Chester’s biggest
Countess of Chester Country Park
Park or garden
23 ha (58 acres)1.0 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
33 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Meirion · CC BY-SA 2.0COutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Chester · parks, paths & countryside
86% of Chester’s residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park
Parks and playing fields in Chester add up to 1.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 181 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 2.7 for every square kilometre. Chester grades C for the outdoors: #28 of 46 in Cheshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.6 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
86%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
181 km
2.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Chester?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On a National TrailThe Wales Coast Path passes through.Historic parks2 registered historic parks and gardens, including Eaton Hall.Less park per person1.6 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Chester’s strongest suit is the Wales Coast Path, followed by its historic parks. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Chester grades C for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Chester, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
C
Better than 30% of UK towns#28 of 46 in Cheshire
Public green space1.6 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
30out of
100
100
A park within a walk86%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
59out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths2.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
52out 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
How Chester compares with UK towns of 74,100 to 116,000
The 60 UK towns and cities of 74,100 to 116,000 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
Chester2.7
Towns its size4.0
Cheshire towns2.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Chester1.6
Towns its size2.4
Cheshire towns1.8
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Chester86%
Towns its size86%
Cheshire towns82%
All UK towns83%
Chester falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 52 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hastings East Sussex | A+ | 3.1 | 76% | 4.3 | 42% |
| 2 | Burnley Lancashire | A+ | 3.4 | 95% | 5.7 | 7% |
| 3 | Gillingham Kent | A | 1.6 | 86% | 5.3 | 23% |
| 4 | Ashford Kent | A | 2.7 | 94% | 5.2 | 23% |
| 5 | Guildford Surrey | A | 2.8 | 86% | 6.1 | 31% |
| 6 | Eastbourne East Sussex | A | 2 | 75% | 4.3 | 23% |
| 7 | Chatham Kent | A | 1.6 | 78% | 6.4 | 26% |
| 8 | Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire | A | 3 | 95% | 3.6 | 18% |
| 9 | Bath Somerset | A | 1.8 | 89% | 5.6 | 50% |
| 10 | Harlow Essex | A | 3.7 | 99% | 8.2 | 0% |
| 11 | Bracknell Berkshire | A | 3.7 | 97% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 12 | Weston-super-Mare Somerset | A− | 1.2 | 87% | 3.7 | 8% |
| 13 | Chesterfield Derbyshire | A− | 2.7 | 86% | 4.4 | 4% |
| 14 | Stevenage Hertfordshire | A− | 3 | 98% | 7.3 | 0% |
| 15 | Gateshead Tyne and Wear | A− | 3.3 | 95% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 16 | Basildon Essex | A− | 3 | 95% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 17 | Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire | A− | 5.2 | 94% | 4 | 0% |
| 18 | Aylesbury Buckinghamshire | A− | 1.8 | 88% | 9.5 | 5% |
| 19 | Carlisle Cumbria | A− | 3.2 | 91% | 3.1 | 4% |
| 20 | St Albans Hertfordshire | A− | 3.7 | 95% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 21 | Harrogate North Yorkshire | A− | 2.9 | 86% | 3.6 | 6% |
| 22 | Maidstone Kent | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 3.5 | 20% |
| 23 | Cheltenham Gloucestershire | A− | 1.4 | 87% | 4.5 | 44% |
| 24 | Redditch Worcestershire | A− | 4.1 | 84% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 25 | Worthing West Sussex | A− | 1.2 | 78% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 26 | Bedford Bedfordshire | B+ | 4.2 | 88% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 27 | Wakefield West Yorkshire | B+ | 3.9 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 28 | Oldham Greater Manchester | B+ | 1.7 | 87% | 5 | 0% |
| 29 | High Wycombe Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.6 | 68% | 5.4 | 67% |
| 30 | Birkenhead Merseyside | B+ | 3.1 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 31 | Salford Greater Manchester | B | 2 | 91% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 32 | Chelmsford Essex | B | 2.4 | 87% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 33 | Wythenshawe Greater Manchester | B | 2.5 | 84% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 34 | St Helens Merseyside | B | 3.4 | 91% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 35 | Preston Lancashire | B | 3 | 80% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Wallasey Merseyside | B | 1.9 | 90% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 37 | Wigan Greater Manchester | B | 2.7 | 81% | 4 | 0% |
| 38 | Hartlepool County Durham | B− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 39 | Nuneaton Warwickshire | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Rugby Warwickshire | B− | 2.8 | 92% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 41 | Tamworth Staffordshire | B− | 2.7 | 89% | 3 | 0% |
| 42 | West Bromwich West Midlands | B− | 2.7 | 83% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Grimsby Lincolnshire | B− | 1.3 | 75% | 2.4 | 3% |
| 44 | Halifax West Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 45 | Bury Greater Manchester | B− | 2.4 | 82% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Royal Sutton Coldfield West Midlands | B− | 6.1 | 64% | 3 | 0% |
| 47 | Lincoln Lincolnshire | B− | 2.5 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 48 | Rochdale Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 49 | Stockton-on-Tees County Durham | C+ | 2 | 83% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 50 | Woking Surrey | C+ | 1.7 | 67% | 6.5 | 0% |
| 51 | Shrewsbury Shropshire | C+ | 1.6 | 87% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Darlington County Durham | C+ | 2.2 | 87% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 53 | Worcester Worcestershire | C | 1.5 | 77% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Doncaster South Yorkshire | C | 1.8 | 72% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Solihull West Midlands | C | 2.9 | 54% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 56 | Scunthorpe Lincolnshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Chester Cheshire | C | 1.6 | 86% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Crewe Cheshire | C | 1.6 | 88% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 59 | Southport Merseyside | C− | 1.4 | 60% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 60 | Burton upon Trent Staffordshire | C− | 1.9 | 74% | 2.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Chester’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 Chester
The biggest is Countess of Chester Country Park, 23 ha (58 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 30 named parks by size: 87 ha (214 acres) and 15 km of path
Parks & gardens 76 haPlaying fields 9.4 haPlay spaces 1.6 ha
The two biggest, Countess of Chester Country Park and Westminster Park, are 48% of the named green space and carry 3 km of path between them. 21 of the 30 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Westminster Park
Park or garden
18 ha (45 acres)2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
25 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.1 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II*
Grosvenor Park
Park or garden
5.9 ha (15 acres)3.5 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.5 km of path
8 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Chester
Viewpoint St John's Church (ruined portions) monument +4 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Caldy Nature Park
Park or garden
9.0 ha (22 acres)1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
13 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.3 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Nature reserve
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Lime Wood Fields
Park or garden
6.1 ha (15 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
9 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.1 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Alexandra Park
Park or garden
2.8 ha (7 acres)1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Blacon Community Nature Park
Park or garden
3.0 ha (7 acres)0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.4 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Queens Road Community Park
Park or garden
2.5 ha (6 acres)0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.4 mi eastfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Countess of Chester Country ParkPark or garden · 23 ha · 1.0 km of path
DirectionsWestminster ParkPark or garden · 18 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsGrosvenor ParkPark or garden · 5.9 ha · 3.5 km of path
DirectionsCaldy Nature ParkPark or garden · 9.0 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsLime Wood FieldsPark or garden · 6.1 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsAlexandra ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsBlacon Community Nature ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsQueens Road Community ParkPark or garden · 2.5 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsCoronation Playing FieldPlaying field · 4.6 ha
DirectionsNarrow Community ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsWater Tower GardensPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsDicksons Drive FieldPlaying field · 1.6 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsThe CopPlaying field · 1.1 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsNorth Gate PondsPark or garden · 1.3 ha
DirectionsRoman GardensPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsBlacon Youth Village Play AreaPlaying field · 1.7 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsSandy Lane ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsSt Annes Playing FieldPlay space · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsKing Charles Tower GardenPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsCherry Grove Play AreaPlaying field · 0.4 ha
DirectionsRichmond House GardenPark or garden · 0.1 ha
DirectionsFrancis Street Play AreaPlay space · 0.1 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsLeadworks Lane ParkPark or garden · 0.1 ha
DirectionsBlacon Adventure PlaygroundPlay space · 0.7 ha
DirectionsHoole Lane Play AreaPlay space · 0.2 ha
DirectionsPark Avenue Play AreaPlay space · 0.2 ha
DirectionsOld Laundry CornerPark or garden · 0.1 ha
DirectionsSaxon Way Play AreaPlay space · 0.0 ha
DirectionsKings View Play AreaPlay space · 0.0 ha
DirectionsUpton Dene Play AreaPlay space · 0.0 ha
DirectionsClose to home
How close Chester’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 (86%)Further (14%)
Chester86%
Towns its size86%
Cheshire towns82%
All UK towns83%
About 13,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 92 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,008 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape is 9.3 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
National Landscape
Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley
9.3 mi west389 km²since 2011
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Chester is on the Wales Coast Path
181 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Chester and the kilometre around it, 2.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalRegionalLocalOther waymarked
Marches Way10.1 km
North Cheshire Way (Chester Spur)9.6 km
Longster Trail7.4 km
Two Saints Way6.9 km
Wales Coast Path (North Wales) main route5.6 km
Baker Way5.3 km
Wales Link Path4.8 km
North Cheshire Way3.3 km
Canalside Trail3.2 km
Longster Trail (alternative)1.4 km
The Wales Coast Path, a national route, passes Chester. Close to home, the Longster Trail has 7 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 3 regional routes pass through, including the North Cheshire Way (Chester Spur), Two Saints Way and North Cheshire Way.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
2 historic parks, and what stands in them
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Chester’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade II*
Grosvenor Park
5.9 ha. A registered historic park (Grade II*). 5 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge, including St John's Church (ruined portions) (a scheduled monument).
SMSt John's Church (ruined portions)IIArch from St Michaels ChurchIIMain Gateway, To Grosvenor Park Road, And Yard Gate PiersIIPark LodgeIIPark Wall and Gate Piers from Love Street North to Hobbys Well South
Registered · Grade II*Eaton Hall4.5 ha
Listed buildings insideRoman GardensBarnabys Tower, Part of City Wall from the Newgate to Barnabys Tower and Garden Wall to Number 14 and 2 more
Listed buildings insideWater Tower GardensBonewaldesthorne Tower and Spur Wall and Water Tower
Listed buildings insideKing Charles Tower GardenPart of City Wall from Phoenix Tower to Kaleyard Gate and Phoenix Tower
A listed building or monument counts when it sits inside the park’s OS Open Greenspace outline (to about 15 m), so a few at the boundary are included. Historic England, National Heritage List for England.
When to get out
The best walking months in Chester: 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) | 8.1 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.8 | 16.9 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.5 | 7.6 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 56 | 47 | 45 | 48 | 53 | 65 | 63 | 67 | 66 | 77 | 72 | 75 |
March is the driest month (45 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 77 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 37 nights a year. The climate in Chester →
Things to do
2 viewpoints, 92 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.
2Viewpoints1Hills and peaks3Nature reservesabout the same as towns its size27Picnic sites23.2× towns its size92Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size5Campsites5.8× towns its size1Slipways
The nearest beaches
Chester is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Tranmere Beach11 mi from Chester’s edge
DirectionsEast Hoyle Bank16 mi from Chester’s edge
DirectionsBrazil Bank17 mi from Chester’s edge
DirectionsCrosby Beach19 mi from Chester’s edge
DirectionsTaylor's Bank23 mi from Chester’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
Hills and peaks 1
Eccleston Hill0.3 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 3
Caldy Nature Park11 ha · in town
DirectionsDonkey Field Nature Reserve0.6 ha · in town
DirectionsSSSI1.0 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 92
Alma Street Play Areain town
DirectionsAppleyards Lane Play Areain town
DirectionsBlack Diamond Parkin town
DirectionsBlacon adventure playgroundin town
DirectionsCathedral Roads Play Areain town
DirectionsChesterton Court Play Areain town
DirectionsDicksons Field Play Areain town
DirectionsDryersfield Play Areain town
DirectionsPlus 84 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 5
Thornleigh Park Farm0.3 mi from town
DirectionsKings Acre0.7 mi from town
DirectionsChester Lakes1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Plus 1 slipway 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.
MostonChristleton and WavertonGuilden SuttonMickle TraffordSaughallBroughtonChester
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | C | 1.6 | 86% | 0% |
| Moston 2.3 mi | A | 7.8 | 100% | 0% |
| Christleton and Waverton 2.6 mi | D | 2.4 | 55% | 0% |
| Guilden Sutton 2.7 mi | D− | 0.3 | 56% | 0% |
| Mickle Trafford 3.2 mi | D− | 0.5 | 70% | 0% |
| Saughall 3.4 mi | D | 2.5 | 27% | 0% |
| Broughton 4.5 mi | D− | 0.8 | 80% | 0% |
Moston, 2.3 miles away, grades A, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Moston has at least twice Chester’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Chester
What is the biggest park in Chester?
Countess of Chester Country Park, 23 ha (58 acres), with 1 km of path. Westminster Park (18 ha) is second. 30 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Chester near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape, 9.3 mi west of the town’s edge. It covers 389 km² and was designated in 2011.
What are the best walks near Chester?
10 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Marches Way, North Cheshire Way (Chester Spur) and Longster Trail.
What is the nearest beach to Chester?
Tranmere Beach, 11 mi from the edge of the town, then East Hoyle Bank (16 mi). Chester itself is inland.
How many people in Chester live near a park?
86% 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 Chester?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Chester are historic?
Eaton Hall (Grade II*) and Grosvenor Park (Grade II*) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Chester good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 52% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 30% (1.6 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 Chester’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Chester’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.