First pick
Kilmore Wood
Wood or forest
24 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
Centralin the middle of Ballinspittle
Kilmore LoopOld Deerpark Loop
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: N Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0100%near a park
Outdoors in Ballinspittle · parks, paths & countryside
Ballinspittle is more wooded than 9 in 10 Irish towns
Mapped woodland takes up 13% of Ballinspittle and the kilometre around it. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 100% of residents. The sea makes up 25% of the area within 5 km.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
6.9 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
5 km
0.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
0.1%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Courtmacsherry Bay SPA
Woodland
13%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
The sea
25%
of the area within 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Ballinspittle?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Wooded country13% mapped woodland in and around town, more than 96% of Irish towns.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Few mapped footpaths0.6 km of path per km²; the typical Irish town has 2.1.
Ballinspittle’s strongest suit is its woods, followed by parks close to every home. Where it falls short is footpaths.
Against other towns
How Ballinspittle compares with Irish towns
Each figure against Ireland’s 321 towns and city neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (city hubs left out): the marked bar is the town’s, the line the median. Ireland has no Outdoors Grade yet: the figures are described, each against other Irish towns, and none of them counts towards the overall grade.
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
83out of 100
Public green space6.9 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
69out of 100
Footpaths0.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
16out of 100
Protected for nature0.1%of the land within 5 km
25out of 100
Woodland13%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
97out of 100
The sea25%of the area within 5 km
86out of 100
Parks, paths and woods: OpenStreetMap; residents: CSO Census 2022 Small Areas; protected sites: NPWS; sea: CSO and ONS land outlines. A 0 means nothing is mapped.
Towns its size
Ballinspittle has the 17th fewest footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (369 to 3,141 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Ballybrack (8.6 km per km²) to Sixmilebridge (0 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Ballinspittle0.6
Towns its size0.7
Co. Cork towns1.8
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Ballinspittle6.9
Towns its size4.1
Co. Cork towns4.3
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Ballinspittle100%
Towns its size87%
Co. Cork towns90%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Ballinspittle stands out most for park space per resident: only 13 of the other 39 have more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 23 of the others do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ballybrack Dublin | 8.6 | 8% | 0.2% | 36% |
| 2 | Sunday's Well Cork | 7.3 | 2.7% | 0.4% | – |
| 3 | Blackpool Cork | 6.6 | 3% | 1.4% | – |
| 4 | Carna Dublin | 5.4 | 1.7% | 0% | – |
| 5 | Taylor's Hill Galway | 5.1 | 1.2% | 15% | 37% |
| 6 | Togher Cork | 5 | 1.5% | 0.5% | – |
| 7 | Decies Dublin | 4.8 | 7.2% | 0% | – |
| 8 | Mayfield Cork | 4.7 | 5.3% | 3.3% | – |
| 9 | Kylemore Dublin | 4 | 3% | 0% | – |
| 10 | Edenmore Dublin | 2.8 | 3.6% | 5.9% | 24% |
| 11 | Ballynanty Limerick | 2.5 | 5.7% | 12% | – |
| 12 | Claddagh Galway | 2.4 | 0.2% | 17% | 46% |
| 13 | Murrough Galway | 2.3 | 5.1% | 10% | 26% |
| 14 | Grange Upper Waterford | 1.4 | 1.5% | 6.6% | – |
| 15 | Blarney Cork | 1.4 | 14% | 0% | – |
| 16 | Kilbarry Waterford | 1.3 | 1.6% | 5.1% | – |
| 17 | Bantry Cork | 1 | 4.4% | 0% | 18% |
| 18 | Ballina Tipperary | 0.9 | 1.8% | 4.7% | – |
| 19 | Moate Westmeath | 0.7 | 2.4% | 2.4% | – |
| 20 | Callan Kilkenny | 0.7 | 0.1% | 2.3% | – |
| 21 | Kingscourt Cavan | 0.7 | 12% | 0% | – |
| 22 | Kenmare Kerry | 0.6 | 7.2% | 6.5% | 6.4% |
| 23 | Athboy Meath | 0.6 | 1.1% | 1.5% | – |
| 24 | Ballinspittle Cork | 0.6 | 13% | 0.1% | 25% |
| 25 | Bundoran Donegal | 0.5 | 2% | 5.1% | 35% |
| 26 | Muinebeag (Bagenalstown) Carlow | 0.5 | 3.9% | 2.9% | – |
| 27 | Skibbereen Cork | 0.5 | 1.7% | 1.6% | – |
| 28 | Kinnegad Westmeath | 0.3 | 4.5% | 4.5% | – |
| 29 | Donegal Donegal | 0.3 | 4% | 4.1% | 12% |
| 30 | Boyle Roscommon | 0.3 | 3.2% | 0% | – |
| 31 | Bailieborough Cavan | 0.3 | 10% | 0% | – |
| 32 | Castleisland Kerry | 0.3 | 1.7% | 12% | – |
| 33 | Kanturk Cork | 0.3 | 0% | 5.1% | – |
| 34 | Baltinglass Wicklow | 0.2 | 4.9% | 0.5% | – |
| 35 | Ballyhaunis Mayo | 0.2 | 2.8% | 3.4% | – |
| 36 | Kilrush Clare | 0.2 | 9.8% | 37% | – |
| 37 | Ballyjamesduff Cavan | 0.2 | 7.6% | 0% | – |
| 38 | Gort Galway | 0.2 | 4.3% | 24% | – |
| 39 | Carndonagh Donegal | 0.1 | 4.9% | 5.1% | 5.8% |
| 40 | Sixmilebridge Clare | 0 | 0.7% | 2% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Ballinspittle’s urban area.
Green: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces and woods, named or not.© OpenStreetMap contributors · NPWS · Sport Ireland · CSO
Places to walk
Parks to walk in, in and around Ballinspittle
The biggest is Kilmore Wood, 24 ha (60 acres).
Named parks, gardens, commons and woods in the town or within 400 m of it, from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); pieces of one name that touch are one place. Sizes are the whole site; directions go to a point inside.
Close to home
Everyone in Ballinspittle lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Each square is 1 in 100 residents: green lives within 400 m of a public park, garden or playing field (CSO Census 2022 Small Areas against OpenStreetMap).
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Ballinspittle100%
Co. Cork towns90%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
Courtmacsherry Bay SPA is the nearest protected area, 4.5 km away
Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Natural Heritage Areas designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, within 5 km of the town’s edge.
Inside Ballinspittle0%
Within 5 km0.1%
Co. Cork towns1.5%
Typical Irish town1.8%
3 protected sites lie within 5 km of Ballinspittle. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 1% of the land within 5 km as well; many have been proposed since 1995 and aren’t counted here. Ireland’s National Parks have a block of their own on this page; much of their land also lies inside these sites.
Protected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service designated site boundaries (CC BY 4.0), 2026; land within 5 km from CSO Small Areas and, over the border, ONS. Overlapping sites are counted once.
National Parks
Killarney National Park is 70 km away
Ireland’s National Parks within 100 km, and the nearest always, by direction and distance from the town’s edge; circle size shows each park’s area.
National ParkThe 5 km around the town
National Park
Killarney National Park
70 km north-west104 km²
National Park boundaries: National Parks and Wildlife Service, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0, © Government of Ireland), 2022. Distances from the town’s outline (CSO Small Areas).
Footpaths and woods
5 km of footpaths cross Ballinspittle
Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, and mapped woods and forest, in the town and 1 km around it, each beside the county’s and Ireland’s typical town of 2,500+.
Footpaths
4.6 km
over 8 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
13%
about 1 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
3
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
BallinspittleCo. Cork townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths0.6
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
BallinspittleCo. Cork townsTypical Irish town
Woodland13%
0%50%100%
Ballinspittle has less footpath per km² than 84% of Irish towns and more woodland than 97% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
3 waymarked trails start near Ballinspittle
5 km of footpaths are mapped in Ballinspittle and the kilometre around it, 0.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Walking trail
Garrettstown - Kilmore Loop5.7 km
Garrettstown - Old Deerpark Loop1.4 km
Garrettstown - Templetrine Spur0.8 km
For a shorter walk, the Garrettstown - Kilmore Loop is 5.7 km, graded moderate. One cycling or paddling trail also starts within 5 km.
Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0), registered trails within 5 km; footpaths: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Coillte’s own forest trails and recreation sites aren’t included: Coillte’s terms limit its data to research or private study. Its trails on the National Trails Register are listed.
When to get out
The best walking months in Ballinspittle: May to September
Met Éireann’s 1991–2020 averages for the town’s 1 km square and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 15 to 30 °C and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 122 | 93 | 90 | 77 | 73 | 80 | 85 | 93 | 89 | 124 | 121 | 134 |
May is the driest month (73 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.8 hours of daylight in December, and 134 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. The climate in Ballinspittle →
The coast
Ballinspittle is near the sea
25% of the area within 5 km of Ballinspittle is sea. 2 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
GarretstownExcellent (2025) · 1.7 km from town
beaches.ieGarrylucas, White StrandExcellent (2025) · 2.3 km from town
beaches.ie2 of the 2 are rated excellent, Garretstown among them.
Bathing water classes: EPA, latest season (CC BY 4.0). Sea: the area outside CSO and ONS land outlines. Check today’s water quality on beaches.ie
Things to do
2 playgrounds
Mapped on OpenStreetMap in the town and 2 km around it; each count per resident beside Irish towns’ typical town of 2,500+. Beaches are on the coast’s list, from the EPA.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 2
Ballinspittle Playground0.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Garrettstown House Holiday Park0.4 km from town
DirectionsSource: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Next door
Next to Ballinspittle
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
KinsaleInishannonBandonBallinspittle
Under 1%1–10%10–25%25–50%50%+
| Town | Near a park | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Paths (km/km²) | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballinspittle | 100% | 6.9 | 0.6 | 0.1% |
| Kinsale 6.9 km | 100% | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0% |
| Inishannon 13 km | 100% | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0% |
| Bandon 14 km | 91% | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Ballinspittle.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Green space nearby. The share of residents (CSO Small Areas, by where people live) within 400 m of a park, garden, common or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap. Mapping is uneven: a town whose parks nobody has mapped looks greyer than it is.
- Protected areas. Land in a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area or Natural Heritage Area within 5 km, overlaps counted once. Protected for nature doesn’t always mean open to walkers.
- Footpaths and hiking routes. Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it, from OpenStreetMap. Trails are the registered ones within 5 km; a trail often follows mapped paths, so the two aren’t added.
- Woodland. Woods and forest as OpenStreetMap maps them, private and Coillte forests included: mapped cover, not access.
- No grade yet. Ireland’s grades don’t include the outdoors yet: these figures describe the town and stand beside the median Irish town.
Questions about the outdoors in Ballinspittle
Is there protected countryside near Ballinspittle?
3 protected sites lie within 5 km, though together they cover under 1% of the land. The nearest is Courtmacsherry Bay SPA, 4.5 km from the edge of town.
What are the best walks near Ballinspittle?
3 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the Garrettstown - Kilmore Loop, Garrettstown - Old Deerpark Loop and Garrettstown - Templetrine Spur.
Where can you swim near Ballinspittle?
The nearest bathing water is Garretstown, 1.7 km from town: Excellent (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Ballinspittle live near a park?
100% of residents live within 400 m, about a 5-minute walk, of a park or playing field; in the typical Irish town it is 92%.
When is the best time of year for walking in Ballinspittle?
On the town’s 1991–2020 averages and its daylight: May to September, when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light for the place.
Is Ballinspittle near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Killarney National Park, 70 km north-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 104 km².
Sources
Where Ballinspittle’s outdoors figures come from
- Parks, woods and paths. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): parks, woods and footpaths, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Protected sites. National Parks and Wildlife Service: designated sites (SAC, SPA, NHA), 2026
- Trails. Sport Ireland: National Trails Register, 2026
- Residents. CSO: Census 2022 Small Areas (residents)
- National Parks. National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Park boundaries, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0), 2022
- Things to do. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): viewpoints, hills, waterfalls, nature reserves, picnic sites, playgrounds, campsites and waymarked walks, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Bathing water. EPA: bathing water quality, 2025 season
- Weather. Met Éireann: 1991–2020 averages (Copyright Met Éireann)
Protected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service (CC BY 4.0). Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0). Bathing water: EPA (CC BY 4.0). Parks, woods and paths: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Not on this page yet: Coillte’s forest trails (its terms) and bike routes.
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).