Fresh from retaining its prestigious Blue Flag and Green Coast status for 2026, Salthill’s shoreline is once again being recognised as one of Galway’s most treasured coastal spaces.
Known for generations as a place to walk or swim, Grattan Beach is now set to become the setting for a brand-new experience inviting people to see the sea in a different way.
Launching for World Ocean Day this June, Mindful Steps By The Sea is a new guided reflective shoreline experience taking place on Grattan Beach, developed by MindSlí in partnership with Galway Atlantaquaria and funded through Clean Coasts Grants 2026.
At a time when Salthill continues to be celebrated for the quality and care of its coastline, the initiative aims to encourage people not just to visit the shore, but to pause and consider what time spent by the ocean can offer for personal wellbeing.
The timing feels particularly fitting. Salthill recently retained both its Blue Flag and Green Coast awards for the 2026 bathing season, placing it among a select number of Irish beaches recognised for environmental quality, water standards and stewardship. For many locals, however, the appeal of the shore has always extended beyond clean water and sea views.
Anyone familiar with Salthill’s promenade knows the instinctive pull of the place. Whether it is a brisk morning walk along the Prom, a swim at Blackrock, or simply sitting to watch the tide roll in, the shoreline has long been somewhere people go to clear their heads, process change, or take a moment away from the pace of everyday life.
Mindful Steps By The Sea builds on that familiar relationship with the coast, offering a calm, structured experience rooted in quiet reflection.
Participants move along Grattan Beach completing a series of ten short guided exercises inspired by psychology, reflective practice and our relationship with the natural world. Rather than group discussion or formal mindfulness sessions, the experience is designed to be completed individually and at each person’s own pace.
Themes explored include resilience, belonging, balance, care and change, with prompts encouraging participants to connect simple observations of the shoreline with their own lives. Along the way, participants are invited to notice the rhythms of the coast and consider small, practical insights they can carry into everyday routines.
The idea behind the experience reflects a growing understanding of the wellbeing value of natural places. While Ireland has become increasingly focused on ocean literacy and marine education, there is also growing recognition of the emotional and psychological benefits people gain simply from spending time by the sea.
For a community like Salthill, where life has always been closely connected to the water, the experience offers an opportunity to engage with the coastline in a new way.
There is also an environmental dimension. Participants will complete a Clean Coasts #2MinuteBeachClean during the event, helping to care for a shoreline that continues to earn national and international recognition for its quality.
The experience is designed to be calm, inclusive and suitable for different age groups, with dedicated sessions for adults and families.
Mindful Steps By The Sea takes place on Grattan Beach, Salthill, with limited places available. An adult-only session takes place on Monday, June 8 at 7pm for World Ocean Day, followed by an adult and child session on Thursday, June 11 at 7pm, and a family session on Saturday, June 13 at 9am.
Pre-booking is essential, with places limited to twenty participants per experience. Visitors are advised to dress for the weather and bring gloves for litter picking.
