First pick
Killiney Hill Park
Park or garden
45 ha8.1 km of path
1 h 50 minto walk all 8.1 km of path
1.0 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Greatal386 at English Wikipedia · CC BY 2.594%near a park
Outdoors in Dalkey · parks, paths & countryside
Dalkey is on the coast
The sea makes up 60% of the area within 5 km. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 9.5 km away. 2 waymarked trails start within 5 km of Dalkey, among them the Dublin Mountains Way and Carrickgollogan - Mountain Access route.
Near a park
94%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
8.2 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
45 km
2.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
0.2%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Rockabill to Dalkey Island SAC
Woodland
3.5%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
The sea
60%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Dalkey?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast60% of the area within 5 km is sea.Hills with a view18 mapped viewpoints, about 59× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.Countryside close byWicklow Mountains National Park starts 9.5 km south-west.Protected land nearbyRockabill to Dalkey Island SAC reaches the edge of Dalkey.
Dalkey’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by its views.
Against other towns
How Dalkey 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 walk94%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
53out of 100
Public green space8.2 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
74out of 100
Footpaths2.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
55out of 100
Protected for nature0.2%of the land within 5 km
29out of 100
Woodland3.5%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
61out of 100
The sea60%of the area within 5 km
100out 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
Dalkey has the 18th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (7,155 to 9,647 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Temple Bar (7.9 km per km²) to Tuam (0.4 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Dalkey2.6
Towns its size2.2
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Dalkey8.2
Towns its size4.0
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Dalkey94%
Towns its size96%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Dalkey stands out most for park space per resident: only 9 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Temple Bar Dublin | 7.9 | 1.1% | 0.1% | 6.2% |
| 2 | Sandyford Dublin | 7.5 | 4.8% | 0.3% | 6.2% |
| 3 | South Gate Cork | 6.8 | 1% | 1.3% | – |
| 4 | Grand Canal Dock Dublin | 6.6 | 0.9% | 1.4% | 16% |
| 5 | Glasnevin Dublin | 6.6 | 1.2% | 0% | – |
| 6 | Dubber Dublin | 5.7 | 2.1% | 0% | – |
| 7 | Ballybough Dublin | 5.5 | 1.4% | 1% | 9% |
| 8 | Booterstown Dublin | 5.4 | 2.2% | 0.2% | 29% |
| 9 | Turner's Cross Cork | 5.3 | 2.5% | 1.3% | – |
| 10 | Clongriffin Dublin | 5 | 0.2% | 6.6% | 31% |
| 11 | Cherry Orchard Dublin | 4.6 | 0.5% | 0% | – |
| 12 | Baldoyle Dublin | 3.7 | 0.3% | 11% | 40% |
| 13 | Perrystown Dublin | 3.6 | 1.8% | 0% | – |
| 14 | Donaghmede Dublin | 3.5 | 2.7% | 6.2% | 31% |
| 15 | Raheny Dublin | 3.1 | 2.8% | 11% | 46% |
| 16 | Farranshone Limerick | 2.8 | 1.5% | 11% | – |
| 17 | Walkinstown Dublin | 2.8 | 0.3% | 0% | – |
| 18 | Dalkey Dublin | 2.6 | 3.5% | 0.2% | 60% |
| 19 | Kinsealy-Drinan Dublin | 2.3 | 1.8% | 1.1% | 8.3% |
| 20 | Howth Dublin | 2.2 | 2.4% | 18% | 75% |
| 21 | Dunboyne Meath | 2.2 | 2.5% | 0.4% | – |
| 22 | Hollyhill and Ballincolly Cork | 2.1 | 7.2% | 0.5% | – |
| 23 | Frankfield and Grange Cork | 2.1 | 4.3% | 2.1% | – |
| 24 | Kilcock Kildare | 1.7 | 2.8% | 0% | – |
| 25 | Ballyvolane Cork | 1.6 | 6.7% | 2.8% | – |
| 26 | Trim Meath | 1.3 | 0.9% | 1.5% | – |
| 27 | Monaghan Monaghan | 1.3 | 8.7% | 0% | – |
| 28 | Waterford City Centre Waterford | 1.3 | 1.5% | 6% | – |
| 29 | Caherdavin Limerick | 1.2 | 3.4% | 12% | – |
| 30 | Lusk Dublin | 1.1 | 0.6% | 1.3% | 6.4% |
| 31 | Youghal Cork | 0.9 | 0.6% | 13% | 29% |
| 32 | New Ross Wexford | 0.9 | 7.3% | 5.4% | – |
| 33 | Portarlington Laois | 0.8 | 2.5% | 1.6% | – |
| 34 | Grantstown and Ballinakill Waterford | 0.6 | 4.5% | 10% | – |
| 35 | Clane Kildare | 0.6 | 1.9% | 1.5% | – |
| 36 | Thurles Tipperary | 0.5 | 2.8% | 1.2% | – |
| 37 | Newcastle West Limerick | 0.5 | 1.5% | 7% | – |
| 38 | Bandon Cork | 0.4 | 5.6% | 0% | – |
| 39 | Edenderry Offaly | 0.4 | 7% | 1.7% | – |
| 40 | Tuam Galway | 0.4 | 1.4% | 2.7% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Dalkey’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 Dalkey
The biggest is Killiney Hill Park, 45 ha (110 acres).
All 6 named parks and woods by size: 50 ha (124 acres) and 10 km of path
Parks & gardens 50 ha
The two biggest, Killiney Hill Park and Cluny Park, are 93% of the named green space and carry 9 km of path between them. 4 of the 6 are under 2 ha.
Cluny Park
Park or garden
2.2 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
1.4 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Dillon's Park
Park or garden
1.3 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.4 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sally Glen
Park or garden · 290 m outside town
1.1 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
1.5 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sorrento Park
Park or garden
0.7 ha0.5 km of path
1.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
The Maze
Park or garden · 360 m outside town
0.4 ha0.2 km of path
1.3 km northfrom the centre
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
9 in 10 Dalkey 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 (94%)Further (5.8%)
Dalkey94%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
About 500 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
Rockabill to Dalkey Island SAC reaches Dalkey
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 Dalkey2.8%
Within 5 km0.2%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
4 protected sites lie within 5 km of Dalkey. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 1.7% 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.
Rockabill to Dalkey Island SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 273 km² · reaches Dalkey
NPWS pageDalkey Islands SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 0.8 km² · reaches Dalkey
NPWS pageSouth Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 22 km² · 2.4 km from the edge
NPWS pageSouth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 7.3 km² · 2.9 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
Wicklow Mountains National Park is 9.5 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
Wicklow Mountains National Park
9.5 km south-west223 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
45 km of footpaths cross Dalkey
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
45 km
over 17.2 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
3.5%
about 0.6 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
2
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
DalkeyCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths2.6
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
DalkeyCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland3.5%
0%50%100%
Dalkey has more footpath per km² than 55% of Irish towns and more woodland than 61% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
2 waymarked trails start near Dalkey
45 km of footpaths are mapped in Dalkey and the kilometre around it, 2.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Long-distance wayWalking trail
Dublin Mountains Way41.2 km
Carrickgollogan - Mountain Access route2.0 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 Dalkey: 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) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.8 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 64 | 56 | 53 | 50 | 53 | 60 | 54 | 63 | 61 | 77 | 88 | 71 |
April is the driest month (50 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 88 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in Dalkey →
The coast
The coast and bathing waters near Dalkey
60% of the area within 5 km of Dalkey is sea. 5 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
White Rock BeachExcellent (2025) · In town
beaches.ieSandycove BeachGood (2025) · 0.5 km from town
beaches.ieForty Foot Bathing PlaceExcellent (2025) · 0.5 km from town
beaches.ieKillineyExcellent (2025) · 0.6 km from town
beaches.ieSeapointExcellent (2025) · 3.2 km from town
beaches.ie4 of the 5 are rated excellent, White Rock Beach 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
18 viewpoints and 3 hills and peaks
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.
18Viewpoints59.5× the typical Irish town, per resident3Hills and peaks1Nature reserves1Picnic sites26Playgrounds2.4× the typical Irish town, per resident2Dog parks1Slipways
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: Dalkey has 59.5× as many as the typical Irish town. The highest named top on the map is Dalkey Hill, at 140 m, in town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 18
Dalkey Island Viewpoint & Telescopein town
DirectionsGeographic Pointer1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 16 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Dalkey Hill140 m · in town
DirectionsKilliney Hill154 m · in town
DirectionsMullins Hill0.3 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Roche's Hill11 ha · 0.4 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Hawk Cliffin town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 26
Killiney Hill playgroundin town
DirectionsPirate playground1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 24 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
Plus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Plus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
3 gardens and nature sites to visit near Dalkey
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Mornington GardenGarden · In Dalkey
Its pageDublin Garden TrailGarden · 4.7 km from town
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · 11 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Dalkey
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
SallynogginDún LaoghaireBallybrackKillineyCabinteelyFoxrockDalkey
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalkey | 94% | 8.2 | 2.6 | 0.2% |
| Sallynoggin 2.0 km | 97% | 4.1 | 5.0 | 0.3% |
| Dún Laoghaire 2.1 km | 96% | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.3% |
| Ballybrack 2.4 km | 100% | 18.4 | 8.6 | 0.2% |
| Killiney 2.9 km | 100% | 13.6 | 6.0 | 0.5% |
| Cabinteely 3.4 km | 100% | 12.0 | 5.1 | 1.1% |
| Foxrock 3.9 km | 100% | 9.4 | 5.8 | 0.2% |
In Ballybrack, 100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park, more than here. Ballybrack has at least twice Dalkey’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 Dalkey
What is the biggest park in Dalkey?
Killiney Hill Park, 45 ha (110 acres). Cluny Park (2.2 ha) is second. 6 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Dalkey?
4 protected sites lie within 5 km, though together they cover under 1% of the land.
What are the best walks near Dalkey?
2 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the Dublin Mountains Way and Carrickgollogan - Mountain Access route.
Where can you swim near Dalkey?
The nearest bathing water is White Rock Beach, In town: Excellent (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Dalkey live near a park?
94% 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 Dalkey?
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 Dalkey near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 9.5 km south-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Dalkey?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 18 viewpoints, 3 hills and peaks, 1 nature reserve and 1 picnic site; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Dalkey’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).