First pick
Glen River Park
Park or garden
24 ha5.6 km of path
1 h 15 minto walk all 5.6 km of path
Centralin the middle of The Glen
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: David Hawgood · CC BY-SA 2.0100%near a park
Outdoors in The Glen · parks, paths & countryside
The Glen has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 Irish towns
Footpaths add up to 57 km in the neighbourhood and the kilometre around it, 5.7 for every square kilometre. 100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. There are 7.7 ha of parks and playing fields for every 1,000 people in The Glen, against 4.1 in the typical Irish town.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
7.7 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
57 km
5.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
1.8%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Cork Harbour SPA
Woodland
4%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is The Glen?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A neighbourhood of footpaths5.7 km of path per km², more than 80% of Irish towns. The typical town has 2.1.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Hills with a view4 mapped viewpoints, about 18× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.
The Glen’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How The Glen 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 space7.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
71out of 100
Footpaths5.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
81out of 100
Protected for nature1.8%of the land within 5 km
50out of 100
Woodland4%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
68out 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
The Glen has the 7th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (5,451 to 6,872 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From O'Connell Street (8.1 km per km²) to Roscommon (0.2 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
The Glen5.7
Towns its size1.7
Co. Cork towns1.8
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
The Glen7.7
Towns its size4.0
Co. Cork towns4.3
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
The Glen100%
Towns its size93%
Co. Cork towns90%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, The Glen stands out most for path per km²: only 6 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | O'Connell Street Dublin | 8.1 | 0.6% | 0.1% | 7% |
| 2 | Christchurch Dublin | 7.8 | 0.7% | 0.1% | – |
| 3 | Portobello Dublin | 7.2 | 1.2% | 0.1% | 8.8% |
| 4 | Gillabbey Cork | 7.1 | 2.6% | 0.5% | – |
| 5 | Glasheen Cork | 6.4 | 2.3% | 0.5% | – |
| 6 | Castleknock Dublin | 6.2 | 9.1% | 0% | – |
| 7 | The Glen Cork | 5.7 | 4% | 1.8% | – |
| 8 | Edmondstown Dublin | 5.1 | 7.5% | 4.5% | – |
| 9 | Rathgar Dublin | 4.8 | 3.5% | 0.1% | – |
| 10 | Knocknaheeny Cork | 4.7 | 2.4% | 0.2% | – |
| 11 | Santry Dublin | 4.4 | 2.8% | 0% | – |
| 12 | Ayrfield Dublin | 3.8 | 1.8% | 5.3% | 19% |
| 13 | Eyre Square Galway | 3.4 | 1.2% | 14% | 36% |
| 14 | Marino Dublin | 3.3 | 2% | 2.8% | 10% |
| 15 | Harmonstown Dublin | 3.2 | 3.8% | 5.3% | 23% |
| 16 | Dock Limerick | 2.5 | 1.3% | 12% | – |
| 17 | Sutton Dublin | 2.5 | 0.7% | 12% | 48% |
| 18 | Lisduggan Waterford | 1.8 | 0% | 5.8% | – |
| 19 | Carrigtwohill Cork | 1.8 | 5.1% | 12% | – |
| 20 | Ballinfoile and Terryland Galway | 1.7 | 2.1% | 22% | 13% |
| 21 | Rathcoole Dublin | 1.6 | 2.4% | 0% | – |
| 22 | Sallins Kildare | 1.6 | 0.8% | 0% | – |
| 23 | Dunshaughlin Meath | 1.5 | 0.4% | 0% | – |
| 24 | Blessington Wicklow | 1.4 | 10% | 1.9% | – |
| 25 | Kells Meath | 1.3 | 6.3% | 1.1% | – |
| 26 | Westport Mayo | 1.2 | 7.1% | 3.3% | 10% |
| 27 | Passage West-Monkstown Cork | 1.2 | 3.5% | 10% | 12% |
| 28 | Inishkenny Cork | 1.1 | 4.2% | 0.2% | – |
| 29 | Ballytruckle Waterford | 1 | 1.2% | 5.1% | – |
| 30 | Ardee Louth | 0.9 | 0.7% | 0.8% | – |
| 31 | Kinsale Cork | 0.9 | 1.3% | 0% | 21% |
| 32 | Ferrybank Kilkenny | 0.8 | 4.1% | 6.6% | – |
| 33 | Fermoy Cork | 0.8 | 6.3% | 4.8% | – |
| 34 | Carrick-on-Suir Tipperary | 0.5 | 9.9% | 4% | – |
| 35 | Loughrea Galway | 0.4 | 1.7% | 4.7% | – |
| 36 | Carrickmacross Monaghan | 0.3 | 5.5% | 0% | – |
| 37 | Roscrea Tipperary | 0.3 | 3.4% | 7.9% | – |
| 38 | Oranmore Galway | 0.3 | 2% | 5.2% | 13% |
| 39 | Ballinasloe Galway | 0.3 | 3.7% | 9.6% | – |
| 40 | Roscommon Roscommon | 0.2 | 2.3% | 3.9% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is The Glen’s neighbourhood.
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 The Glen
The biggest is Glen River Park, 24 ha (60 acres).
All 4 named parks and woods by size: 27 ha (67 acres) and 7 km of path
Parks & gardens 27 ha
The two biggest, Glen River Park and Kempton (Meelick) Park, are 97% of the named green space and carry 7 km of path between them.
Kempton (Meelick) Park
Park or garden
2.4 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
Centralin the middle of The Glen
Directionsto a point inside
Spring Lane Park
Park or garden
0.5 ha0.3 km of path
0.6 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Comeragh (Arderin) Park
Park or garden
0.2 ha0.2 km of path
Centralin the middle of The Glen
Directionsto a point inside
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 The Glen 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%)
The Glen100%
Co. Cork towns90%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
Protected sites cover 1.8% of the land within 5 km of The Glen
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 The Glen0%
Within 5 km1.8%
Co. Cork towns1.5%
Typical Irish town1.8%
One protected site lies within 5 km of The Glen. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 2.7% 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.
Cork Harbour SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 27 km² · 3.0 km from the edge
NPWS pageProtected 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 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
Footpaths and woods in and around The Glen
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
57 km
over 10 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
4%
about 0.4 km² of mapped woods
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
The GlenCo. Cork townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths5.7
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
The GlenCo. Cork townsTypical Irish town
Woodland4%
0%50%100%
The Glen has more footpath per km² than 81% of Irish towns and more woodland than 68% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
1 waymarked walk passes through or near The Glen
57 km of footpaths are mapped in The Glen and the kilometre around it, 5.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
One more waymarked walk on OpenStreetMap
National
Mardyke walk0.5 km
Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0), registered trails within 5 km; footpaths: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). More waymarked walks: OpenStreetMap route relations (ODbL) within 2 km, those already on the register left out. 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 The Glen: 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 | 16.3 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 119 | 89 | 83 | 79 | 73 | 74 | 77 | 86 | 82 | 119 | 118 | 125 |
May is the driest month (73 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.8 hours of daylight in December, and 125 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. The climate in The Glen →
Things to do
4 viewpoints and 22 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.
4Viewpoints17.9× the typical Irish town, per resident5Picnic sites22Playgrounds2.8× the typical Irish town, per resident1Campsites3Slipways
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: The Glen has 17.9× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 4
Dublin Hillin town
DirectionsBell's Field (Audley Place)0.7 km from town
DirectionsShandon Bells View0.8 km from town
DirectionsMurphy's Rock1.1 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 5
Plus 5 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 22
Toddler Play Park0.2 km from town
DirectionsPlanet Leisure Centre0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 20 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Kilcully Scout Campsite1.8 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 3
Plus 3 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Next door
Next to The Glen
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
BlackpoolFarranreeMayfieldMontenotteSt Luke'sShandonThe Glen
Under 1%1–10%10–25%25–50%50%+
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than The Glen.
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 The Glen
What is the biggest park in The Glen?
Glen River Park, 24 ha (60 acres). Kempton (Meelick) Park (2.4 ha) is second. 5 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near The Glen?
Yes: 1.8% of the land within 5 km is protected, in one site. The nearest is Cork Harbour SPA, 3.0 km from the edge of town.
How many people in The Glen 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 The Glen?
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 The Glen near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Killarney National Park, 70 km west of the town’s edge; it covers about 104 km².
What is there to do outdoors around The Glen?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 4 viewpoints and 5 picnic sites; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where The Glen’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).