First pick
Cappagh Park
Park or garden · 90 m outside town
13 ha3.8 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.8 km of path
1.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Graham Horn · CC BY-SA 2.045%near a park
Outdoors in Bearna · parks, paths & countryside
Bearna is on the coast
The sea makes up 47% of the area within 5 km. Protected sites cover 27% of the land within 5 km; the nearest is Galway Bay Complex SAC. There are 10.3 ha of parks and playing fields for every 1,000 people in Bearna, against 4.1 in the typical Irish town.
Near a park
45%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
10.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
14 km
0.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
27%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Galway Bay Complex SAC
Woodland
1.6%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
The sea
47%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Bearna?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast47% of the area within 5 km is sea.Hills with a view6 mapped viewpoints, about 70× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.Protected countryside27% of the land within 5 km is protected, including Galway Bay Complex SAC.Parks can be a walk away55% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Bearna’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by its views. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Against other towns
How Bearna 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 walk45%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
2out of 100
Public green space10.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
82out of 100
Footpaths0.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
21out of 100
Protected for nature27%of the land within 5 km
99out of 100
Woodland1.6%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
28out of 100
The sea47%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
Bearna has the 20th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (2,336 to 3,141 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Ballybrack (8.6 km per km²) to Sixmilebridge (0 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Bearna0.7
Towns its size0.7
Co. Galway towns2.1
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Bearna10.3
Towns its size4.1
Co. Galway towns5.5
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Bearna45%
Towns its size83%
Co. Galway towns80%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Bearna stands out most for park space per resident: only 8 of the other 39 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 37 of the others do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ballybrack Dublin | 8.6 | 8% | 0.2% | 36% |
| 2 | Sunday's Well Cork | 7.3 | 2.7% | 0.4% | – |
| 3 | Blackpool Cork | 6.6 | 3% | 1.4% | – |
| 4 | Carna Dublin | 5.4 | 1.7% | 0% | – |
| 5 | Taylor's Hill Galway | 5.1 | 1.2% | 15% | 37% |
| 6 | Togher Cork | 5 | 1.5% | 0.5% | – |
| 7 | Decies Dublin | 4.8 | 7.2% | 0% | – |
| 8 | Mayfield Cork | 4.7 | 5.3% | 3.3% | – |
| 9 | Kylemore Dublin | 4 | 3% | 0% | – |
| 10 | Edenmore Dublin | 2.8 | 3.6% | 5.9% | 24% |
| 11 | Ballynanty Limerick | 2.5 | 5.7% | 12% | – |
| 12 | Claddagh Galway | 2.4 | 0.2% | 17% | 46% |
| 13 | Murrough Galway | 2.3 | 5.1% | 10% | 26% |
| 14 | Grange Upper Waterford | 1.4 | 1.5% | 6.6% | – |
| 15 | Blarney Cork | 1.4 | 14% | 0% | – |
| 16 | Kilbarry Waterford | 1.3 | 1.6% | 5.1% | – |
| 17 | Bantry Cork | 1 | 4.4% | 0% | 18% |
| 18 | Ballina Tipperary | 0.9 | 1.8% | 4.7% | – |
| 19 | Moate Westmeath | 0.7 | 2.4% | 2.4% | – |
| 20 | Bearna Galway | 0.7 | 1.6% | 27% | 47% |
| 21 | Callan Kilkenny | 0.7 | 0.1% | 2.3% | – |
| 22 | Kingscourt Cavan | 0.7 | 12% | 0% | – |
| 23 | Kenmare Kerry | 0.6 | 7.2% | 6.5% | 6.4% |
| 24 | Athboy Meath | 0.6 | 1.1% | 1.5% | – |
| 25 | Bundoran Donegal | 0.5 | 2% | 5.1% | 35% |
| 26 | Muinebeag (Bagenalstown) Carlow | 0.5 | 3.9% | 2.9% | – |
| 27 | Skibbereen Cork | 0.5 | 1.7% | 1.6% | – |
| 28 | Kinnegad Westmeath | 0.3 | 4.5% | 4.5% | – |
| 29 | Donegal Donegal | 0.3 | 4% | 4.1% | 12% |
| 30 | Boyle Roscommon | 0.3 | 3.2% | 0% | – |
| 31 | Bailieborough Cavan | 0.3 | 10% | 0% | – |
| 32 | Castleisland Kerry | 0.3 | 1.7% | 12% | – |
| 33 | Kanturk Cork | 0.3 | 0% | 5.1% | – |
| 34 | Baltinglass Wicklow | 0.2 | 4.9% | 0.5% | – |
| 35 | Ballyhaunis Mayo | 0.2 | 2.8% | 3.4% | – |
| 36 | Kilrush Clare | 0.2 | 9.8% | 37% | – |
| 37 | Ballyjamesduff Cavan | 0.2 | 7.6% | 0% | – |
| 38 | Gort Galway | 0.2 | 4.3% | 24% | – |
| 39 | Carndonagh Donegal | 0.1 | 4.9% | 5.1% | 5.8% |
| 40 | Sixmilebridge Clare | 0 | 0.7% | 2% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Bearna’s 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 Bearna
The biggest is Cappagh Park, 13 ha (33 acres).
All 6 named parks and woods by size: 41 ha (101 acres) and 6 km of path
Parks & gardens 20 haWoods 21 ha
The two biggest, Cappagh Park and The North Wood, are 56% of the named green space and carry 5 km of path between them.
Hunters Park
Park or garden · 140 m outside town
6.8 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
1.9 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
The North Wood
Wood or forest
9.6 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
1.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Coillte Loch Roisín
Wood or forest · 390 m outside town
3.9 ha
2.2 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
The Wet Wood
Wood or forest · 180 m outside town
2.8 ha
1.8 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
4 in 10 Bearna 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 (45%)Further (55%)
Bearna45%
Co. Galway towns80%
Typical Irish town92%
About 1,300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
Protected sites cover 27% of the land within 5 km of Bearna
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 Bearna0.1%
Within 5 km27%
Co. Galway towns14%
Typical Irish town1.8%
3 protected sites lie within 5 km of Bearna. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 1.8% 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.
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
Burren 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
Burren National Park
20 km south-east21 km²
National Park
Connemara National Park
51 km north-west21 km²
National Park
Wild Nephin National Park
82 km north171 km²
3 of Ireland’s six National Parks are within 100 km of Bearna.
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
14 km of footpaths cross Bearna
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
14 km
over 18.9 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
1.6%
about 0.3 km² of mapped woods
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
BearnaCo. Galway townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths0.7
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
BearnaCo. Galway townsTypical Irish town
Woodland1.6%
0%50%100%
Bearna has less footpath per km² than 79% of Irish towns and less woodland than 72% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Bearna
14 km of footpaths are mapped in Bearna and the kilometre around it, 0.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
One more waymarked walk on OpenStreetMap
Local
Slí na Sláinte0.7 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 Bearna: 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 | 16.9 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 132 | 109 | 99 | 74 | 79 | 84 | 100 | 118 | 107 | 128 | 144 | 151 |
April is the driest month (74 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 151 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. The climate in Bearna →
The coast
The coast and bathing waters near Bearna
47% of the area within 5 km of Bearna is sea. 4 bathing waters are within 5 km, each with its latest class.
Silverstrand BeachExcellent (2025) · 0.2 km from town
beaches.ieSalthill BeachExcellent (2025) · 2.4 km from town
beaches.ieTrá na bhForbacha, Na ForbachaGood (2025) · 2.8 km from town
beaches.ieGrattan Road BeachSufficient (2025) · 4.2 km from town
beaches.ie2 of the 4 are rated excellent, Silverstrand 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
6 viewpoints and 7 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.
6Viewpoints70.3× the typical Irish town, per resident1Nature reserves6Picnic sites7Playgrounds2.3× the typical Irish town, per resident1Slipways
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: Bearna has 70.3× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Nature reserves 1
Hen Harrier Reserve2.4 ha · in town
DirectionsPicnic sites 6
Plus 6 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 7
McGraths Field Playground1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 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 Bearna
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Circle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative GardenGarden · 2.9 km from town
Its pageEyre SquareGarden · 5.8 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Bearna
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
KnocknacarraSalthillTaylor's HillRahoonNewcastleDanganBearna
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearna | 45% | 10.3 | 0.7 | 27% |
| Knocknacarra 3.5 km | 68% | 2.6 | 1.6 | 32% |
| Salthill 5.3 km | 100% | 3.8 | 3.3 | 15% |
| Taylor's Hill 5.6 km | 100% | 9.1 | 5.1 | 15% |
| Rahoon 5.7 km | 53% | 5.5 | 2.3 | 27% |
| Newcastle 6.4 km | 100% | 14.4 | 5.4 | 15% |
| Dangan 6.4 km | 81% | 5.4 | 4.3 | 18% |
In Salthill, 100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park, more than here.
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 Bearna
What is the biggest park in Bearna?
Cappagh Park, 13 ha (33 acres), just outside the built-up area. Hunters Park (6.8 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Bearna?
Yes: 27% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 3 sites. Galway Bay Complex SAC reaches Bearna.
Where can you swim near Bearna?
The nearest bathing water is Silverstrand Beach, 0.2 km from town: Excellent (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in Bearna live near a park?
45% 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 Bearna?
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 Bearna near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Burren National Park, 20 km south-east of the town’s edge; it covers about 21 km². 2 more are within 100 km.
What is there to do outdoors around Bearna?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 6 viewpoints, 1 nature reserve and 6 picnic sites; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Bearna’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).