Mortimer’s biggest
The Alfred Palmer Memorial Recreation Field
Playing field
2.4 ha (6 acres)
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Mortimer
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Mr Ignavy · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Mortimer · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Mortimer lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
The North Wessex Downs National Landscape begins 3.0 mi from the town’s edge. 38 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 3.8 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Mortimer add up to 2.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Mortimer grades A for the outdoors: #4 of 30 in Berkshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
38 km
3.8 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
North Wessex Downs starts 3.0 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Mortimer?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.A town of footpaths3.8 km of path per km², more than 77% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Countryside close byThe North Wessex Downs National Landscape starts 3.0 mi north-west.
Mortimer’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by dense footpaths.
Outdoors grade
Mortimer grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Mortimer, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
A
Better than 87% of UK towns#4 of 30 in Berkshire · 9th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
57out of
100
100
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
89out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · North Wessex Downs begins just past 5 km
62out of
100
100
Footpaths3.8 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
78out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland
42out of
100
100
Graded, never part of the overall grade (like History and Civic life). It measures what is mapped: OS Open Greenspace leaves out woodland and open-access land that isn’t a park, and OpenStreetMap’s rural paths are more complete in some places than others.
Towns its size
Mortimer is 9th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,800 to 3,100 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Outdoors score: the share of UK towns each one beats
Footpath, km per km²
Mortimer3.8
Towns its size2.3
Berkshire towns3.1
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Mortimer2.4
Towns its size2.2
Berkshire towns2.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Mortimer100%
Towns its size88%
Berkshire towns81%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Mortimer stands out most for path per km²: only 11 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rowlands Castle Hampshire | A+ | 26.1 | 100% | 5 | 48% |
| 2 | Halling Kent | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 4.6 | 54% |
| 3 | Rudloe Wiltshire | A+ | 7.3 | 91% | 4 | 45% |
| 4 | Beaminster Dorset | A | 4.1 | 89% | 3.4 | 100% |
| 5 | Ebbsfleet Valley Kent | A | 9 | 77% | 8.3 | 0% |
| 6 | Downton Wiltshire | A | 4.3 | 100% | 2 | 59% |
| 7 | Langwith Derbyshire | A | 19.6 | 100% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 8 | Ellistown Leicestershire | A | 7.5 | 100% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 9 | Mortimer Berkshire | A | 2.4 | 100% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 10 | Stoke Mandeville Buckinghamshire | A− | 5.5 | 37% | 6.8 | 29% |
| 11 | Kingsclere Hampshire | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 2.5 | 50% |
| 12 | New Marske North Yorkshire | A− | 4.4 | 90% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 13 | Wargrave Berkshire | A− | 4 | 100% | 2 | 11% |
| 14 | Threemilestone Cornwall | A− | 3.1 | 100% | 2.6 | 1% |
| 15 | Knighton Powys | A− | 2.7 | 81% | 3.4 | 34% |
| 16 | East Saltdean East Sussex | A− | 1.6 | 0% | 4.9 | 44% |
| 17 | Seaton Sluice Northumberland | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 18 | Rhodes Greater Manchester | B+ | 16.6 | 78% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 19 | Milton-under-Wychwood and Shipton-under-Wychwood Oxfordshire | B+ | 4.1 | 87% | 1.3 | 100% |
| 20 | Welham Green Hertfordshire | B+ | 2.5 | 93% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 21 | Almondsbury Gloucestershire | B+ | 7.9 | 77% | 4 | 0% |
| 22 | South Hetton County Durham | B+ | 3.4 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 23 | Wing Buckinghamshire | B | 2.4 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 24 | Camelford Cornwall | B | 2 | 100% | 1.5 | 33% |
| 25 | Barlborough Derbyshire | B | 4.4 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 26 | Newport Essex | B | 2.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 27 | Rockwell Green Somerset | B | 1 | 90% | 3.2 | 24% |
| 28 | Denholme West Yorkshire | B | 1.6 | 100% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 29 | Scholes (near Cleckheaton) West Yorkshire | B | 4 | 89% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 30 | Aston Clwyd | B− | 4.4 | 37% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 31 | Long Hanborough Oxfordshire | B− | 1.3 | 89% | 2.7 | 18% |
| 32 | Henley-in-Arden Warwickshire | C+ | 4.6 | 58% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Over Cambridgeshire | C+ | 1.3 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 34 | Capel St Mary Suffolk | C+ | 1.5 | 59% | 3 | 24% |
| 35 | Rolleston on Dove Staffordshire | C+ | 3.8 | 84% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 36 | Alderholt Dorset | C | 1.9 | 43% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 37 | Hendy and Fforest Dyfed | C | 2.1 | 100% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 38 | Collingham Nottinghamshire | C | 2.4 | 78% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 39 | Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll Gwynedd | C | 0.8 | 71% | 1.6 | 8% |
| 40 | Barrow upon Humber Lincolnshire | C | 1.5 | 88% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 41 | Trimdon County Durham | C | 1 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 42 | East Goscote Leicestershire | C | 2.9 | 75% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 43 | Corbridge Northumberland | C | 2.2 | 79% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 44 | Fenstanton Cambridgeshire | C− | 0.8 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 45 | Maerdy Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1.1 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Great Leighs Essex | C− | 1.5 | 87% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 47 | Burnopfield County Durham | C− | 1.5 | 50% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 48 | Weedon Bec Northamptonshire | C− | 1.1 | 87% | 2 | 0% |
| 49 | St Mary's Bay Kent | D | 0 | 0% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 50 | Cleobury Mortimer Shropshire | D | 0.8 | 64% | 2 | 2% |
| 51 | Kelsall Cheshire | D | 1 | 57% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 52 | Gamlingay Cambridgeshire | D | 2.1 | 32% | 2 | 0% |
| 53 | Scotter Lincolnshire | D | 2.6 | 61% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 54 | Gilberdyke East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 0.7 | 90% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 55 | Thurston Suffolk | D | 1.6 | 39% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 56 | Pevensey Bay East Sussex | D | 0.5 | 0% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 57 | Bampton Oxfordshire | D | 1.1 | 63% | 2 | 0% |
| 58 | Hunmanby North Yorkshire | D | 0.3 | 33% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 59 | Langstone Gwent | D− | 0.1 | 46% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 60 | Feltwell Norfolk | D− | 1.1 | 63% | 0.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Mortimer’s built-up area.
Green space: parks, gardens, playing fields and play spaces, named or not.© OpenStreetMap contributors · Contains OS data © Crown copyright · Natural England / NRW
Places to walk
Parks to walk in, in and around Mortimer
The biggest is The Alfred Palmer Memorial Recreation Field, 2.4 ha (6 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
How close Mortimer’s homes are to a park
Each square is 1 in 100 residents: green lives within 400 m of a public park, garden or playing field (Census 2021 output areas against OS Open Greenspace).
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Mortimer100%
Towns its size88%
Berkshire towns81%
All UK towns83%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 7 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 419 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is 3.0 mi away
Protected landscapes within 30 km, by direction and distance from the edge of the built-up area; circle size shows each one’s area. National Landscapes were called Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty until 2023.
National ParkNational LandscapeThe 5 km the grade counts
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Mortimer scores 0% on it even though the North Wessex Downs National Landscape is 3.0 mi away. South Downs National Park covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
4 waymarked walks pass through or near Mortimer
38 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Mortimer and the kilometre around it, 3.8 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalOther waymarked
The Roman Way8.2 km
St James' Way6.8 km
Silchester Trail2.2 km
The Brenda Parker Way1.7 km
3 regional routes pass through, including the The Roman Way, St James' Way and The Brenda Parker Way.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
When to get out
The best walking months in Mortimer: May to September
The town’s 1991–2020 averages (Met Office HadUK-Grid) and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15 °C or more and little rain for the town.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 75 | 50 | 46 | 53 | 47 | 48 | 52 | 58 | 54 | 76 | 82 | 73 |
March is the driest month (46 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 82 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 48 nights a year. The climate in Mortimer →
Things to do
7 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
Mapped within 2 km of the town in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK town its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
The nearest beaches
Mortimer is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Penguin Beach16 mi from Mortimer’s edge
DirectionsAmity Beach23 mi from Mortimer’s edge
DirectionsGood to know
Check the water before you swim. The Environment Agency tests designated bathing waters from May to September and publishes a rating for each beach.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Fox Hill0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 7
Plus 7 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Next door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
Burghfield CommonBramleyTadleyThealeSherfield on LoddonSpencers Wood and Three Mile CrossMortimer
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortimer | A | 2.4 | 100% | 0% |
| Burghfield Common 1.6 mi | A− | 2.1 | 100% | 8% |
| Bramley 3.4 mi | C+ | 2.8 | 100% | 0% |
| Tadley 3.6 mi | A+ | 11.4 | 96% | 9% |
| Theale 4.1 mi | A+ | 5.0 | 100% | 39% |
| Sherfield on Loddon 4.3 mi | A− | 8.3 | 100% | 0% |
| Spencers Wood and Three Mile Cross 4.5 mi | D | 0.7 | 78% | 0% |
Theale, 4.1 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Tadley, Theale and Sherfield on Loddon have at least twice Mortimer’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Mortimer
What is the biggest park in Mortimer?
The Alfred Palmer Memorial Recreation Field, 2.4 ha (6 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Mortimer near a National Park?
Yes. South Downs National Park begins 15 mi south-east of the town’s edge. It covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, 3.0 mi away.
What are the best walks near Mortimer?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the The Roman Way, St James' Way and Silchester Trail.
What is the nearest beach to Mortimer?
Penguin Beach, 16 mi from the edge of the town, then Amity Beach (23 mi). Mortimer itself is inland.
How many people in Mortimer live near a park?
100% of residents live within 400 m, about a 5-minute walk, of a public park, garden or playing field (Census 2021 output areas against OS Open Greenspace). The typical UK town is 83%.
When is the best time of year for walking in Mortimer?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Mortimer good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.8 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 78% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 57% (2.4 ha per 1,000 residents).
How is the Outdoors Grade worked out?
From five measures, each placed among UK towns of 1,000 or more: public green space per resident, the share living near a park, National Park or National Landscape within 5 km, footpaths per square kilometre, and the sea within 5 km. It is a character grade and isn’t part of Mortimer’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Mortimer’s outdoors figures come from
- Parks and green space: Ordnance Survey OS Open Greenspace (parks and gardens, playing fields, play spaces, and their access points). Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0.
- National Parks and National Landscapes: Natural England and Natural Resources Wales boundaries, areas and designation dates, Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Footpaths, walking routes, beaches and things to do: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License (ODbL), via Geofabrik, 16 October 2026.
- Historic parks, listed buildings and monuments: Historic England, National Heritage List for England, Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Rain and temperature: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 averages for the town; daylight calculated from its latitude.
- The sea: ONS Countries (December 2024) boundaries clipped to mean high water. Residents near a park: ONS Census 2021 output areas.
- Grade: TownRatings’ Outdoors Grade, ranked against UK towns only.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.