Newquay’s biggest
Trenance Gardens
Park or garden
4.7 ha (11 acres)2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Newquay
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Kicior99 · CC BY-SA 3.0C+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Newquay · parks, paths & countryside
Newquay is on the coast, on the King Charles III England Coast Path
The sea makes up 34% of the area within 5 km. The Cornwall National Landscape begins 3.5 mi from the town’s edge. 75% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Newquay grades C+ for the outdoors: #26 of 35 in Cornwall. 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
75%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
85 km
2.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Cornwall starts 3.5 mi out, past the 5 km
The sea
34%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Newquay?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast34% of the area within 5 km is sea; 17 beaches mapped.Hills with a view14 mapped viewpoints, about 13× as many per resident as the typical town its size.Countryside close byThe Cornwall National Landscape starts 3.5 mi north.Less park per person1.6 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Newquay’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by its views. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Newquay grades C+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Newquay, 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 43% of UK towns#26 of 35 in Cornwall · 51st of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.6 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
31out of
100
100
A park within a walk75%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
38out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · Cornwall begins just past 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths2.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
49out of
100
100
The sea34%of the area within 5 km
94out 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
Newquay is 51st of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 22,800 to 26,400 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
Newquay2.6
Towns its size3.4
Cornwall towns2.3
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Newquay1.6
Towns its size2.4
Cornwall towns1.6
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Newquay75%
Towns its size81%
Cornwall towns81%
All UK towns83%
Newquay falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 50 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee-on-the-Solent Hampshire | A+ | 5.7 | 96% | 3.7 | 1% |
| 2 | Stroud Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.6 | 79% | 5.8 | 70% |
| 3 | Falmouth Cornwall | A | 1.3 | 96% | 3.5 | 41% |
| 4 | Newport Isle of Wight | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3.8 | 37% |
| 5 | Ash and Ash Vale Surrey | A | 4.3 | 72% | 5.4 | 20% |
| 6 | Huntingdon Cambridgeshire | A | 5.7 | 99% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 7 | Thornaby-on-Tees North Yorkshire | A | 5.4 | 92% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 8 | Larkfield Kent | A− | 5.6 | 75% | 3.4 | 27% |
| 9 | Rickmansworth Hertfordshire | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 4.4 | 11% |
| 10 | Droylsden Greater Manchester | A− | 5.2 | 95% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 11 | Reigate Surrey | A− | 5.5 | 58% | 4.7 | 20% |
| 12 | Felixstowe Suffolk | A− | 2 | 88% | 1.9 | 28% |
| 13 | Heanor Derbyshire | A− | 4.2 | 92% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Gorleston-on-Sea Norfolk | A− | 1.4 | 81% | 3.2 | 17% |
| 15 | Hedge End Hampshire | A− | 5.5 | 87% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Little Hulton Greater Manchester | A− | 8.6 | 87% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 17 | East Grinstead West Sussex | A− | 1.6 | 87% | 3.7 | 58% |
| 18 | Wilmslow Cheshire | A− | 4.4 | 90% | 4 | 0% |
| 19 | Newton-le-Willows Merseyside | A− | 5.2 | 99% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 20 | Ryde Isle of Wight | A− | 1.7 | 76% | 2.6 | 19% |
| 21 | Shoreham-by-Sea West Sussex | A− | 1.6 | 74% | 2.7 | 35% |
| 22 | Ingleby Barwick North Yorkshire | B+ | 2.9 | 87% | 6.1 | 0% |
| 23 | Maldon Essex | B+ | 2.8 | 82% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 24 | Whitehaven Cumbria | B+ | 1.8 | 91% | 2 | 1% |
| 25 | Chesham Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.9 | 73% | 4 | 64% |
| 26 | Herne Bay Kent | B+ | 2.3 | 83% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 27 | Portishead Somerset | B+ | 2 | 82% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 28 | Thatcham Berkshire | B+ | 1.9 | 87% | 3.1 | 27% |
| 29 | Fleetwood Lancashire | B+ | 2.7 | 92% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 30 | Cheadle Hulme Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.9 | 80% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 31 | Chafford Hundred and West Thurrock Essex | B+ | 2.2 | 97% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Oadby Leicestershire | B+ | 3.7 | 92% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Bradley Stoke Gloucestershire | B+ | 2 | 93% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 34 | Seaford East Sussex | B+ | 0.8 | 73% | 2.8 | 52% |
| 35 | Orrell Greater Manchester | B+ | 4.1 | 77% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 36 | Swinton Greater Manchester | B | 3.9 | 81% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 37 | Newton Aycliffe County Durham | B | 2.1 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 38 | Rugeley Staffordshire | B | 1.2 | 94% | 2.7 | 37% |
| 39 | Broadstairs Kent | B | 1.7 | 76% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Sudbury Suffolk | B | 3.8 | 77% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Truro Cornwall | B | 1.6 | 84% | 2.9 | 21% |
| 42 | Rawtenstall Lancashire | B | 1.9 | 83% | 6.4 | 0% |
| 43 | Royton Greater Manchester | B− | 2.8 | 71% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 44 | Thetford Norfolk | B− | 2.9 | 65% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 45 | St Austell Cornwall | B− | 1.2 | 71% | 2.5 | 7% |
| 46 | Ashton-in-Makerfield Greater Manchester | B− | 2.6 | 93% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 47 | Bishop Auckland County Durham | B− | 2.7 | 85% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 48 | Chester-le-Street County Durham | C+ | 1.7 | 75% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Hindley Greater Manchester | C+ | 2.5 | 77% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Coseley West Midlands | C+ | 1.4 | 84% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Newquay Cornwall | C+ | 1.6 | 75% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Ashford Surrey | C+ | 3.4 | 73% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 53 | Clifton Nottinghamshire | C+ | 1.5 | 76% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 54 | Market Harborough Leicestershire | C+ | 1.9 | 94% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 55 | Formby Merseyside | C+ | 1.4 | 63% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Ascot Berkshire | C+ | 3.6 | 56% | 3 | 0% |
| 57 | Potters Bar Hertfordshire | C | 1.6 | 71% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Golborne Greater Manchester | C | 3 | 66% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Wickersley and Bramley South Yorkshire | C | 1.7 | 77% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Retford Nottinghamshire | C− | 1.7 | 76% | 2.3 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Newquay’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 Newquay
The biggest is Trenance Gardens, 4.7 ha (11 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Killacourt Field
Park or garden
1.0 ha (2 acres)0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
0.6 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Mount Wise Public Gardens
Park or garden
1.2 ha (3 acres)0.3 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
7 in 10 Newquay 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 (75%)Further (25%)
Newquay75%
Towns its size81%
Cornwall towns81%
All UK towns83%
About 6,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 31 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 792 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Cornwall National Landscape is 3.5 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 Newquay scores 0% on it even though the Cornwall National Landscape is 3.5 mi away.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Newquay is on the King Charles III England Coast Path
85 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Newquay and the kilometre around it, 2.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalLocal
King Charles III England Coast Path: Newquay to Penzance15.5 km
South West Coast Path (Section 17: Newquay to Perranporth)13.7 km
South West Coast Path (Section 16: Porthcothan to Newquay)7.1 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: Marsland Mouth to Newquay6.8 km
Cubert wildlife walk, North Cornwall3.7 km
Cubert Common walk, North Cornwall1.5 km
The King Charles III England Coast Path, a national route, passes Newquay.
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 Newquay: 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) | 8.5 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 16.4 | 16.0 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 101 | 86 | 67 | 59 | 52 | 58 | 62 | 73 | 66 | 115 | 130 | 110 |
May is the driest month (52 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 130 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 12 nights a year. The climate in Newquay →
The coast
The coast and beaches near Newquay
34% of the area within 5 km of Newquay is sea. 17 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 10 with a name.
Harbour Beach0.0 mi from town
DirectionsBeacon Cove0.0 mi from town
DirectionsLusty Glaze Beach0.0 mi from town
DirectionsTolcarne Beach0.0 mi from town
DirectionsThe Gannel0.1 mi from town
DirectionsCrantock Beach0.4 mi from town
DirectionsHolywell Beach1.9 mi from town
DirectionsStem1.9 mi from town
DirectionsDunes2.7 mi from town
DirectionsThe King Charles III England Coast Path passes the town.
Sea: the area outside the ONS coastline (mean high water). Bathing water quality is published by the Environment Agency (England) and Natural Resources Wales; check it before swimming.
Things to do
14 viewpoints and 31 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.
14Viewpoints13.1× towns its size3Picnic sites3× towns its size31Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size9Campsites1Slipways
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 14
Coastguard's Lookout0.4 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 13 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Campsites 9
Quarryfield Campsite0.4 mi from town
DirectionsTreloy Tourist Park0.4 mi from town
DirectionsRosecliston Campsite0.7 mi from town
DirectionsTreago Farm0.8 mi from town
DirectionsHigher Moor Camp Site0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPorth Joke Camping Site1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 3 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Newquay Harbour Slipway0.0 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.
Quintrell DownsSt Newlyn EastSt Columb MajorIndian Queens, Fraddon and St Columb RoadPerranporthSt Erme and TrispenNewquay
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newquay | C+ | 1.6 | 75% | 0% |
| Quintrell Downs 2.1 mi | B+ | 3.3 | 100% | 0% |
| St Newlyn East 3.5 mi | C+ | 3.0 | 100% | 0% |
| St Columb Major 5.6 mi | D | 1.0 | 89% | 0% |
| Indian Queens, Fraddon and St Columb Road 6.1 mi | D− | 0.7 | 27% | 0% |
| Perranporth 6.1 mi | B+ | 1.3 | 75% | 4% |
| St Erme and Trispen 7.4 mi | D | 0.3 | 69% | 2% |
Perranporth, 6.1 miles away, grades B+, the best next door: 75% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Quintrell Downs has at least twice Newquay’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Newquay
What is the biggest park in Newquay?
Trenance Gardens, 4.7 ha (11 acres), with 2.2 km of path. Killacourt Field (1.0 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Newquay near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Cornwall National Landscape, 3.5 mi north of the town’s edge. It covers 964 km² and was designated in 1959.
What are the best walks near Newquay?
6 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the King Charles III England Coast Path: Newquay to Penzance, South West Coast Path (Section 17: Newquay to Perranporth) and South West Coast Path (Section 16: Porthcothan to Newquay). Trenance Gardens alone has 2.2 km of path.
How many people in Newquay live near a park?
75% 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 Newquay?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Newquay good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.6 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 49% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 31% (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 Newquay’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Newquay’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.