Buckingham’s biggest
Chandos Park
Playing field
3.2 ha (8 acres)0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Buckingham
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Des Blenkinsopp · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Buckingham · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Buckingham lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
96% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Parks and playing fields in Buckingham add up to 3.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 59 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.3 for every square kilometre. Buckingham grades B+ for the outdoors: #18 of 39 in Buckinghamshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
96%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
59 km
3.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Chilterns National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Buckingham?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep96% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Room to roam3.4 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 75% of UK towns.
Buckingham’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by plenty of park space.
Outdoors grade
Buckingham grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Buckingham, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
B+
Better than 71% of UK towns#18 of 39 in Buckinghamshire · 24th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space3.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
76out of
100
100
A park within a walk96%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
76out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths3.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
68out 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
Buckingham is 24th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 13,600 to 15,000 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
Buckingham3.3
Towns its size3.4
Buckinghamshire towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Buckingham3.4
Towns its size2.4
Buckinghamshire towns2.4
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Buckingham96%
Towns its size81%
Buckinghamshire towns74%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Buckingham stands out most for park space per resident: only 19 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lymington Hampshire | A+ | 2.8 | 89% | 3.3 | 56% |
| 2 | Hythe Kent | A+ | 3.7 | 76% | 4 | 31% |
| 3 | Otley West Yorkshire | A+ | 5.8 | 93% | 4.4 | 26% |
| 4 | Tadley Hampshire | A+ | 11.4 | 96% | 4.2 | 9% |
| 5 | Llandudno Clwyd | A+ | 2.1 | 83% | 4.9 | 3% |
| 6 | Kesgrave Suffolk | A | 3.3 | 97% | 4.7 | 14% |
| 7 | Yeadon West Yorkshire | A | 3.5 | 94% | 4.6 | 2% |
| 8 | Cheadle Greater Manchester | A | 6.5 | 96% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 9 | Penzance Cornwall | A | 1.6 | 96% | 2.3 | 34% |
| 10 | Abergavenny Gwent | A | 3.2 | 83% | 3.1 | 60% |
| 11 | Wellington Somerset | A | 2.2 | 99% | 3.5 | 24% |
| 12 | Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint West Sussex | A− | 1.9 | 84% | 4.7 | 42% |
| 13 | Yateley Hampshire | A− | 14.9 | 85% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 14 | Addlestone Surrey | A− | 4.3 | 90% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 15 | Honley West Yorkshire | A− | 2.1 | 87% | 5.1 | 8% |
| 16 | Blaydon Tyne and Wear | A− | 7.9 | 88% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 17 | Tredegar Gwent | A− | 6.9 | 78% | 2.8 | 20% |
| 18 | Thornbury Gloucestershire | A− | 2.5 | 97% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Chertsey Surrey | A− | 6.2 | 84% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 20 | Birstall Leicestershire | A− | 6 | 80% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Tewkesbury Gloucestershire | B+ | 2.2 | 84% | 4 | 6% |
| 22 | Ilkley West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.6 | 76% | 5.7 | 37% |
| 23 | Verwood Dorset | B+ | 5.7 | 41% | 3.9 | 13% |
| 24 | Buckingham Buckinghamshire | B+ | 3.4 | 96% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 25 | Marlow Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.9 | 73% | 4 | 39% |
| 26 | Ashtead Surrey | B+ | 2.7 | 62% | 4.3 | 13% |
| 27 | Armthorpe South Yorkshire | B+ | 6.4 | 92% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 28 | Humberston and New Waltham Lincolnshire | B+ | 4.1 | 44% | 2.2 | 1% |
| 29 | Tilbury Essex | B | 1.4 | 98% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 30 | Morpeth Northumberland | B | 3.7 | 80% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 31 | Gomersal and Birkenshaw West Yorkshire | B | 3.2 | 83% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 32 | Blaby and Whetstone Leicestershire | B | 3 | 79% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire | B− | 4.9 | 78% | 1.8 | 6% |
| 34 | Newport Shropshire | B− | 3.3 | 95% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 35 | Chard Somerset | B− | 1.6 | 94% | 1.9 | 34% |
| 36 | Hawarden Clwyd | B− | 3.7 | 81% | 3 | 0% |
| 37 | Gorseinon West Glamorgan | B− | 3.7 | 83% | 1.3 | 2% |
| 38 | Midsomer Norton Somerset | B− | 1.9 | 90% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 39 | Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe Leicestershire | B− | 3.4 | 73% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 40 | Davenham Cheshire | B− | 1.3 | 88% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Aberystwyth Dyfed | B− | 1.8 | 51% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 42 | Cowes Isle of Wight | C+ | 1.1 | 50% | 2.2 | 15% |
| 43 | Herne Kent | C+ | 1.2 | 54% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 44 | Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire | C+ | 1.9 | 57% | 2.6 | 31% |
| 45 | Byfleet Surrey | C+ | 3.1 | 59% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Dunscroft and Hatfield South Yorkshire | C+ | 4 | 91% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Kidlington Oxfordshire | C+ | 0.9 | 81% | 3 | 2% |
| 48 | Milford Haven Dyfed | C | 0.8 | 70% | 0.9 | 30% |
| 49 | Birtley Tyne and Wear | C | 1.4 | 71% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Flitwick Bedfordshire | C | 0.8 | 59% | 3.9 | 3% |
| 51 | Swallownest and Aston South Yorkshire | C− | 1.2 | 73% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Pyle Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1 | 78% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Uttoxeter Staffordshire | C− | 1.1 | 79% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 54 | Cottingham East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 2.1 | 73% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 55 | Middlewich Cheshire | D | 1.4 | 81% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Halstead Essex | D | 0.6 | 73% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 57 | New Rossington and Rossington South Yorkshire | D | 0.8 | 50% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Whittlesey Cambridgeshire | D | 1.7 | 73% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Shepshed Leicestershire | D | 1.1 | 69% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 60 | Church Village Mid Glamorgan | D | 0.7 | 72% | 1.7 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Buckingham’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 Buckingham
The biggest is Chandos Park, 3.2 ha (8 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Maids Moreton Playing Fields
Playing field
2.9 ha (7 acres)0.4 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.7 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Stratford Fields
Playing field
1.5 ha (4 acres)
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Buckingham
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Buckingham’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 (96%)Further (4%)
Buckingham96%
Towns its size81%
Buckinghamshire towns74%
All UK towns83%
About 600 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 17 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 841 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Chilterns National Landscape is 17 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
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Buckingham
59 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Buckingham and the kilometre around it, 3.3 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Regional
Bernwood Jubilee Way10.5 km
Ouse Valley Way 1 (Syresham to Turvey)7.2 km
2 regional routes pass through, including the Bernwood Jubilee Way and Ouse Valley Way 1 (Syresham to Turvey).
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 Buckingham: 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) | 8.2 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.7 | 16.7 | 16.3 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 62 | 48 | 45 | 49 | 59 | 54 | 51 | 63 | 54 | 72 | 70 | 68 |
March is the driest month (45 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 72 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 51 nights a year. The climate in Buckingham →
Things to do
17 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
Buckingham is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Beach19 mi from Buckingham’s edge
DirectionsThe Leys Park25 mi from Buckingham’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
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 17
Bourton Park Senior Play Areain town
DirectionsMoreton Road Playgroundin town
DirectionsRichard Roper Playing Fields0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 14 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.
Steeple ClaydonGreat HorwoodDeanshangerWinslowCalvertSilverstoneBuckingham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckingham | B+ | 3.4 | 96% | 0% |
| Steeple Claydon 4.2 mi | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 0% |
| Great Horwood 4.8 mi | D− | 0.8 | 0% | 0% |
| Deanshanger 5.5 mi | C | 1.5 | 93% | 0% |
| Winslow 5.5 mi | D− | 1.4 | 59% | 0% |
| Calvert 5.9 mi | B | 3.3 | 100% | 0% |
| Silverstone 6.6 mi | D | 1.1 | 0% | 0% |
Buckingham grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Buckingham
What is the biggest park in Buckingham?
Chandos Park, 3.2 ha (8 acres), with 0.5 km of path. Maids Moreton Playing Fields (2.9 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Buckingham near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Chilterns National Landscape, 17 mi south-east of the town’s edge. It covers 838 km² and was designated in 1990.
What are the best walks near Buckingham?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Bernwood Jubilee Way and Ouse Valley Way 1 (Syresham to Turvey).
What is the nearest beach to Buckingham?
The Beach, 19 mi from the edge of the town, then The Leys Park (25 mi). Buckingham itself is inland.
How many people in Buckingham live near a park?
96% 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 Buckingham?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Buckingham good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 68% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 76% (3.4 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 Buckingham’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Buckingham’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.