Hiking the cliffs of Howth in Dublin, Ireland

As the name suggests, the cliff trail is built along the sea cliffs, offering stunning views of the rugged coastline. Under the brooding clouds swirling over Dublin Bay, I tightened my windbreaker and ventured along the Howth coastal path. Suddenly, the basalt cliffs, dark as ink, split the horizon, their six-story-high vertical walls etched with fierce folds by the Atlantic Ocean. Waves crashed against jagged rocks, creating a striking contrast between emerald-green surf and pale sea-carved arches. Upon reaching the ruins of the signal tower, a dozen gannets soared on the updrafts, performing hovering acrobatics, their gray-blue wings almost brushing against my wind-tossed hair. The salty sea breeze filled my ears, and I seemed to hear the lingering echoes of the fog bell rung by the tower keeper a century ago. As dusk approached, the grassy slopes of the cliffs shimmered with a faint phosphorescence, as if ancient magma deep beneath the earth still flowed silently.