First pick
Herbert Park
Park or garden
13 ha4.9 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.9 km of path
0.9 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Sarah777 at English Wikipedia · Public domain100%near a park
Outdoors in Sandymount · parks, paths & countryside
Sandymount is on the coast
The sea makes up 35% of the area within 5 km. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 9.7 km away. 6 waymarked trails start within 5 km of Sandymount, among them the National Famine Way and Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
4.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
104 km
3.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
3.6%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA
Woodland
1.2%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
The sea
35%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Sandymount?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast35% of the area within 5 km is sea.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Countryside close byWicklow Mountains National Park starts 9.7 km south-west.Protected land nearbySouth Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA reaches the edge of Sandymount.
Sandymount’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How Sandymount 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 space4.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
50out of 100
Footpaths3.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
63out of 100
Protected for nature3.6%of the land within 5 km
63out of 100
Woodland1.2%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
20out of 100
The sea35%of the area within 5 km
92out 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
Sandymount has the 17th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (18,239 to 27,351 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Esker (10.5 km per km²) to Portlaoise (0.6 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Sandymount3.6
Towns its size2.7
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Sandymount4.0
Towns its size3.9
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Sandymount100%
Towns its size95%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Sandymount stands out most for path per km²: only 16 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Esker Dublin | 10.5 | 2.1% | 0.1% | – |
| 2 | Old Bawn Dublin | 8.5 | 3% | 1.8% | – |
| 3 | Dolphins Barn Dublin | 8.4 | 2.9% | 0% | – |
| 4 | Stoneybatter Dublin | 7.5 | 1.6% | 0% | – |
| 5 | The Liberties Dublin | 7.4 | 0.5% | 0% | – |
| 6 | Carpenterstown Dublin | 7.3 | 11% | 0% | – |
| 7 | Blanchardstown Dublin | 7 | 3.8% | 0% | – |
| 8 | Lucan Dublin | 6.8 | 7.3% | 0.2% | – |
| 9 | Mulhuddart Dublin | 6.6 | 4% | 0% | – |
| 10 | Ballymun Dublin | 6.5 | 2.6% | 0% | – |
| 11 | Clonsilla Dublin | 6.4 | 3% | 0.1% | – |
| 12 | Jobstown Dublin | 6.3 | 1.9% | 2.2% | – |
| 13 | Rathmines West Dublin | 6 | 1.7% | 0.1% | 5.8% |
| 14 | Crumlin Dublin | 5.4 | 0.8% | 0% | – |
| 15 | Clondalkin Dublin | 4.6 | 3.3% | 0% | – |
| 16 | Stepaside Dublin | 4.3 | 15% | 6.4% | 5.9% |
| 17 | Sandymount Dublin | 3.6 | 1.2% | 3.6% | 35% |
| 18 | Clontarf East Dublin | 3.1 | 3% | 6.1% | 38% |
| 19 | Kilkenny Kilkenny | 3.1 | 3.8% | 2.4% | – |
| 20 | Beaumont Dublin | 2.9 | 2% | 3.4% | 9.7% |
| 21 | Celbridge Kildare | 2.4 | 6.9% | 0.5% | – |
| 22 | Malahide Dublin | 2.4 | 3.4% | 2.1% | 32% |
| 23 | Greystones-Delgany Wicklow | 2.2 | 11% | 5% | 35% |
| 24 | Balbriggan Dublin | 2.1 | 1.6% | 0% | 37% |
| 25 | Naas Kildare | 1.9 | 1.4% | 0% | – |
| 26 | Douglas Cork | 1.7 | 4.6% | 5% | – |
| 27 | Knocknacarra Galway | 1.6 | 3.4% | 32% | 34% |
| 28 | Ballincollig Cork | 1.3 | 8.4% | 0% | – |
| 29 | Athlone Westmeath | 1.3 | 6.1% | 14% | – |
| 30 | Sligo Sligo | 1.2 | 6.1% | 9.5% | 18% |
| 31 | Tralee Kerry | 1.1 | 2.4% | 21% | 6.4% |
| 32 | Clonmel Tipperary | 1.1 | 14% | 3.9% | – |
| 33 | Wexford Wexford | 1.1 | 3.8% | 13% | 22% |
| 34 | Dooradoyle Limerick | 1 | 2.6% | 7.7% | – |
| 35 | Carlow Carlow | 0.9 | 1.3% | 2% | – |
| 36 | Carrigaline Cork | 0.9 | 6.5% | 0.2% | 6.7% |
| 37 | Mullingar Westmeath | 0.8 | 8.9% | 3.3% | – |
| 38 | Letterkenny Donegal | 0.7 | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.3% |
| 39 | Newbridge Kildare | 0.6 | 1.6% | 4.9% | – |
| 40 | Portlaoise Laois | 0.6 | 2.6% | 1.1% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Sandymount’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 Sandymount
The biggest is Herbert Park, 13 ha (33 acres).
All 7 named parks and woods by size: 55 ha (136 acres) and 14 km of path
Parks & gardens 55 ha
The two biggest, Herbert Park and Irishtown Nature Park, are 47% of the named green space and carry 8 km of path between them.
Irishtown Nature Park
Park or garden
12 ha3.4 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.4 km of path
1.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Ringsend Park
Park or garden
10 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
1.6 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Seán Moore Park
Park or garden
9.6 ha2.1 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.1 km of path
1.1 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Devlin Park
Park or garden · 390 m outside town
8.2 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
2.3 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
South Dock Street Park
Park or garden · 290 m outside town
0.4 ha0.2 km of path
1.8 km north-westfrom 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
Everyone in Sandymount 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%)
Sandymount100%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
3.6% of the land around Sandymount 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 Sandymount1.2%
Within 5 km3.6%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
7 protected sites lie within 5 km of Sandymount. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 3.4% 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.
South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 22 km² · reaches Sandymount
NPWS pageSouth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 7.3 km² · reaches Sandymount
NPWS pageNorth-West Irish Sea cSPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2,333 km² · 0.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageNorth Bull Island SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 19 km² · 0.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageNorth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 15 km² · 0.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageRockabill to Dalkey Island SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 273 km² · 4.1 km from the edge
NPWS pageHowth Head SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 3.8 km² · 4.7 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 9.7 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
9.7 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
104 km of footpaths cross Sandymount
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
104 km
over 29 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
1.2%
about 0.4 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
6
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
SandymountCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths3.6
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SandymountCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland1.2%
0%50%100%
Sandymount has more footpath per km² than 63% of Irish towns and less woodland than 80% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
6 waymarked trails start near Sandymount
104 km of footpaths are mapped in Sandymount and the kilometre around it, 3.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Long-distance wayGreenwayWalking trail
National Famine Way168.6 km
Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail121.4 km
Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock8.9 km
Royal Canal Way146.3 km
Wicklow Way128.1 km
Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop12.1 km
For a shorter walk, the Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop is 12.1 km, graded strenuous. One cycling or paddling trail also starts within 5 km.
2 more waymarked walks on OpenStreetMap
National
European long distance path E8 - part Ireland10.6 km
The Royal Canal Way1.6 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 Sandymount: 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 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 63 | 52 | 53 | 51 | 54 | 61 | 56 | 64 | 61 | 76 | 85 | 71 |
April is the driest month (51 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 Sandymount →
The coast
The coast and bathing waters near Sandymount
35% of the area within 5 km of Sandymount is sea. 4 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
Half MoonExcellent (2025) · In town
beaches.ieSandymount StrandSufficient (2025) · In town
beaches.ieDollymount StrandGood (2025) · 2.7 km from town
beaches.ieSeapointExcellent (2025) · 3.2 km from town
beaches.ie2 of the 4 are rated excellent, Half Moon 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
1 viewpoint and 64 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.
1Viewpoints6Nature reserves1Picnic sites64Playgrounds2.2× the typical Irish town, per resident2Dog parks2Slipways
Per resident, playgrounds stand out most: Sandymount has 2.2× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 6
Booterstown Nature Reserve0.1 ha · 0.0 km from town
DirectionsBooterstown Marsh4.6 ha · 0.2 km from town
DirectionsThe Grove0.1 ha · 0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 nature reserves without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 64
Elmpark Playgroundin town
DirectionsSean O'Casey Playground0.4 km from town
DirectionsMcCabe's Villas Playground0.7 km from town
DirectionsWindy Arbour Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsThe Giant's Garden1.4 km from town
DirectionsRanelagh Gardens Playground1.5 km from town
DirectionsThe Spotty Playground1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 57 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
Dog walking area of Belgrave Square1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Slipways 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
9 gardens and nature sites to visit near Sandymount
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Merrion SquareGarden · 1.6 km from town
Its pageDublin Garden TrailGarden · 1.6 km from town
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · 2.0 km from town
Its pageIveagh GardensGarden · 2.0 km from town
Its pageAirfield EstateGarden · 2.7 km from town
Its pageSt Anne's Park and Rose GardensGarden · 3.2 km from town
Its pageSaint Anne's ParkGarden · 3.5 km from town
Its pageNational Botanic GardensGarden · 4.1 km from town
Its pageSaint Enda's ParkGarden · 4.5 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Sandymount
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
BallsbridgeRathmines EastGrand Canal DockSt Stephen's GreenBooterstownClonskeaghSandymount
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandymount | 100% | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.6% |
| Ballsbridge 1.4 km | 100% | 3.0 | 6.3 | 1.2% |
| Rathmines East 2.1 km | 100% | 3.7 | 5.9 | 0.1% |
| Grand Canal Dock 2.2 km | 100% | 2.5 | 6.6 | 1.4% |
| St Stephen's Green 2.5 km | 100% | 5.3 | 7.4 | 0.3% |
| Booterstown 2.8 km | 96% | 3.3 | 5.4 | 0.2% |
| Clonskeagh 2.8 km | 100% | 5.1 | 6.0 | 0.1% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Sandymount.
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 Sandymount
What is the biggest park in Sandymount?
Herbert Park, 13 ha (33 acres), just outside the built-up area. Irishtown Nature Park (12 ha) is second. 8 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Sandymount?
Yes: 3.6% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 7 sites. South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA reaches Sandymount.
What are the best walks near Sandymount?
6 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the National Famine Way, Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail and Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock.
Where can you swim near Sandymount?
The nearest bathing water is Half Moon, In town: Excellent (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Sandymount 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 Sandymount?
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 Sandymount near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 9.7 km south-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Sandymount?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 1 viewpoint, 6 nature reserves and 1 picnic site; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Sandymount’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).