First pick
Ardgillan Castle and Demesne
Park or garden · 220 m outside town
79 ha14.5 km of path
3 h 15 minto walk all 14.5 km of path
2.9 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Stephen Elwyn RODDICK · CC BY-SA 2.0100%near a park
Outdoors in Skerries · parks, paths & countryside
Skerries is on the coast
The sea makes up 53% of the area within 5 km. There are 10.1 ha of parks and playing fields for every 1,000 people in Skerries, against 4.1 in the typical Irish town. Footpaths add up to 31 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 2.0 for every square kilometre.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
10.1 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
31 km
2.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Woodland
1.7%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
The sea
53%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Skerries?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast53% 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.Hills with a view3 mapped viewpoints, about 8× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.Room to roam10.1 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 82% of Irish towns.
Skerries’ strongest suit is the sea, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How Skerries 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 space10.1 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
82out of 100
Footpaths2.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
48out of 100
Protected for nature0%of the land within 5 km
11out of 100
Woodland1.7%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
32out of 100
The sea53%of the area within 5 km
99out 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
Skerries has the 17th fewest footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (9,299 to 12,310 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
Skerries2.0
Towns its size3.3
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Skerries10.1
Towns its size4.7
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Skerries100%
Towns its size94%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Skerries stands out most for park space per resident: only 8 of the other 39 have more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 23 of the others do better.
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 | Glasnevin Dublin | 6.6 | 1.2% | 0% | – |
| 10 | Ballygall Dublin | 6.3 | 1.4% | 0% | – |
| 11 | Summerhill Dublin | 6 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 8.5% |
| 12 | Killiney Dublin | 6 | 7.7% | 0.5% | 45% |
| 13 | Foxrock Dublin | 5.8 | 5.3% | 0.2% | 25% |
| 14 | Churchtown Dublin | 5.6 | 3.3% | 0.1% | – |
| 15 | Drumcondra Dublin | 5.6 | 1.6% | 0.8% | 6.9% |
| 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 Skerries’ 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 Skerries
The biggest is Ardgillan Castle and Demesne, 79 ha (194 acres).
All 4 named parks and woods by size: 97 ha (239 acres) and 17 km of path
Parks & gardens 87 haWoods 9.5 ha
The two biggest, Ardgillan Castle and Demesne and New Plantation, are 91% of the named green space and carry 16 km of path between them.
The Kybe
Park or garden
6.5 ha0.6 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
Centralin the middle of Skerries
Directionsto a point inside
New Plantation
Wood or forest · 220 m outside town
9.5 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
2.7 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 Skerries 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%)
Skerries100%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
North-West Irish Sea cSPA reaches Skerries
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 Skerries0%
Within 5 km0%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
5 protected sites lie within 5 km of Skerries. Ireland’s National Parks have a block of their own on this page; much of their land also lies inside these sites.
North-West Irish Sea cSPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2,333 km² · reaches Skerries
NPWS pageSkerries Islands NHANatural Heritage Area · 2.2 km² · 0.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageSkerries Islands SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2.2 km² · 0.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageRockabill to Dalkey Island SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 273 km² · 2.2 km from the edge
NPWS pageRockabill SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 52 km² · 2.7 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 39 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
39 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
31 km of footpaths cross Skerries
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
31 km
over 15.9 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
1.7%
about 0.3 km² of mapped woods
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
SkerriesCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths2
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SkerriesCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland1.7%
0%50%100%
Skerries has less footpath per km² than 52% of Irish towns and less 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
Footpaths in and around Skerries
31 km of footpaths are mapped in Skerries and the kilometre around it, 2.0 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
No waymarked trail starts within 5 km of Skerries; its footpaths are counted above.
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 Skerries: 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 | 15.9 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 62 | 49 | 51 | 50 | 54 | 61 | 59 | 70 | 63 | 78 | 83 | 69 |
February is the driest month (49 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 83 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in Skerries →
The coast
The coast and bathing waters near Skerries
53% of the area within 5 km of Skerries is sea. 4 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
Skerries, South BeachExcellent (2025) · 0.1 km from town
beaches.ieLoughshinny BeachGood (2025) · 2.8 km from town
beaches.ieBalbriggan, Front Strand BeachSufficient (2025) · 3.8 km from town
beaches.ieRush, North BeachExcellent (2025) · 4.8 km from town
beaches.ie2 of the 4 are rated excellent, Skerries, South 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
3 viewpoints and 5 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.
3Viewpoints7.6× the typical Irish town, per resident1Picnic sites5Playgrounds0.4× the typical Irish town, per resident1Dog parks2Slipways
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: Skerries has 7.6× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Plus 3 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 1
BBQ Area0.9 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 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.
Next door
Next to Skerries
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
BalrotheryRushBalbrigganLuskPortraneDonabateSkerries
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skerries | 100% | 10.1 | 2.0 | 0% |
| Balrothery 4.5 km | 100% | 40.2 | 1.5 | 0% |
| Rush 6.0 km | 90% | 1.4 | 1.1 | 3.7% |
| Balbriggan 6.1 km | 95% | 4.9 | 2.1 | 0% |
| Lusk 6.8 km | 100% | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.3% |
| Portrane 8.9 km | 31% | 7.8 | 1.4 | 4.6% |
| Donabate 10 km | 90% | 15.2 | 2.8 | 2.8% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Skerries. Balrothery has at least twice Skerries’ 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 Skerries
What is the biggest park in Skerries?
Ardgillan Castle and Demesne, 79 ha (194 acres), just outside the built-up area. The Kybe (6.5 ha) is second. 4 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Skerries?
5 protected sites lie within 5 km, though together they cover under 1% of the land.
Where can you swim near Skerries?
The nearest bathing water is Skerries, South Beach, 0.1 km from town: Excellent (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Skerries 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 Skerries?
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 Skerries near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 39 km south of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Skerries?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 3 viewpoints and 1 picnic site; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Skerries’ 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).