First pick
Glengarriff Woods
Wood or forest
739 ha7.4 km of path
1 h 40 minto walk all 7.4 km of path
1.2 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Ulrich Hartmann · CC BY-SA 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Glengarriff · parks, paths & countryside
Woods cover more of Glengarriff than of 10 in 10 Irish towns
Mapped woodland takes up 38% of Glengarriff and the kilometre around it. 11 waymarked trails start within 5 km of Glengarriff, among them the Beara Way and Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Lady Bantrys Lookout. Protected sites cover 26% of the land within 5 km; the nearest is Caha Mountains SAC.
Green space
2.6 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
9 km
1.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
26%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Caha Mountains SAC
Woodland
38%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
The sea
17%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Glengarriff?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Wooded country38% mapped woodland in and around town, more than 99% of Irish towns.Hills with a view7 mapped viewpoints, about 907× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.On the coast17% of the area within 5 km is sea.Parks can be a walk away100% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Glengarriff’s strongest suit is its woods, followed by its views. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Against other towns
How Glengarriff 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 walk0%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
0out of 100
Public green space2.6 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
34out of 100
Footpaths1.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
34out of 100
Protected for nature26%of the land within 5 km
98out of 100
Woodland38%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
100out of 100
The sea17%of the area within 5 km
81out 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
Glengarriff has the 17th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (211 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
Glengarriff1.1
Towns its size0.7
Co. Cork towns1.8
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Glengarriff2.6
Towns its size3.8
Co. Cork towns4.3
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Glengarriff0%
Towns its size83%
Co. Cork towns90%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Glengarriff stands out most for path per km²: only 16 of the other 39 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 39 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 | Glengarriff Cork | 1.1 | 38% | 26% | 17% |
| 18 | Bantry Cork | 1 | 4.4% | 0% | 18% |
| 19 | Ballina Tipperary | 0.9 | 1.8% | 4.7% | – |
| 20 | Moate Westmeath | 0.7 | 2.4% | 2.4% | – |
| 21 | Callan Kilkenny | 0.7 | 0.1% | 2.3% | – |
| 22 | Kingscourt Cavan | 0.7 | 12% | 0% | – |
| 23 | Kenmare Kerry | 0.6 | 7.2% | 6.5% | 6.4% |
| 24 | Athboy Meath | 0.6 | 1.1% | 1.5% | – |
| 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 Glengarriff’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 Glengarriff
The biggest is Glengarriff Woods, 739 ha (1,825 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
Few Glengarriff residents live 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 (0%)Further (100%)
Glengarriff0%
Co. Cork towns90%
Typical Irish town92%
About 200 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
26% of the land around Glengarriff is protected for nature
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 Glengarriff32%
Within 5 km26%
Co. Cork towns1.5%
Typical Irish town1.8%
2 protected sites lie within 5 km of Glengarriff. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 11% 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 21 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
21 km north104 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
9 km of footpaths cross Glengarriff
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
9.2 km
over 8.2 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
38%
about 3.1 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
11
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
GlengarriffCo. Cork townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths1.1
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
GlengarriffCo. Cork townsTypical Irish town
Woodland38%
0%50%100%
Glengarriff has less footpath per km² than 66% of Irish towns and more woodland than 100% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
Glengarriff is on the Beara Way
9 km of footpaths are mapped in Glengarriff and the kilometre around it, 1.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Long-distance wayWalking trail
Beara Way241.8 km
Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Lady Bantrys Lookout0.7 km
Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Big Meadow Walk3.4 km
Glengarriff Wood Loop6.0 km
Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Esknamucky Walk3.1 km
Glengarriff Nature Reserve - River Walk1.2 km
Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Waterfall Walk0.5 km
Cailleach Beara Loop - Bonane Beara9.9 km
Coorycommane Loop4.5 km
Fionn MacCool Loop - Bonane Beara5.2 km
Druid's Loop - Bonane Beara4.5 km
The Beara Way (242 km end to end) passes through Glengarriff. For a shorter walk, the Glengarriff Wood Loop is 6.0 km, graded moderate. 2 cycling or paddling trails also start 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 Glengarriff: 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 | 16.7 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 281 | 214 | 176 | 147 | 127 | 132 | 149 | 148 | 170 | 226 | 251 | 283 |
May is the driest month (127 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.8 hours of daylight in December, and 283 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. The climate in Glengarriff →
The coast
Glengarriff is a coastal town
17% of the area within 5 km of Glengarriff is sea.
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
7 viewpoints, 1 hill or peak and 1 waterfall
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.
7Viewpoints907.4× the typical Irish town, per resident1Hills and peaks1Waterfalls1Nature reserves3Picnic sites1Playgrounds2Campsites2Slipways
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: Glengarriff has 907.4× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 7
Lady Bantry's Lookout0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Shrone Hill1.1 km from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Glengarriff Nature Reserve0.8 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 1
Plus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
O'Sheas Caravan & Camping Park0.7 km from town
DirectionsGlengarriff Caravan and Camping Park0.8 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 2
Plus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
4 gardens and nature sites to visit near Glengarriff
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Blue PoolNature site · In Glengarriff
Its pageGlengarriff Bamboo ParkGarden · 0.4 km from town
Its pageIllnacullin - Garinish IslandGarden · 0.7 km from town
Its pageWhiddy Island ViewNature site · 3.7 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Glengarriff
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
BantryKenmareGlengarriff
Under 1%1–10%10–25%25–50%50%+
In Kenmare, 100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park, more than here. Kenmare has at least twice Glengarriff’s green space per resident.
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 Glengarriff
Is there protected countryside near Glengarriff?
Yes: 26% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 2 sites. Caha Mountains SAC reaches Glengarriff.
What are the best walks near Glengarriff?
11 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the Beara Way, Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Lady Bantrys Lookout and Glengarriff Nature Reserve - Big Meadow Walk.
How many people in Glengarriff live near a park?
0% 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 Glengarriff?
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 Glengarriff near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Killarney National Park, 21 km north of the town’s edge; it covers about 104 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Glengarriff?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 7 viewpoints, 1 hill or peak, 1 waterfall, 1 nature reserve and 3 picnic sites; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Glengarriff’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
- 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).