Congleton’s biggest
Astbury Mere Country Park
Park or garden
32 ha (80 acres)4.6 km of path
1 hto walk all 4.6 km of path
45 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi south-westfrom the centre
Explorer Trail
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: David Weston · CC BY-SA 2.0COutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Congleton · parks, paths & countryside
Parks and walks in Congleton
The Peak District National Park begins 3.1 mi from the town’s edge. 107 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 3.1 for every square kilometre. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 72% of residents. Congleton grades C for the outdoors: #32 of 46 in Cheshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.7 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
72%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
107 km
3.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Peak District starts 3.1 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Congleton?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Countryside close byThe Peak District National Park starts 3.1 mi east.Historic parksCongleton Park is a registered historic park (Grade II).Less park per person1.7 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Congleton’s strongest suit is the Peak District National Park close by, followed by its historic parks. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Congleton grades C for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Congleton, 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 26% of UK towns#32 of 46 in Cheshire · 52nd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
34out of
100
100
A park within a walk72%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
34out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · Peak District begins just past 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths3.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
63out 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
Congleton is 52nd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 27,500 to 32,600 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
Congleton3.1
Towns its size3.2
Cheshire towns2.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Congleton1.7
Towns its size2.1
Cheshire towns1.8
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Congleton72%
Towns its size84%
Cheshire towns82%
All UK towns83%
Congleton falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 38 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yate Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.3 | 99% | 6.8 | 11% |
| 2 | Jarrow Tyne and Wear | A+ | 5.3 | 90% | 6.1 | 0% |
| 3 | Northfleet Kent | A | 2 | 85% | 7.7 | 4% |
| 4 | Ashington Northumberland | A | 5.6 | 83% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 5 | Penarth South Glamorgan | A | 3.5 | 83% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 6 | Witney Oxfordshire | A | 2.5 | 88% | 4.6 | 19% |
| 7 | Woodley Berkshire | A | 5 | 81% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 8 | Lancing and Sompting West Sussex | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3 | 37% |
| 9 | Prestwich Greater Manchester | A | 9 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 10 | Totton Hampshire | A | 1.6 | 94% | 4.4 | 50% |
| 11 | Burntwood Staffordshire | A− | 5.3 | 81% | 3.4 | 12% |
| 12 | Redhill Surrey | A− | 2.2 | 91% | 4.3 | 14% |
| 13 | Chandler's Ford Hampshire | A− | 2.7 | 80% | 5.3 | 6% |
| 14 | Stretford Greater Manchester | A− | 3.7 | 92% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 15 | Great Yarmouth Norfolk | A− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.2 | 18% |
| 16 | Cleethorpes Lincolnshire | A− | 3 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 17 | Daventry Northamptonshire | A− | 4.1 | 99% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 18 | Eston North Yorkshire | B+ | 2.9 | 93% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 19 | Harpenden Hertfordshire | B+ | 3.5 | 84% | 2.9 | 2% |
| 20 | Cramlington Northumberland | B+ | 2.3 | 91% | 6.6 | 0% |
| 21 | Deal Kent | B+ | 1 | 86% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 22 | Farnworth Greater Manchester | B+ | 3 | 85% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 23 | Chichester West Sussex | B+ | 1.6 | 89% | 3 | 40% |
| 24 | Lichfield Staffordshire | B+ | 2.7 | 82% | 3.1 | 2% |
| 25 | Pontypool Gwent | B+ | 3.6 | 93% | 1.8 | 7% |
| 26 | Brierley Hill West Midlands | B+ | 3.1 | 82% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 27 | Colwyn Bay Clwyd | B+ | 1.9 | 77% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 28 | Windsor Berkshire | B | 5.5 | 83% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 29 | Shipley West Yorkshire | B | 2.1 | 87% | 6 | 0% |
| 30 | Consett County Durham | B | 1.7 | 87% | 3.1 | 19% |
| 31 | Darwen Lancashire | B | 2.2 | 89% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 32 | Egham Surrey | B | 4.1 | 63% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 33 | Bushey Hertfordshire | B | 3.1 | 77% | 4 | 0% |
| 34 | Atherton Greater Manchester | B | 3.8 | 83% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 35 | Evesham Worcestershire | B− | 1.7 | 80% | 3.5 | 4% |
| 36 | Stanford-le-Hope Essex | B− | 2.6 | 84% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 37 | Radcliffe Greater Manchester | B− | 1.7 | 86% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 38 | Whitstable Kent | B− | 1.5 | 84% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 39 | Kendal Cumbria | C+ | 0.9 | 67% | 4 | 33% |
| 40 | Winsford Cheshire | C+ | 1.3 | 92% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 41 | Newton Abbot Devon | C+ | 2.6 | 62% | 2.3 | 6% |
| 42 | Morley West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.2 | 87% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 43 | Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire | C | 1.6 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 44 | Newark-on-Trent Nottinghamshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 2 | 0% |
| 45 | Bedworth Warwickshire | C | 1.5 | 87% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 46 | Barnstaple Devon | C | 1.6 | 92% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Frome Somerset | C | 1.3 | 78% | 2.4 | 9% |
| 48 | Rayleigh Essex | C | 2 | 71% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 49 | Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire | C | 0.7 | 92% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 50 | Wickford Essex | C | 2.4 | 59% | 3 | 0% |
| 51 | Sedgley West Midlands | C | 1.5 | 65% | 4 | 0% |
| 52 | Congleton Cheshire | C | 1.7 | 72% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 53 | Hertford Hertfordshire | C | 0.9 | 65% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 54 | Rushden Northamptonshire | C− | 1.5 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 55 | Heywood Greater Manchester | C− | 1.3 | 80% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Heswall Merseyside | C− | 1.1 | 56% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 57 | Port Talbot West Glamorgan | C− | 1.3 | 68% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 58 | Ormskirk Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 80% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 59 | Spalding Lincolnshire | D | 1.1 | 85% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 60 | Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.5 | 70% | 1.9 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Congleton’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 Congleton
The biggest is Astbury Mere Country Park, 32 ha (80 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 7 named parks by size: 38 ha (93 acres) and 6 km of path
Parks & gardens 37 haPlaying fields 0.6 haPlay spaces 0.3 ha
The two biggest, Astbury Mere Country Park and Congleton Park, are 97% of the named green space and carry 6 km of path between them. 5 of the 7 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Historic park · Grade II
Congleton Park
Park or garden
4.2 ha (10 acres)1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Congleton
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Lower Heath Community Space
Playing field
0.6 ha (2 acres)0.2 km of path
0.6 mi northfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Community Garden
Park or garden
0.2 ha (0 acres)
Centralin the middle of Congleton
2 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
St Johns Road Play Area
Play space
0.2 ha (0 acres)
1 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Jubilee Skate Park
Play space
0.1 ha (0 acres)
Centralin the middle of Congleton
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Roldane Close Play Area
Play space
0.0 ha (0 acres)
0.8 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
7 in 10 Congleton 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 (Census 2021 output areas against OS Open Greenspace).
Within 400 m (72%)Further (28%)
Congleton72%
Towns its size84%
Cheshire towns82%
All UK towns83%
About 8,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 30 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,000 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Peak District National Park is 3.1 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 Congleton scores 0% on it even though the Peak District National Park is 3.1 mi away. Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
7 waymarked walks pass through or near Congleton
107 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Congleton and the kilometre around it, 3.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
South Cheshire Market Towns Trail15.9 km
Dane Valley Way14.8 km
Cheshire Ring Canal Walk9.2 km
Staffordshire Way (Mow Cop-Rushton Spencer)8.2 km
Gritstone Trail (Rushton Spencer - Kidsgrove)7.9 km
Legions and Sand5.0 km
Priesty Trail2.0 km
4 regional routes pass through, including the South Cheshire Market Towns Trail, Dane Valley Way, Staffordshire Way (Mow Cop-Rushton Spencer) and Gritstone Trail (Rushton Spencer - Kidsgrove).
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
A historic park in the middle of Congleton
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Congleton’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade II
Congleton Park
4.2 ha. A registered historic park (Grade II). 0 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge.
Listed buildings insideCommunity Garden19, Lawton Street and 8-12, High Street
Heritage walks
Cheshire Ring Canal Walk 9.2 km
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 Congleton: 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 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.5 | 7.6 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 68 | 57 | 51 | 53 | 57 | 67 | 72 | 77 | 68 | 83 | 75 | 82 |
March is the driest month (51 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 83 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 40 nights a year. The climate in Congleton →
Things to do
30 playgrounds
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.
Every named place, with directions
Nature reserves 2
Brook Valley Nature Reserve0.5 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsDane-in-Shaw Pasture8.1 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Timbersbrook Picnic Area0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 30
Lower Heath Amenity Areain town
DirectionsQuinta Play Areain town
DirectionsRoldane Close Playgroundin town
DirectionsSt John's Road Playgroundin town
DirectionsWest Road Playgroundin town
DirectionsWestlow Heath Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 24 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.
BiddulphScholar GreenBiddulph MoorHarriseahead, Mow Cop and NewchapelRode HeathKidsgroveCongleton
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congleton | C | 1.7 | 72% | 0% |
| Biddulph 3.9 mi | B− | 3.3 | 86% | 0% |
| Scholar Green 4.3 mi | C− | 0.7 | 65% | 0% |
| Biddulph Moor 4.4 mi | C | 8.4 | 43% | 0% |
| Harriseahead, Mow Cop and Newchapel 4.5 mi | B+ | 4.2 | 86% | 0% |
| Rode Heath 4.7 mi | C | 0.9 | 100% | 0% |
| Kidsgrove 5.6 mi | A− | 8.6 | 87% | 0% |
Kidsgrove, 5.6 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 87% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Biddulph Moor, Harriseahead, Mow Cop and Newchapel and Kidsgrove have at least twice Congleton’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Congleton
What is the biggest park in Congleton?
Astbury Mere Country Park, 32 ha (80 acres), with 4.6 km of path. Congleton Park (4.2 ha) is second. 7 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Congleton near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 3.1 mi east of the town’s edge. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Congleton?
7 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the South Cheshire Market Towns Trail, Dane Valley Way and Cheshire Ring Canal Walk. Astbury Mere Country Park alone has 4.6 km of path.
How many people in Congleton live near a park?
72% 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 Congleton?
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 Congleton are historic?
Congleton Park (Grade II) is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Congleton good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 63% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 34% (1.7 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 Congleton’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Congleton’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.