Photo: Llywelyn2000 · CC BY-SA 4.0Parks and walks in Northop
The Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape begins 3.1 mi from the village’s edge. 12 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 1.3 for every square kilometre. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 70% of residents. Northop grades D for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors village is Northop?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Northop’s strongest suit is the Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape close by. Where it falls short is footpaths.
Northop grades D for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Northop, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
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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.
Northop is 48th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,000 to 1,100 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Northop falls furthest behind on path per km², where 45 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grove Dorset | A+ | 6 | 100% | 8.7 | 0% |
| 2 | Totternhoe Bedfordshire | A+ | 9.6 | 100% | 4.9 | 26% |
| 3 | Lizard Cornwall | A+ | 2.3 | 100% | 3.3 | 30% |
| 4 | Winchelsea Beach East Sussex | A+ | 4.9 | 100% | 1.9 | 45% |
| 5 | East Challow Oxfordshire | A+ | 4.9 | 100% | 3.6 | 44% |
| 6 | Cemaes Gwynedd | A+ | 5 | 100% | 1.3 | 14% |
| 7 | Abingworth West Sussex | A | 6.1 | 100% | 2.7 | 27% |
| 8 | Bellingham Northumberland | A | 8.6 | 100% | 1.8 | 57% |
| 9 | Aberaeron Dyfed | A | 6.1 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 10 | Shorne Kent | A | 28.3 | 23% | 3.4 | 24% |
| 11 | Misterton Somerset | A | 2.5 | 100% | 2.9 | 35% |
| 12 | Godshill Isle of Wight | A | 2.1 | 100% | 2.7 | 53% |
| 13 | Ardleigh Essex | A− | 3.2 | 100% | 1.5 | 21% |
| 14 | Llangynidr Powys | B+ | 2.4 | 65% | 3.2 | 100% |
| 15 | Loddiswell Devon | B+ | 2.1 | 100% | 1.3 | 53% |
| 16 | Thornwood Common Essex | B+ | 6.1 | 100% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 17 | Clyst Honiton Devon | B+ | 8 | 83% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 18 | Morchard Bishop Devon | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 19 | Thornton Leicestershire | B | 13.7 | 50% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 20 | Whitwell Hertfordshire | B | 2.4 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 21 | Levens Cumbria | B | 0.8 | 100% | 2.1 | 53% |
| 22 | Llanymynech Shropshire | B | 2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 23 | Minley Hampshire | B− | 5.7 | 0% | 6.5 | 0% |
| 24 | Great Amwell Hertfordshire | B− | 5.7 | 0% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 25 | High Shincliffe County Durham | B− | 0.5 | 100% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 26 | King's Bromley Staffordshire | B− | 3.4 | 100% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 27 | Derry Hill and Studley Wiltshire | C+ | 1.2 | 100% | 1.7 | 1% |
| 28 | St Newlyn East Cornwall | C+ | 3 | 100% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 29 | Little Waltham Essex | C+ | 2.3 | 63% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 30 | Warmington Northamptonshire | C | 1.6 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 31 | Bempton East Riding of Yorkshire | C | 0.6 | 100% | 0.2 | 0% |
| 32 | Upper Bucklebury Berkshire | C | 0.1 | 0% | 4 | 48% |
| 33 | Clifton Lancashire | C | 1.8 | 100% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Elswick Lancashire | C | 1.8 | 100% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 35 | Ansley Warwickshire | C− | 1.8 | 64% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 36 | Ewyas Harold Herefordshire | C− | 2.1 | 55% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 37 | Hoylandswaine South Yorkshire | C− | 1.4 | 60% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 38 | Marchwiel Clwyd | C− | 1.1 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 39 | Castle Hedingham Essex | C− | 1.7 | 52% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Swarthmoor Cumbria | C− | 0.2 | 79% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Surfleet Lincolnshire | C− | 4.2 | 0% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Scole Norfolk | C− | 2.1 | 51% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Llangeinor Mid Glamorgan | C− | 3.1 | 62% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 44 | Loxwood West Sussex | D | 0 | 0% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 45 | New Quay Dyfed | D | 1.2 | 30% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 46 | Sutton St James Lincolnshire | D | 0.1 | 100% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 47 | Marshland St James Norfolk | D | 3.5 | 0% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 48 | Northop Clwyd | D | 1.6 | 70% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 49 | Hevingham Norfolk | D | 1.8 | 0% | 2 | 0% |
| 50 | Waltham on the Wolds Leicestershire | D | 2 | 23% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Overton Lancashire | D | 0.1 | 0% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Henham Essex | D | 0 | 0% | 3 | 0% |
| 53 | Sutton Norfolk | D− | 0 | 0% | 1 | 29% |
| 54 | Methwold Norfolk | D− | 1.8 | 61% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 55 | Wawne East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1 | 0% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 56 | Foulsham Norfolk | D− | 1.4 | 29% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 57 | Mendlesham Suffolk | D− | 0.1 | 0% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 58 | Wainfleet St Mary Lincolnshire | D− | 0.1 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Stockton on the Forest North Yorkshire | D− | 0.2 | 0% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 60 | Ranby Nottinghamshire | D− | 0 | 0% | 0.8 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Northop’s built-up area.
7 in 10 Northop 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).
About 300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 8 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 129 residents.
The Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape 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.
Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Northop scores 0% on it even though the Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape is 3.1 mi away.
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Northop
12 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Northop and the kilometre around it, 1.3 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
The regional route here is the Llwybr Clawdd Wat.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
The best walking months in Northop: May to September
The village’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 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 70 | 58 | 59 | 59 | 60 | 66 | 61 | 64 | 71 | 89 | 86 | 97 |
February is the driest month (58 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 97 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 38 nights a year. The climate in Northop →
8 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
Mapped within 2 km of the village in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK village its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
The nearest beaches
Northop is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
Check the water before you swim. Natural Resources Wales tests designated bathing waters from May to September and publishes a rating for each beach.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 8
Plus 8 playgrounds without a name on the map.
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northop | D | 1.6 | 70% | 0% |
| Soughton 1.3 mi | D | 0.4 | 67% | 3% |
| Northop Hall 1.8 mi | B | 2.6 | 100% | 0% |
| Flint 2.4 mi | D | 1.0 | 56% | 0% |
| Mynydd Isa 2.8 mi | C | 0.9 | 87% | 3% |
| Connah's Quay 2.8 mi | A | 5.8 | 97% | 0% |
| Mold 2.9 mi | C+ | 1.9 | 86% | 17% |
Connah's Quay, 2.8 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 97% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Connah's Quay has at least twice Northop’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Northop
Is Northop near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Bryniau Clwyd A Dyffryn Dyfrdwy/clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape, 3.1 mi south-west of the village’s edge. It covers 389 km² and was designated in 2011.
What are the best walks near Northop?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the village, including the Llwybr Clawdd Wat.
What is the nearest beach to Northop?
East Hoyle Bank, 12 mi from the edge of the village, then Tranmere Beach (13 mi). Northop itself is inland.
How many people in Northop live near a park?
70% 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 Northop?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Northop good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 1.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 12% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 32% (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 Northop’s overall grade.
Where Northop’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.