchair access to Newtown via a path through the woods.

Directions

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Newtown is located about two kilometres outside Tramore. The best way to find it is to head for the pier in Tramore and then pick up the coast road heading west which will lead you to the car park.

Ordnance Survey Discovery Series Map No. 76