Five places to walk your dog in Cork city

Since the original lockdown started in March, more of us have discovered pretty parks and wonderful walkways within our 2km and 5km limits. If you’re weathering level 5 in Cork city, these are places I’ve enjoyed walking with my dog - and Milly seems to like them too.

Milly in the Glen

Glen River Park

The Glen

Pros: Far from the traffic of the North Ring Road, the only vehicles you and your madra are likely to meet here are slow-moving City Council vans.

Cons: Only one bin for the whole park and it’s near the entrance at the Blackpool end of the park, not by the bigger car park on Ballyhooley Road

Tramore Valley Park

South Link Road, Ballinlough

Pros: Lots of open space and lots of other dogs being walked for your pooch to say hello to, plus plenty of bins available along the way.

Cons: It’s not very well lit at night and closes early in winter, so not great for anyone who wants a post-work winddown walk.

Lee Fields and FitzGerald’s Park

Carrigrohane Road and Mardyke

Pros: Parks, rivers, scenery, and lots of spots to grab a cuppa on the go, plus there’s loads of space for you and your dog to run around and let off some steam. A good number of bins are available too.

Cons: The riverside walkway from the Shakey Bridge towards the Lee Fields is still closed to the public so you’ll have to take a detour on the Mardyke. In the Lee Fields, lighting is poor in parts and non-existant the further you travel away from the city.

The Marina and greenway

Blackrock

Pros: The Marina has been pedestrianised so there are few cars to contend with (local access only) plus between Guji coffee in the old Ford Factory, Cortado by the rowing club, and the Natural Foods Bakery at the pier in Blackrock, there are plenty of options to refuel or grab a takeaway to warm your hands. The Sunday market is always a delight to walk through too. Bins aplenty along the river.

Cons: It can get very busy on the weekend, especially around the pier, so maybe not ideal if you’re trying to avoid crowds, though there are usually fewer people walking on the parallel greenway than by the river.

The Lough

Cork city

Pros: It’s brilliantly easy to control the length of your walk here - ‘we did five loops of the Lough, the dog will sleep all night’. The Lough Cafe is serving takeaway teas and coffees at the moment and in normal times is a dog-friendly spot where you can take a break with your four-legged friend.

Cons: It’s a popular spot but the gatherings you need to worry about here are the feathered kind. Keep your pets away from the wildlife - we’ve all heard about what swans can do to dogs, we don’t want to see it happen.