Blackhall Mill’s biggest
Derwentside Park
Park or garden
2.9 ha (7 acres)
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Blackhall Mill
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Blackhall Mill · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Blackhall Mill lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
The North Pennines National Landscape begins 4.1 mi from the village’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Blackhall Mill add up to 3.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 23 km in the village and the kilometre around it, 2.9 for every square kilometre. Blackhall Mill grades B+ for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
23 km
2.9 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
North Pennines starts 4.1 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors village is Blackhall Mill?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Room to roam3.4 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 75% of UK towns.Countryside close byThe North Pennines National Landscape starts 4.1 mi south-west.
Blackhall Mill’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by plenty of park space.
Outdoors grade
Blackhall Mill grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Blackhall Mill, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
B+
Better than 73% of UK towns10th of 60 UK villages its size
Public green space3.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
75out of
100
100
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
89out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · North Pennines begins just past 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths2.9 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
58out 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.
Villages its size
Blackhall Mill is 10th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,500 to 1,600 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
Blackhall Mill2.9
Villages its size1.8
County Durham towns3.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Blackhall Mill3.4
Villages its size2.0
County Durham towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Blackhall Mill100%
Villages its size80%
County Durham towns88%
All UK towns83%
Against villages its size, Blackhall Mill stands out most for park space per resident: only 14 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashurst Wood West Sussex | A+ | 4 | 100% | 3.4 | 81% |
| 2 | Ewhurst Surrey | A | 4.3 | 76% | 4.6 | 46% |
| 3 | Newfield County Durham | A | 8.3 | 100% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 4 | Haverigg Cumbria | A | 4.7 | 67% | 2.5 | 11% |
| 5 | Collett's Green Worcestershire | A | 3.5 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 6 | Littleton Hampshire | A− | 7.8 | 100% | 1.1 | 10% |
| 7 | Llanrug Gwynedd | A− | 1.7 | 100% | 1.7 | 6% |
| 8 | Longwick Buckinghamshire | B+ | 2 | 100% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 9 | Temple Cloud Somerset | B+ | 2.6 | 77% | 3.9 | 15% |
| 10 | Blackhall Mill County Durham | B+ | 3.4 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 11 | Kimpton Hertfordshire | B+ | 3.7 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 12 | Castleside County Durham | B+ | 0.9 | 100% | 3 | 42% |
| 13 | Caer-went Gwent | B+ | 1.8 | 100% | 0.8 | 8% |
| 14 | Great Bowden Leicestershire | B+ | 6.1 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 15 | Ramsbury Wiltshire | B+ | 3.9 | 62% | 2.3 | 100% |
| 16 | Offenham Worcestershire | B+ | 2.4 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 17 | Kensworth Bedfordshire | B | 1.8 | 79% | 3 | 59% |
| 18 | Burford Oxfordshire | B | 3.5 | 84% | 1.2 | 53% |
| 19 | Tideswell Derbyshire | B | 1.5 | 100% | 1.6 | 97% |
| 20 | Sturminster Marshall Dorset | B | 2 | 100% | 1.4 | 30% |
| 21 | Potterne Wiltshire | B | 1.3 | 77% | 5.1 | 8% |
| 22 | South Godstone Surrey | B | 2 | 100% | 1.8 | 5% |
| 23 | Bridge Kent | B− | 2.2 | 60% | 2.7 | 44% |
| 24 | Foxhole Cornwall | B− | 2.9 | 100% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 25 | Collingtree and Milton Malsor Northamptonshire | B− | 4.9 | 83% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 26 | Carharrack Cornwall | C+ | 0.7 | 80% | 4.2 | 2% |
| 27 | Gilfach Goch Mid Glamorgan | C+ | 2.9 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 28 | Trinant Gwent | C+ | 2.5 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 29 | Mylor Bridge Cornwall | C+ | 1.1 | 63% | 1.2 | 49% |
| 30 | Langley Vale Surrey | C+ | 0.8 | 53% | 5.5 | 7% |
| 31 | Gretton Northamptonshire | C+ | 2.3 | 100% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 32 | Nether Heyford Northamptonshire | C+ | 1.4 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 33 | Bassingham Lincolnshire | C+ | 2.2 | 100% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 34 | Sibsey Lincolnshire | C | 2.4 | 100% | 0.2 | 0% |
| 35 | Kingsley Cheshire | C | 3.4 | 81% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 36 | Flitton Bedfordshire | C | 1.4 | 49% | 3.3 | 6% |
| 37 | Geddington Northamptonshire | C | 3 | 82% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Horndon on the Hill Essex | C | 3.5 | 81% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Freeland Oxfordshire | C | 1.4 | 53% | 2.6 | 17% |
| 40 | Waresley Worcestershire | C | 1.7 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 41 | Alveley Shropshire | C− | 5.4 | 51% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 42 | Haslingfield Cambridgeshire | C− | 2 | 80% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 43 | Yalding Kent | C− | 7.1 | 21% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 44 | Sandleheath Hampshire | C− | 0.1 | 0% | 2.6 | 52% |
| 45 | Tidbury Green West Midlands | C− | 2.4 | 49% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Greens Norton Northamptonshire | C− | 1.2 | 66% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Dalston Cumbria | C− | 3.4 | 66% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 48 | Braunston Northamptonshire | D | 1.8 | 50% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Croft Cheshire | D | 1.1 | 79% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 50 | Heighington County Durham | D | 2.6 | 64% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 51 | Tetney Lincolnshire | D | 1.5 | 79% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 52 | Broadclyst Devon | D | 1.4 | 78% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 53 | Stockton Warwickshire | D | 1.5 | 44% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 54 | Newton-with-Scales Lancashire | D | 1.4 | 76% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 55 | Aberford West Yorkshire | D− | 1.3 | 22% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 56 | Gayton Norfolk | D− | 1.6 | 62% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 57 | Tilney St Lawrence Norfolk | D− | 1.5 | 53% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Leasingham Lincolnshire | D− | 1.3 | 50% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 59 | South Broomhill Northumberland | D− | 0 | 0% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 60 | Great Bricett Suffolk | D− | 1.2 | 0% | 1.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Blackhall Mill’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 Blackhall Mill
The biggest is Derwentside Park, 2.9 ha (7 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
How close Blackhall Mill’s homes are to 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 (100%)Further (0%)
Blackhall Mill100%
Villages its size80%
County Durham towns88%
All UK towns83%
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 191 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The North Pennines National Landscape is 4.1 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 Blackhall Mill scores 0% on it even though the North Pennines National Landscape is 4.1 mi away. Northumberland National Park covers 1,051 km² and has been a National Park since 1957.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
3 waymarked walks pass through or near Blackhall Mill
23 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Blackhall Mill and the kilometre around it, 2.9 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
LocalOther waymarked
Boundary Walk4.9 km
Old Railway Footpath2.1 km
Newlands to Shotley Bridge0.6 km
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 Blackhall Mill: June 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) | 7.8 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 14.0 | 16.1 | 17.3 | 16.8 | 14.9 | 12.6 | 10.3 | 8.3 | 7.2 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 52 | 56 | 51 | 55 | 49 | 67 | 63 | 71 | 63 | 71 | 81 | 73 |
May is the driest month (49 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 81 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 41 nights a year. The climate in Blackhall Mill →
Things to do
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
Blackhall Mill is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
Shingle Beach5.4 mi from Blackhall Mill’s edge
DirectionsShingles5.6 mi from Blackhall Mill’s edge
DirectionsHerd Sand17 mi from Blackhall Mill’s edge
DirectionsThe Haven17 mi from Blackhall Mill’s edge
DirectionsKing Edward's Bay17 mi from Blackhall Mill’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
Nature reserves 2
High Wood2.0 ha · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsMilkwellburn Wood89 ha · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Derwentcote Picnic Area0.5 mi from town
DirectionsEbchester Station Picnic Area0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 8
Plus 8 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.
ChopwellMedomsleyHigh SpenLeadgateDiptonRowlands GillBlackhall Mill
ABCDOutdoors Grade
Chopwell, 1.3 miles away, grades A, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Chopwell has at least twice Blackhall Mill’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Blackhall Mill
What is the biggest park in Blackhall Mill?
Derwentside Park, 2.9 ha (7 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the village or within 400 m of it.
Is Blackhall Mill near a National Park?
Yes. Northumberland National Park begins 16 mi north-west of the village’s edge. It covers 1,051 km² and has been a National Park since 1957. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the North Pennines National Landscape, 4.1 mi away.
What are the best walks near Blackhall Mill?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Boundary Walk, Old Railway Footpath and Newlands to Shotley Bridge.
What is the nearest beach to Blackhall Mill?
Shingle Beach, 5.4 mi from the edge of the village, then Shingles (5.6 mi). Blackhall Mill itself is inland.
How many people in Blackhall Mill live near a park?
100% 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 Mill?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Blackhall Mill good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 58% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 75% (3.4 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 Mill’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Blackhall Mill’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.