The Broadmeadow Estuary at the northern end of Malahide is a sheltered tidal inlet that has been designated a nature reserve for its significance as a wading bird habitat. At low tide the mudflats are covered with curlews, oystercatchers, redshanks, and dunlins, with larger numbers of migratory species passing through in autumn and spring. The estuary is one of the better birdwatching locations within easy reach of Dublin.
The railway viaduct that carries the Dublin to Belfast line across the estuary is an impressive Victorian structure, and the path along the shore below it is a pleasant hour's walk. The area is quiet and unpretentious — a genuine piece of coastal estuary habitat rather than a managed amenity — which is exactly what makes it worth visiting.