Photo: Marathon · CC BY-SA 2.0The Western Way - Mayo runs through Westport
7 waymarked trails start within 5 km of Westport, among them the Western Way - Mayo and Great Western Greenway. Wild Nephin National Park begins 17 km away. Footpaths add up to 36 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 1.2 for every square kilometre.
What kind of outdoors town is Westport?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Westport’s strongest suit is the Western Way - Mayo, followed by Wild Nephin National Park close by.
How Westport 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.
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.
Westport has the 11th fewest footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (5,857 to 7,941 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From O'Connell Street (8.1 km per km²) to Roscommon (0.2 km per km²).
Westport falls furthest behind on path per km², where 29 of the 39 others do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | O'Connell Street Dublin | 8.1 | 0.6% | 0.1% | 7% |
| 2 | Temple Bar Dublin | 7.9 | 1.1% | 0.1% | 6.2% |
| 3 | Christchurch Dublin | 7.8 | 0.7% | 0.1% | – |
| 4 | Gillabbey Cork | 7.1 | 2.6% | 0.5% | – |
| 5 | South Gate Cork | 6.8 | 1% | 1.3% | – |
| 6 | Glasheen Cork | 6.4 | 2.3% | 0.5% | – |
| 7 | Castleknock Dublin | 6.2 | 9.1% | 0% | – |
| 8 | The Glen Cork | 5.7 | 4% | 1.8% | – |
| 9 | Dubber Dublin | 5.7 | 2.1% | 0% | – |
| 10 | Turner's Cross Cork | 5.3 | 2.5% | 1.3% | – |
| 11 | Clongriffin Dublin | 5 | 0.2% | 6.6% | 31% |
| 12 | Santry Dublin | 4.4 | 2.8% | 0% | – |
| 13 | Ayrfield Dublin | 3.8 | 1.8% | 5.3% | 19% |
| 14 | Baldoyle Dublin | 3.7 | 0.3% | 11% | 40% |
| 15 | Perrystown Dublin | 3.6 | 1.8% | 0% | – |
| 16 | Eyre Square Galway | 3.4 | 1.2% | 14% | 36% |
| 17 | Marino Dublin | 3.3 | 2% | 2.8% | 10% |
| 18 | Farranshone Limerick | 2.8 | 1.5% | 11% | – |
| 19 | Walkinstown Dublin | 2.8 | 0.3% | 0% | – |
| 20 | Dock Limerick | 2.5 | 1.3% | 12% | – |
| 21 | Kinsealy-Drinan Dublin | 2.3 | 1.8% | 1.1% | 8.3% |
| 22 | Dunboyne Meath | 2.2 | 2.5% | 0.4% | – |
| 23 | Frankfield and Grange Cork | 2.1 | 4.3% | 2.1% | – |
| 24 | Lisduggan Waterford | 1.8 | 0% | 5.8% | – |
| 25 | Sallins Kildare | 1.6 | 0.8% | 0% | – |
| 26 | Dunshaughlin Meath | 1.5 | 0.4% | 0% | – |
| 27 | Monaghan Monaghan | 1.3 | 8.7% | 0% | – |
| 28 | Kells Meath | 1.3 | 6.3% | 1.1% | – |
| 29 | Caherdavin Limerick | 1.2 | 3.4% | 12% | – |
| 30 | Westport Mayo | 1.2 | 7.1% | 3.3% | 10% |
| 31 | Passage West-Monkstown Cork | 1.2 | 3.5% | 10% | 12% |
| 32 | Ballytruckle Waterford | 1 | 1.2% | 5.1% | – |
| 33 | Kinsale Cork | 0.9 | 1.3% | 0% | 21% |
| 34 | Fermoy Cork | 0.8 | 6.3% | 4.8% | – |
| 35 | Newcastle West Limerick | 0.5 | 1.5% | 7% | – |
| 36 | Edenderry Offaly | 0.4 | 7% | 1.7% | – |
| 37 | Loughrea Galway | 0.4 | 1.7% | 4.7% | – |
| 38 | Ballinasloe Galway | 0.3 | 3.7% | 9.6% | – |
| 39 | Buncrana Donegal | 0.3 | 3.3% | 12% | 23% |
| 40 | Roscommon Roscommon | 0.2 | 2.3% | 3.9% | – |
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Westport’s urban area.
Parks to walk in, in and around Westport
The biggest is Clew Bay Park, 1.4 ha (3 acres).
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.
7 in 10 Westport 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).
About 1,700 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
3.3% of the land around Westport 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.
3 protected sites lie within 5 km of Westport. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 4.5% 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.
Wild Nephin National Park is 17 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.
Wild Nephin National Park
Connemara National Park
Burren National Park
3 of Ireland’s six National Parks are within 100 km of Westport.
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).
36 km of footpaths cross Westport
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+.
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Westport has less footpath per km² than 63% of Irish towns and more woodland than 86% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
7 waymarked trails start near Westport
36 km of footpaths are mapped in Westport and the kilometre around it, 1.2 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
The Western Way - Mayo (130 km end to end) passes through Westport. 5 cycling or paddling trails also start within 5 km.
One more waymarked walk on OpenStreetMap
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.
4 historic parks, gardens and demesnes on the record in Westport
Parks, gardens, walled gardens and demesne walls in the town on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, each with its record.
The oldest dated is Westport House, from 1730.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (CC BY 4.0).
The best walking months in Westport: 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 | 17.1 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 161 | 131 | 110 | 89 | 86 | 85 | 90 | 110 | 113 | 143 | 166 | 172 |
June is the driest month (85 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 18 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.4 hours of daylight in December, and 172 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. The climate in Westport →
Westport is near the sea
10% of the area within 5 km of Westport is sea.
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
1 viewpoint and 1 hill or peak
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 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 9
Plus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
A garden or nature site to visit near Westport
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Places to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next to Westport
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
| Town | Near a park | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Paths (km/km²) | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westport | 75% | 2.6 | 1.2 | 3.3% |
| Castlebar 16 km | 95% | 2.6 | 1.0 | 2.3% |
In Castlebar, 95% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park, more than here.
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 Westport
What is the biggest park in Westport?
Clew Bay Park, 1.4 ha (3 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Westport?
Yes: 3.3% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 3 sites. Clew Bay Complex SAC reaches Westport.
What are the best walks near Westport?
7 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the Western Way - Mayo, Great Western Greenway and Westport Greenway.
How many people in Westport live near a park?
75% 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 Westport?
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 Westport near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wild Nephin National Park, 17 km north of the town’s edge; it covers about 171 km². 2 more are within 100 km.
What is there to do outdoors around Westport?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 1 viewpoint, 1 hill or peak and 1 picnic site; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Which parks in Westport are historic?
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records 4 historic parks, gardens and demesnes in the town, among them Westport House, Westport House and Westport House.
Where Westport’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).