Launceston’s biggest
Coronation Park
Park or garden
4.5 ha (11 acres)1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Launceston
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: David Weston · CC BY-SA 2.0C−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Launceston · parks, paths & countryside
Parks and walks in Launceston
The Tamar Valley National Landscape begins 2.4 mi from the town’s edge. 16 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 0.9 for every square kilometre. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 66% of residents. Launceston grades C− for the outdoors: #32 of 35 in Cornwall. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.1 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
66%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
16 km
0.9 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
1%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Tamar Valley National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Launceston?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Countryside both waysTamar Valley starts 2.4 mi south-east, Cornwall 4.4 mi south-west.Few mapped footpaths0.9 km of path per km²; the typical UK town has 3.0.
Launceston’s strongest suit is two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is footpaths.
Outdoors grade
Launceston grades C− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Launceston, 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 18% of UK towns#32 of 35 in Cornwall · 52nd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.1 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
47out of
100
100
A park within a walk66%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
25out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape1%of the land within 5 km
63out of
100
100
Footpaths0.9 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
6out 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
Launceston is 52nd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 8,000 to 8,900 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
Launceston0.9
Towns its size2.7
Cornwall towns2.3
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Launceston2.1
Towns its size2.2
Cornwall towns1.6
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Launceston66%
Towns its size85%
Cornwall towns81%
All UK towns83%
Launceston falls furthest behind on path per km², where 56 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upton Dorset | A+ | 9.1 | 84% | 4.7 | 18% |
| 2 | Hawkinge Kent | A+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.2 | 74% |
| 3 | Pool and Illogan Cornwall | A+ | 3.7 | 81% | 4 | 5% |
| 4 | Ecclesfield and Grenoside South Yorkshire | A+ | 5.1 | 94% | 5.2 | 2% |
| 5 | Stakeford Northumberland | A+ | 10 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 6 | Storrington West Sussex | A | 5.5 | 85% | 3.2 | 54% |
| 7 | Wallingford Oxfordshire | A | 3.1 | 85% | 3.7 | 61% |
| 8 | East Cowes Isle of Wight | A | 1.4 | 96% | 3 | 8% |
| 9 | Brecon Powys | A | 3.2 | 86% | 3.2 | 61% |
| 10 | Ledbury Herefordshire | A | 3.3 | 89% | 3.1 | 34% |
| 11 | Penistone South Yorkshire | A | 2.6 | 97% | 3.9 | 9% |
| 12 | Bearsted Kent | A | 5.5 | 76% | 3.5 | 39% |
| 13 | Stonehouse Gloucestershire | A | 1.8 | 94% | 4.6 | 36% |
| 14 | Richmond North Yorkshire | A | 2.4 | 96% | 3.9 | 7% |
| 15 | Maryport Cumbria | A− | 1.4 | 100% | 2.4 | 5% |
| 16 | Norton Canes Staffordshire | A− | 13.3 | 97% | 1.9 | 10% |
| 17 | Brightlingsea Essex | A− | 3 | 97% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 18 | Ryton Tyne and Wear | A− | 5.5 | 85% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 19 | Alfreton Derbyshire | B+ | 4.3 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 20 | Longridge Lancashire | B+ | 1.9 | 89% | 3 | 32% |
| 21 | Coppull Lancashire | B+ | 4.6 | 85% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 22 | Hadleigh Suffolk | B+ | 2.6 | 87% | 2.7 | 10% |
| 23 | Runwell Essex | B+ | 5.1 | 92% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 24 | Cinderford Gloucestershire | B+ | 1.7 | 80% | 4.7 | 4% |
| 25 | Pershore Worcestershire | B | 2.7 | 76% | 3.2 | 7% |
| 26 | Abergele Clwyd | B | 2.9 | 78% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 27 | Wendover Buckinghamshire | B | 1 | 58% | 5.6 | 60% |
| 28 | Hornsea East Riding of Yorkshire | B− | 2.7 | 90% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 29 | Alnwick Northumberland | B− | 2.2 | 67% | 3.4 | 7% |
| 30 | Twyford Berkshire | B− | 2.4 | 86% | 2.1 | 5% |
| 31 | Meltham West Yorkshire | B− | 1 | 63% | 5.3 | 27% |
| 32 | Stansted Mountfitchet Essex | B− | 0.8 | 96% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Hoo St Werburgh Kent | C+ | 1.4 | 92% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Fakenham Norfolk | C+ | 5.2 | 81% | 2 | 0% |
| 35 | Bewdley Worcestershire | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 36 | Atherstone Warwickshire | C+ | 2.7 | 88% | 2 | 0% |
| 37 | Ammanford Dyfed | C+ | 2.8 | 70% | 1.5 | 9% |
| 38 | Brinsworth South Yorkshire | C | 1.3 | 76% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Faringdon Oxfordshire | C | 1.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 40 | Silsden West Yorkshire | C | 0.8 | 67% | 3.5 | 1% |
| 41 | Rothwell Northamptonshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 42 | Burscough Lancashire | C | 2.6 | 76% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 43 | Southam Warwickshire | C | 2.3 | 86% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 44 | Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire | C | 2.1 | 38% | 2.3 | 2% |
| 45 | Hedon East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 0.9 | 74% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Sherburn in Elmet North Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 93% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Glastonbury Somerset | C− | 2 | 69% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 48 | Llanharan and Brynna Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1.7 | 97% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Hilton Derbyshire | C− | 1.1 | 89% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Radlett Hertfordshire | C− | 2.1 | 60% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 51 | East Leake Nottinghamshire | C− | 2.4 | 68% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 52 | Launceston Cornwall | C− | 2.1 | 66% | 0.9 | 1% |
| 53 | Penkridge Staffordshire | C− | 0.8 | 70% | 2.1 | 7% |
| 54 | Adlington Lancashire | C− | 1.3 | 64% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Swaffham Norfolk | D | 1 | 68% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Holbeach Lincolnshire | D | 1 | 91% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Ashford Common Surrey | D | 0.8 | 62% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Tarleton and Hesketh Bank Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 63% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Coxheath Kent | D | 1.2 | 48% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Clydach West Glamorgan | D | 1.7 | 68% | 0.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Launceston’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 Launceston
The biggest is Coronation Park, 4.5 ha (11 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Castle Green
Park or garden
2.0 ha (5 acres)0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Launceston
Launceston Castle Keep and attached buildings Grade I The North Gatehouse of Launceston Castle and Attached Walls Grade I +3 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
7 in 10 Launceston 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 (66%)Further (35%)
Launceston66%
Towns its size85%
Cornwall towns81%
All UK towns83%
About 2,900 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 9 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 937 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
Tamar Valley and Cornwall both start about 4 miles from Launceston
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
Tamar Valley
2.4 mi south-east196 km²since 19951% of the land within 5 km
Official site1% of the land within 5 km of Launceston is National Park or National Landscape, more than 63% of UK towns. Dartmoor National Park covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Launceston
16 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Launceston and the kilometre around it, 0.9 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
Tamar Valley Discovery Trail4.5 km
Two Castles Trail3.7 km
2 regional routes pass through, including the Tamar Valley Discovery Trail and Two Castles Trail.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
History inside Launceston’s parks
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Launceston’s named parks.
Park with listed buildings
Castle Green
2.0 ha. 5 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge, including Launceston Castle Keep and attached buildings (Grade I).
ILaunceston Castle Keep and attached buildingsIThe North Gatehouse of Launceston Castle and Attached WallsIThe South Gatehouse of Launceston Castle and Attached BuildingsSMLaunceston Castle motte, bailey and shell keepIIPerimeter Walls of Launceston Castle
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 Launceston: 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) | 8.4 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 16.4 | 16.0 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 161 | 113 | 83 | 75 | 68 | 69 | 81 | 87 | 82 | 139 | 153 | 158 |
May is the driest month (68 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 161 mm of rain falls in January, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 31 nights a year. The climate in Launceston →
Things to do
9 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
Launceston is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Widemouth Sands13 mi from Launceston’s edge
DirectionsCompass Cove15 mi from Launceston’s edge
DirectionsSummerleaze Beach15 mi from Launceston’s edge
DirectionsMiddle Beach15 mi from Launceston’s edge
DirectionsCrooklets Beach15 mi from Launceston’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 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 9
Plus 9 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Launceston Dog Walking Field0.2 mi from town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Moor View0.6 mi from town
DirectionsNext door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
WithnoeKelly BrayCallingtonPensilvaGunnislake and St Ann's ChapelSt CleerLaunceston
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | C− | 2.1 | 66% | 1% |
| Withnoe 0.9 mi | C+ | 1.4 | 100% | 3% |
| Kelly Bray 8.4 mi | B− | 1.2 | 100% | 22% |
| Callington 9.4 mi | B | 2.1 | 100% | 21% |
| Pensilva 9.5 mi | C− | 1.6 | 60% | 15% |
| Gunnislake and St Ann's Chapel 9.9 mi | B− | 2.5 | 64% | 66% |
| St Cleer 11.3 mi | C | 3.0 | 29% | 32% |
Callington, 9.4 miles away, grades B, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Launceston
What is the biggest park in Launceston?
Coronation Park, 4.5 ha (11 acres), with 1.5 km of path. Castle Green (2.0 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Launceston near a National Park?
Yes. Dartmoor National Park begins 8.3 mi east of the town’s edge. It covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Tamar Valley National Landscape, 2.4 mi away.
What are the best walks near Launceston?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Tamar Valley Discovery Trail and Two Castles Trail.
What is the nearest beach to Launceston?
Widemouth Sands, 13 mi from the edge of the town, then Compass Cove (15 mi). Launceston itself is inland.
How many people in Launceston live near a park?
66% 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 Launceston?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Launceston good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 0.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 6% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 47% (2.1 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 Launceston’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Launceston’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.