First pick
Phoenix Park
Park or garden · 240 m outside town
704 ha93.1 km of path
20 h 40 minto walk all 93.1 km of path
3.5 km eastfrom the centre
Khyber RoadTinkler's PathKaziranga Forest Trail+2 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Original uploader was Noelfirl at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.094%near a park
Outdoors in Palmerston · parks, paths & countryside
Palmerston has more park space per resident than 9 in 10 Irish towns
Parks and playing fields in Palmerston add up to 78.1 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical Irish town has 4.1. Footpaths add up to 125 km in the neighbourhood and the kilometre around it, 6.9 for every square kilometre. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 11 km away.
Near a park
94%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
78.1 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
125 km
6.9 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Woodland
8.6%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Palmerston?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Room to roam78.1 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 98% of Irish towns.A neighbourhood of footpaths6.9 km of path per km², more than 91% of Irish towns. The typical town has 2.1.Countryside close byWicklow Mountains National Park starts 11 km south.
Palmerston’s strongest suit is plenty of park space, followed by dense footpaths.
Against other towns
How Palmerston 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 space78.1 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
99out of 100
Footpaths6.9 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
91out of 100
Protected for nature0%of the land within 5 km
11out of 100
Woodland8.6%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
91out 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
Palmerston has the 5th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (9,563 to 12,475 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Cabra West (7.8 km per km²) to Tuam (0.4 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Palmerston6.9
Towns its size3.3
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Palmerston78.1
Towns its size4.7
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Palmerston94%
Towns its size94%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Palmerston stands out most for park space per resident: only 1 of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabra West Dublin | 7.8 | 4.5% | 0% | – |
| 2 | Kilmainham Dublin | 7.7 | 7.3% | 0% | – |
| 3 | Phibsborough Dublin | 7.6 | 0.4% | 0% | – |
| 4 | Kilnamanagh Dublin | 7.4 | 3.9% | 0.5% | – |
| 5 | Palmerston Dublin | 6.9 | 8.6% | 0% | – |
| 6 | Firhouse Dublin | 6.8 | 4.4% | 4.2% | – |
| 7 | Ronanstown Dublin | 6.6 | 0.7% | 0% | – |
| 8 | Parnell Square Dublin | 6.6 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 5.6% |
| 9 | Ballygall Dublin | 6.3 | 1.4% | 0% | – |
| 10 | Summerhill Dublin | 6 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 8.5% |
| 11 | Killiney Dublin | 6 | 7.7% | 0.5% | 45% |
| 12 | Foxrock Dublin | 5.8 | 5.3% | 0.2% | 25% |
| 13 | Churchtown Dublin | 5.6 | 3.3% | 0.1% | – |
| 14 | Drumcondra Dublin | 5.6 | 1.6% | 0.8% | 6.9% |
| 15 | Finglas South Dublin | 5.6 | 1.7% | 0% | – |
| 16 | Terenure Dublin | 4.9 | 2.1% | 0% | – |
| 17 | Monkstown Dublin | 4.2 | 0.8% | 0.3% | 38% |
| 18 | Finglas North Dublin | 4.2 | 1.2% | 0% | – |
| 19 | Shankill Dublin | 3.6 | 12% | 3.8% | 28% |
| 20 | Donaghmede Dublin | 3.5 | 2.7% | 6.2% | 31% |
| 21 | Kilmore Dublin | 3.1 | 2.2% | 3.5% | 9.5% |
| 22 | Donabate Dublin | 2.8 | 6.8% | 2.8% | 32% |
| 23 | Portmarnock Dublin | 2.7 | 0.8% | 7.9% | 44% |
| 24 | Skerries Dublin | 2 | 1.7% | 0% | 53% |
| 25 | Shannon Clare | 1.8 | 3.9% | 35% | – |
| 26 | Trim Meath | 1.3 | 0.9% | 1.5% | – |
| 27 | Ratoath Meath | 1.3 | 0.4% | 0% | – |
| 28 | Kildare Kildare | 1.1 | 0.4% | 1.8% | – |
| 29 | Rush Dublin | 1.1 | 0.4% | 3.7% | 51% |
| 30 | Athy Kildare | 0.9 | 0.3% | 1.6% | – |
| 31 | Ballina Mayo | 0.8 | 3.3% | 3.5% | – |
| 32 | Tramore Waterford | 0.8 | 0.9% | 3.9% | 34% |
| 33 | Dungarvan Waterford | 0.7 | 0.7% | 1.8% | 19% |
| 34 | Gorey Wexford | 0.7 | 3.9% | 0.5% | – |
| 35 | Cavan Cavan | 0.6 | 6.7% | 5.1% | – |
| 36 | Grantstown and Ballinakill Waterford | 0.6 | 4.5% | 10% | – |
| 37 | Longford Longford | 0.6 | 2.7% | 5.6% | – |
| 38 | Nenagh Tipperary | 0.4 | 1.8% | 0% | – |
| 39 | Enniscorthy Wexford | 0.4 | 6.9% | 2.1% | – |
| 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 Palmerston’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 Palmerston
The biggest is Phoenix Park, 704 ha (1,739 acres).
All 8 named parks and woods by size: 820 ha (2,027 acres) and 113 km of path
Parks & gardens 813 haWoods 7.8 ha
The two biggest, Phoenix Park and Waterstown, are 90% of the named green space and carry 99 km of path between them.
Waterstown
Park or garden
36 ha5.6 km of path
1 h 15 minto walk all 5.6 km of path
1.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Farmleigh
Park or garden · 160 m outside town
32 ha4.9 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.9 km of path
2.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Hermitage Park
Park or garden · 250 m outside town
12 ha2.7 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.7 km of path
2.3 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
California Hills Park
Park or garden
11 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
1.8 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Glenaulin Park
Park or garden
11 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
1.3 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Drumfinn Gaels Park
Park or garden
6.0 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.1 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Furry Glen
Wood or forest · 290 m outside town
7.8 ha1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
2.1 km north-eastfrom 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 Palmerston 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 (5.6%)
Palmerston94%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
About 600 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
No protected site lies within 5 km of Palmerston
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.
No site protected for nature lies within 5 km of Palmerston.
National Parks
Wicklow Mountains National Park is 11 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
11 km south223 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
125 km of footpaths cross Palmerston
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
125 km
over 18.2 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
8.6%
about 1.6 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
4
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
PalmerstonCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths6.9
048 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
PalmerstonCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland8.6%
0%50%100%
Palmerston has more footpath per km² than 91% of Irish towns and more woodland than 91% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
4 waymarked trails start near Palmerston
125 km of footpaths are mapped in Palmerston and the kilometre around it, 6.9 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Long-distance wayGreenway
Grand Canal Way117.1 km
National Famine Way168.6 km
Royal Canal Way146.3 km
Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock8.9 km
One more waymarked walk on OpenStreetMap
National
The Royal Canal Way1.9 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.
History
One historic park or garden on the record in Palmerston
Parks, gardens, walled gardens and demesne walls in the town on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, each with its record.
Demesne walls/gates/railingsAvondalefrom 1900Regional rating (NIAH)
The oldest dated is Avondale, from 1900.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (CC BY 4.0).
When to get out
The best walking months in Palmerston: 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) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 63 | 55 | 53 | 54 | 57 | 66 | 63 | 71 | 65 | 79 | 85 | 76 |
March is the driest month (53 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 85 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in Palmerston →
Things to do
1 waterfall and 38 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.
Per resident, playgrounds stand out most: Palmerston has 2.7× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 38
The Lair1.1 km from town
DirectionsMarkievicz Playground1.5 km from town
DirectionsInflata Zone1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 35 playgrounds 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
2 gardens and nature sites to visit near Palmerston
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
War Memorial GardensGarden · 2.7 km from town
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · 6.8 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Palmerston
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
RonanstownBallyfermotCarnaCherry OrchardKylemoreCarpenterstownPalmerston
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmerston | 94% | 78.1 | 6.9 | 0% |
| Ronanstown 1.3 km | 85% | 6.3 | 6.6 | 0% |
| Ballyfermot 1.5 km | 100% | 208.4 | 6.8 | 0% |
| Carna 1.6 km | 100% | 17.3 | 5.4 | 0% |
| Cherry Orchard 1.6 km | 96% | 9.4 | 4.6 | 0% |
| Kylemore 2.3 km | 75% | 11.0 | 4.0 | 0% |
| Carpenterstown 2.5 km | 97% | 39.8 | 7.3 | 0% |
In Ballyfermot, 100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park, more than here. Ballyfermot has at least twice Palmerston’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 Palmerston
What is the biggest park in Palmerston?
Phoenix Park, 704 ha (1,739 acres), just outside the built-up area. Waterstown (36 ha) is second. 7 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
What are the best walks near Palmerston?
4 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the Grand Canal Way, National Famine Way and Royal Canal Way.
How many people in Palmerston 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 Palmerston?
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 Palmerston near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 11 km south of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Palmerston?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 1 waterfall and 2 picnic sites; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Which parks in Palmerston are historic?
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records one historic park, garden or demesne in the town: Avondale.
Sources
Where Palmerston’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
- Historic parks and gardens. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (CC BY 4.0)
- 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).