First pick
Seagrange Park
Park or garden
14 ha2.5 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of Sutton
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Raymond Okonski · CC BY-SA 2.0100%near a park
Outdoors in Sutton · parks, paths & countryside
Sutton is on the coast
The sea makes up 48% of the area within 5 km. 4 waymarked trails start within 5 km of Sutton, among them the Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop and Howth - Black Linn Loop. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 20 km away.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
6.6 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
30 km
2.5 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
12%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: North Bull Island SPA
The sea
48%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Sutton?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast48% 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 20 km south-west.Protected land nearbyNorth Bull Island SPA reaches the edge of Sutton.
Sutton’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How Sutton 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 space6.6 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
68out of 100
Footpaths2.5 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
54out of 100
Protected for nature12%of the land within 5 km
93out of 100
Woodland0.7%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
13out of 100
The sea48%of the area within 5 km
98out 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
Sutton has the 20th fewest footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (5,228 to 6,355 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From St Stephen's Green (7.4 km per km²) to Oranmore (0.3 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Sutton2.5
Towns its size2.5
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Sutton6.6
Towns its size4.4
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Sutton100%
Towns its size98%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Sutton stands out most for park space per resident: only 12 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Stephen's Green Dublin | 7.4 | 0.9% | 0.3% | 11% |
| 2 | Portobello Dublin | 7.2 | 1.2% | 0.1% | 8.8% |
| 3 | Gillabbey Cork | 7.1 | 2.6% | 0.5% | – |
| 4 | Glasheen Cork | 6.4 | 2.3% | 0.5% | – |
| 5 | Castleknock Dublin | 6.2 | 9.1% | 0% | – |
| 6 | Ballyboden Dublin | 5.9 | 4.3% | 0.5% | – |
| 7 | The Glen Cork | 5.7 | 4% | 1.8% | – |
| 8 | Edmondstown Dublin | 5.1 | 7.5% | 4.5% | – |
| 9 | Ballinlough Cork | 4.9 | 3.2% | 3.8% | – |
| 10 | Rathgar Dublin | 4.8 | 3.5% | 0.1% | – |
| 11 | Knocknaheeny Cork | 4.7 | 2.4% | 0.2% | – |
| 12 | Knockrea Cork | 4.7 | 3.1% | 3.7% | – |
| 13 | Inchicore Dublin | 4.5 | 3.9% | 0% | – |
| 14 | Ayrfield Dublin | 3.8 | 1.8% | 5.3% | 19% |
| 15 | Garryowen Limerick | 3.4 | 0.5% | 9.6% | – |
| 16 | Salthill Galway | 3.3 | 1% | 15% | 46% |
| 17 | Marino Dublin | 3.3 | 2% | 2.8% | 10% |
| 18 | Harmonstown Dublin | 3.2 | 3.8% | 5.3% | 23% |
| 19 | Galvone Limerick | 2.9 | 0.7% | 8.3% | – |
| 20 | Dock Limerick | 2.5 | 1.3% | 12% | – |
| 21 | Sutton Dublin | 2.5 | 0.7% | 12% | 48% |
| 22 | Lisduggan Waterford | 1.8 | 0% | 5.8% | – |
| 23 | Carrigtwohill Cork | 1.8 | 5.1% | 12% | – |
| 24 | Ballinfoile and Terryland Galway | 1.7 | 2.1% | 22% | 13% |
| 25 | Rathcoole Dublin | 1.6 | 2.4% | 0% | – |
| 26 | Sallins Kildare | 1.6 | 0.8% | 0% | – |
| 27 | Blessington Wicklow | 1.4 | 10% | 1.9% | – |
| 28 | Passage West-Monkstown Cork | 1.2 | 3.5% | 10% | 12% |
| 29 | Inishkenny Cork | 1.1 | 4.2% | 0.2% | – |
| 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 | Monasterevin Kildare | 0.6 | 16% | 2% | – |
| 34 | Carrick-on-Suir Tipperary | 0.5 | 9.9% | 4% | – |
| 35 | Ballybofey-Stranorlar Donegal | 0.4 | 7.7% | 2.3% | – |
| 36 | Loughrea Galway | 0.4 | 1.7% | 4.7% | – |
| 37 | Carrickmacross Monaghan | 0.3 | 5.5% | 0% | – |
| 38 | Tipperary Tipperary | 0.3 | 0.7% | 0.8% | – |
| 39 | Roscrea Tipperary | 0.3 | 3.4% | 7.9% | – |
| 40 | Oranmore Galway | 0.3 | 2% | 5.2% | 13% |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Sutton’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 Sutton
The biggest is Seagrange Park, 14 ha (34 acres).
Donaghmede Park
Park or garden · 350 m outside town
6.4 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
1.5 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sutton Park
Park or garden
2.7 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of Sutton
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 Sutton 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%)
Sutton100%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
12% of the land around Sutton 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 Sutton1.7%
Within 5 km12%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
12 protected sites lie within 5 km of Sutton. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 12% 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.
North Bull Island SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 19 km² · reaches Sutton
NPWS pageNorth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 15 km² · reaches Sutton
NPWS pageBaldoyle Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 5.3 km² · 0.0 km from the edge
NPWS pageBaldoyle Bay SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2.6 km² · 0.0 km from the edge
NPWS pageNorth-West Irish Sea cSPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2,333 km² · 0.5 km from the edge
NPWS pageHowth Head SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 3.8 km² · 1.5 km from the edge
NPWS pageRockabill to Dalkey Island SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 273 km² · 2.5 km from the edge
NPWS pageIreland's Eye SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2.1 km² · 2.8 km from the edge
NPWS pageIreland's Eye SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 0.4 km² · 3.0 km from the edge
NPWS pageHowth Head Coast SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 2.1 km² · 3.2 km from the edge
NPWS page2 more sites are within 5 km.
Protected 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 20 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
20 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
30 km of footpaths cross Sutton
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
30 km
over 12.3 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
0.7%
about 0.1 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
4
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
SuttonCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths2.5
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SuttonCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland0.7%
0%50%100%
Sutton has more footpath per km² than 54% of Irish towns and less woodland than 87% 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 Sutton
30 km of footpaths are mapped in Sutton and the kilometre around it, 2.5 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Walking trail
Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop12.1 km
Howth - Black Linn Loop8.1 km
Howth - Cliff Path Loop7.8 km
Howth - Tramline Loop7.0 km
For a shorter walk, the Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop is 12.1 km, graded strenuous.
2 more waymarked walks on OpenStreetMap
Local
Howth Cliff Walk3.3 km
Howth Bog of the Frogs Loop1.0 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 Sutton: May to July and 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 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 58 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 52 | 60 | 59 | 69 | 62 | 74 | 80 | 66 |
April is the driest month (49 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 80 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in Sutton →
The coast
The coast and bathing waters near Sutton
48% of the area within 5 km of Sutton is sea. 4 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
Sutton, Burrow BeachExcellent (2025) · 0.8 km from town
beaches.ieClaremont BeachSufficient (2025) · 1.8 km from town
beaches.ieDollymount StrandGood (2025) · 2.1 km from town
beaches.iePortmarnock, Velvet Strand BeachExcellent (2025) · 4.6 km from town
beaches.ie2 of the 4 are rated excellent, Sutton, Burrow 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
2 viewpoints and 1 waterfall
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.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Bull Island Wildlife Only Area87 ha · 0.9 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 9
Plus 9 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
4 gardens and nature sites to visit near Sutton
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Saint Anne's ParkGarden · 2.5 km from town
Its pageSt Anne's Park and Rose GardensGarden · 2.6 km from town
Its pageIreland's EyeIsland · 3.5 km from town
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · 8.9 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Sutton
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
BaldoyleRahenyClongriffinDonaghmedeBelmayneAyrfieldSutton
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sutton | 100% | 6.6 | 2.5 | 12% |
| Baldoyle 0.9 km | 97% | 6.5 | 3.7 | 11% |
| Raheny 1.8 km | 93% | 31.6 | 3.1 | 11% |
| Clongriffin 1.9 km | 100% | 5.4 | 5.0 | 6.6% |
| Donaghmede 2.0 km | 100% | 7.1 | 3.5 | 6.2% |
| Belmayne 2.9 km | 100% | 5.3 | 3.8 | 5.2% |
| Ayrfield 3.2 km | 100% | 10.7 | 3.8 | 5.3% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Sutton. Raheny has at least twice Sutton’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 Sutton
What is the biggest park in Sutton?
Seagrange Park, 14 ha (34 acres), just outside the built-up area. Donaghmede Park (6.4 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Sutton?
Yes: 12% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 12 sites. North Bull Island SPA reaches Sutton.
What are the best walks near Sutton?
4 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the Howth - Bog of Frogs Loop, Howth - Black Linn Loop and Howth - Cliff Path Loop.
Where can you swim near Sutton?
The nearest bathing water is Sutton, Burrow Beach, 0.8 km from town: Excellent (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Sutton 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 Sutton?
On the town’s 1991–2020 averages and its daylight: May to July and September, when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light for the place.
Is Sutton near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 20 km south-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around Sutton?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 2 viewpoints, 1 waterfall and 1 nature reserve; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Sutton’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).