First pick
Union Rock
Wood or forest · 390 m outside town
331 ha12.3 km of path
2 h 45 minto walk all 12.3 km of path
2.5 km northfrom the centre
Frenchman DownUnion Rock Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Anne Burgess · CC BY-SA 2.084%near a park
Outdoors in Collooney · parks, paths & countryside
The Sligo Way runs through Collooney
4 waymarked trails start within 5 km of Collooney, among them the Sligo Way and Union Wood - Oakwood Trail. Footpaths add up to 6 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 0.6 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Collooney add up to 2.0 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical Irish town has 4.1.
Near a park
84%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
2.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
6 km
0.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
8.9%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Unshin River SAC
Woodland
9.7%
of the town and 1 km around it
Typical Irish town: 2.7%
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Collooney?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On a long-distance trailThe Sligo Way passes through.Protected land nearbyUnshin River SAC reaches the edge of Collooney.Few mapped footpaths0.6 km of path per km²; the typical Irish town has 2.1.
Collooney’s strongest suit is the Sligo Way, followed by protected land close by. Where it falls short is footpaths.
Against other towns
How Collooney 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 walk84%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
37out of 100
Public green space2.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
24out of 100
Footpaths0.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
17out of 100
Protected for nature8.9%of the land within 5 km
86out of 100
Woodland9.7%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
93out 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
Collooney has the 17th fewest footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (1,797 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
Collooney0.6
Towns its size0.7
Co. Sligo towns1.2
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Collooney2.0
Towns its size3.8
Co. Sligo towns4.2
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Collooney84%
Towns its size85%
Co. Sligo towns98%
Typical Irish town92%
Collooney falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 30 of the 39 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 | Callan Kilkenny | 0.7 | 0.1% | 2.3% | – |
| 21 | Kingscourt Cavan | 0.7 | 12% | 0% | – |
| 22 | Kenmare Kerry | 0.6 | 7.2% | 6.5% | 6.4% |
| 23 | Athboy Meath | 0.6 | 1.1% | 1.5% | – |
| 24 | Collooney Sligo | 0.6 | 9.7% | 8.9% | – |
| 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 Collooney’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 Collooney
The biggest is Union Rock, 331 ha (819 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.
Close to home
8 in 10 Collooney 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 (84%)Further (16%)
Collooney84%
Co. Sligo towns98%
Typical Irish town92%
About 300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
8.9% of the land around Collooney 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 Collooney3.9%
Within 5 km8.9%
Co. Sligo towns9.5%
Typical Irish town1.8%
5 protected sites lie within 5 km of Collooney. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 5.1% 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.
Unshin River SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 8.9 km² · reaches Collooney
NPWS pageUnion Wood SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 0.6 km² · 0.8 km from the edge
NPWS pageSlieveward Bog NHANatural Heritage Area · 3.2 km² · 0.9 km from the edge
NPWS pageBallysadare Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 21 km² · 3.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageBallysadare Bay SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 21 km² · 3.5 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
Wild Nephin National Park is 61 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
Wild Nephin National Park
61 km west171 km²
National Park
Glenveagh National Park
82 km north155 km²
2 of Ireland’s six National Parks are within 100 km of Collooney.
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
6 km of footpaths cross Collooney
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
6.1 km
over 10.2 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
9.7%
about 1 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
4
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
CollooneyCo. Sligo townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths0.6
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
CollooneyCo. Sligo townsTypical Irish town
Woodland9.7%
0%50%100%
Collooney has less footpath per km² than 83% of Irish towns and more woodland than 93% 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 Collooney
6 km of footpaths are mapped in Collooney and the kilometre around it, 0.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Long-distance wayWalking trail
Sligo Way78.5 km
Union Wood - Oakwood Trail5.1 km
Union Wood - Union Rock Trail3.0 km
Union Wood - Mountain Access Route3.0 km
The Sligo Way (79 km end to end) passes through Collooney. For a shorter walk, the Union Wood - Oakwood Trail is 5.1 km, graded easy. One cycling or paddling trail also starts within 5 km.
2 more waymarked walks on OpenStreetMap
Local
Oakwood Trail2.5 km
Union Rock Trail1.1 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 Collooney: 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) | 7.9 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 14.0 | 16.0 | 17.1 | 16.7 | 14.9 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 135 | 104 | 95 | 80 | 82 | 87 | 102 | 107 | 99 | 125 | 139 | 141 |
April is the driest month (80 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.4 hours of daylight in December, and 141 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. The climate in Collooney →
Things to do
1 hill or peak and 2 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.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 1
Bunreecoill1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 2
Plus 2 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Next door
Next to Collooney
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
BallysadareCoolaneySligoBallymoteStrandhillCollooney
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collooney | 84% | 2.0 | 0.6 | 8.9% |
| Ballysadare 3.6 km | 81% | 0.5 | 0.3 | 11% |
| Coolaney 7.3 km | 54% | 1.8 | 0.1 | 4% |
| Sligo 9.9 km | 98% | 4.2 | 1.2 | 9.5% |
| Ballymote 11 km | 85% | 4.0 | 0.3 | 4.1% |
| Strandhill 12 km | 100% | 2.1 | 0.8 | 11% |
In Strandhill, 100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park, more than here. Sligo has at least twice Collooney’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 Collooney
What is the biggest park in Collooney?
Fairgreen, 0.1 ha (0 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Collooney?
Yes: 8.9% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 5 sites. Unshin River SAC reaches Collooney.
What are the best walks near Collooney?
4 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the Sligo Way, Union Wood - Oakwood Trail and Union Wood - Union Rock Trail.
How many people in Collooney live near a park?
84% 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 Collooney?
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 Collooney near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wild Nephin National Park, 61 km west of the town’s edge; it covers about 171 km². One more is within 100 km.
What is there to do outdoors around Collooney?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 1 hill or peak; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Collooney’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
- 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).