Photo: Carol Rose · CC BY-SA 2.0Blackhall Colliery is on the coast, on the King Charles III England Coast Path
The sea makes up 38% of the area within 5 km. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 95% of residents. Parks and playing fields in Blackhall Colliery add up to 1.1 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Blackhall Colliery grades B for the outdoors: #19 of 52 in County Durham. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Blackhall Colliery?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Blackhall Colliery’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by parks close to every home. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Blackhall Colliery grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Blackhall Colliery, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
100
100
100
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.
Blackhall Colliery is 19th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 4,400 to 4,800 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, Blackhall Colliery stands out most for homes near a park: only 10 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 50 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keswick Cumbria | A+ | 9.1 | 100% | 4.1 | 100% |
| 2 | Lawford Essex | A+ | 3.4 | 94% | 2.8 | 40% |
| 3 | Chipstead and Woodmansterne Surrey | A+ | 10.3 | 92% | 4.8 | 12% |
| 4 | Hamble-le-Rice Hampshire | A+ | 12.7 | 67% | 3.6 | 7% |
| 5 | Marple Bridge Greater Manchester | A | 9.9 | 80% | 4.4 | 13% |
| 6 | Monkton Heathfield Somerset | A | 2.4 | 100% | 4.4 | 8% |
| 7 | Fortuneswell Dorset | A | 1.1 | 100% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 8 | Kimberley Nottinghamshire | A− | 2.9 | 100% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 9 | Writtle Essex | A− | 5.8 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Stanton Hill and Skegby Nottinghamshire | A− | 16.1 | 83% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 11 | Cringleford Norfolk | A− | 1.7 | 94% | 7.4 | 0% |
| 12 | Nantyglo Gwent | A− | 2.5 | 82% | 3.7 | 29% |
| 13 | Brampton South Yorkshire | A− | 4.4 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 14 | Wheathampstead Hertfordshire | A− | 3.1 | 93% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 15 | Hugglescote Leicestershire | B+ | 4.2 | 91% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 16 | Winscombe and Sandford Somerset | B+ | 3.5 | 52% | 3.6 | 38% |
| 17 | Kings Worthy Hampshire | B+ | 3.9 | 66% | 3 | 23% |
| 18 | Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire | B | 4.5 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 19 | Blackhall Colliery County Durham | B | 1.1 | 95% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 20 | Callington Cornwall | B | 2.1 | 100% | 1.1 | 21% |
| 21 | Whaley Bridge Derbyshire | B | 1.6 | 44% | 4.3 | 53% |
| 22 | Lyneham Wiltshire | B− | 1.5 | 94% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 23 | High Lane Greater Manchester | B− | 1.5 | 67% | 4.6 | 12% |
| 24 | Alderley Edge Cheshire | B− | 2.2 | 86% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 25 | Finedon Northamptonshire | B− | 3.9 | 95% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 26 | Bromham Bedfordshire | B− | 3.8 | 87% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 27 | Irchester Northamptonshire | B− | 8.2 | 83% | 2 | 0% |
| 28 | Cwmavon West Glamorgan | B− | 2.3 | 75% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 29 | Llay Clwyd | B− | 10.6 | 85% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 30 | Cleadon Tyne and Wear | B− | 2.1 | 63% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 31 | Toddington Bedfordshire | B− | 0.9 | 86% | 3.1 | 8% |
| 32 | Blaina Gwent | C+ | 2.1 | 53% | 3.1 | 13% |
| 33 | Loughor West Glamorgan | C+ | 2.1 | 70% | 1.2 | 6% |
| 34 | Stamford Bridge East Riding of Yorkshire | C+ | 2.5 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 35 | Brinsley and Underwood Nottinghamshire | C+ | 3.3 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 36 | Iwade Kent | C+ | 0.8 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 37 | Kennington Oxfordshire | C+ | 2.1 | 58% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Howden East Riding of Yorkshire | C+ | 3.6 | 94% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Southminster Essex | C+ | 1.8 | 92% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Queen's Hills Norfolk | C | 0.4 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 41 | Backworth Tyne and Wear | C | 2 | 59% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 42 | Eccleston Lancashire | C | 2.4 | 83% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 43 | Clapham Bedfordshire | C | 1.3 | 94% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 44 | Skelmanthorpe West Yorkshire | C | 1 | 88% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 45 | Makeney Derbyshire | C | 2.1 | 56% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Coxhoe County Durham | C | 1.4 | 66% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Kinver Staffordshire | C | 3.1 | 60% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 48 | Woodhall Spa Lincolnshire | C− | 1.9 | 61% | 3 | 0% |
| 49 | Wesham Lancashire | C− | 1.7 | 87% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 50 | Preesall and Knott End-on-Sea Lancashire | C− | 0.7 | 69% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Bricket Wood Hertfordshire | C− | 1.7 | 43% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Stretton Staffordshire | C− | 3.7 | 49% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Crowland Lincolnshire | C− | 2.8 | 70% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 54 | Freckleton Lancashire | D | 0.4 | 73% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 55 | Welton Lincolnshire | D | 2 | 57% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 56 | Ynysybwl Mid Glamorgan | D | 2.3 | 60% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Lakenheath Suffolk | D | 1.1 | 57% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 58 | Broughton Lincolnshire | D | 0.9 | 39% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Elm and Emneth Norfolk | D | 2.2 | 45% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 60 | Chilton County Durham | D− | 1.1 | 68% | 1 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Blackhall Colliery’s built-up area.
Almost everyone in Blackhall Colliery lives 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 200 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 13 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 352 residents.
The North York Moors National Park is 16 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.
North York Moors National Park covers 1,441 km² and has been a National Park since 1952.
Blackhall Colliery is on the King Charles III England Coast Path
30 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Blackhall Colliery 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.
The King Charles III England Coast Path, a national route, passes Blackhall Colliery. Close to home, the Durham Coastal Path has 9 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Way of Love.
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 Blackhall Colliery: 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) | 7.8 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 14.0 | 16.1 | 17.3 | 16.8 | 14.9 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.3 | 7.2 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 43 | 41 | 38 | 46 | 44 | 58 | 56 | 66 | 50 | 62 | 70 | 56 |
March is the driest month (38 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 70 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 25 nights a year. The climate in Blackhall Colliery →
The coast and beaches near Blackhall Colliery
38% of the area within 5 km of Blackhall Colliery is sea. 4 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 0 with a name.
The 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.
2 viewpoints and 13 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
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 13
Plus 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhall Colliery | B | 1.1 | 95% | 0% |
| Horden 1.6 mi | A− | 2.1 | 82% | 0% |
| Peterlee 2.4 mi | A− | 2.3 | 85% | 0% |
| Easington 3.4 mi | A− | 5.0 | 94% | 0% |
| Wingate 3.9 mi | D− | 1.0 | 64% | 0% |
| Shotton Colliery 4.2 mi | D− | 0.9 | 40% | 0% |
| Hartlepool 5.0 mi | B− | 1.7 | 73% | 0% |
Easington, 3.4 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 94% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Peterlee and Easington have at least twice Blackhall Colliery’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Blackhall Colliery
Is Blackhall Colliery near a National Park?
Yes. North York Moors National Park begins 16 mi south-east of the town’s edge. It covers 1,441 km² and has been a National Park since 1952.
What are the best walks near Blackhall Colliery?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the King Charles III England Coast Path: North Gare to South Bents, Durham Coastal Path and Way of Love.
How many people in Blackhall Colliery live near a park?
95% 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 Blackhall Colliery?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Blackhall Colliery good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 51% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 16% (1.1 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 Blackhall Colliery’s overall grade.
Where Blackhall Colliery’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.