Salthill-Barna seaside walking

No, unfortunately it's not possible. You have to cross water twice to get to Silverstrand from the end of the Prom/caravan park. The first stream at the back of Gentian Hill can easily be waded through just by taking off your shoes and socks. However, there's much deeper water at the entrance to Rusheen bay, when the tide is running this water moves very quickly too.

It's a pity you can't walk all the way out as it would be a cracking one. There has been talk for as long as I can remember about extending the prom out as far as Silverstrand but I haven't heard of any concrete steps towards doing this apart from the occasional engineers report that pops up in the local news every couple of years.

Rusheen Bay is a big bay, with a very narrow 'neck' where it joins the sea. When the tide goes out in Galway Bay, the water in Rusheen Bay slowly empties out through this narrow neck.
It's such a narrow channel that the water continues to empty out for quite some time after low tide in Galway Bay.

I'd be interested to see what it looks like at 'slack tide' (after low tide, when the rising tide in the sea balances out - reaching the same level as the water flowing out of Rusheen Bay). I don't know when that happens at Rusheen Bay - might be anything from 1 hour to 2.5 hours after low tide.

There'll be quite a pronounced low tide this Saturday at 11:28am. So it might be interesting to arrive at the neck of the bay an hour afterwards, and note what time Slack tide is at, and judge whether it's safe to wade through the neck of the bay at that time.

I've visited it 45 minutes after a low tide, and I thought it was not safe to cross at that time.

If you're doing this walk:
- Don't go alone
- Bring a fully charged mobile phone [in a ziploc plastic bag or two]
- Be prepared to turn back (on your way out: be planning your return route - bear in mind that you might be returning at mid- or high-tide)
- Ensure that someone knows where you are, and what time you're expected back at
- Enjoy it
- Post your pics to https://www.facebook.com/groups/lowtidegalway

Hi Guys,

There is always water at the entrance to Rusheen Bay. Right in the middle of the "gap" or "rapids" as users of Rusheen Bay call it, the water levels are very deep and it is not advisable to cross their. There are also strong currents present here at all times.

At very low tides further out from the "gap" on the Galway Bay side it can get quiet shallow but only for a very specific time of the day. These times change in relation to tides times and tide type - so as above I would not advise anyone to cross at any time.

On the plus side in 2013 pilot/ test holes were dug for the foot bridge that is included in the extension of the prom from salthill all the way to silverstrand. It will never happen may come to mind - but due to the serious erosion problems in the area funding may come sooner than expected and then we can all enjoy a walk from the city all the way to silver strand.

In summary - do not attempt to cross the gap at Rusheen Bay!

D
Rusheen Bay