Lanchester’s biggest
The Green
Park or garden
0.3 ha (1 acres)
Centralin the middle of Lanchester
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0DOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Lanchester · parks, paths & countryside
Parks and walks in Lanchester
The North Pennines National Landscape begins 4.3 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Lanchester add up to 1.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 70% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Lanchester grades D for the outdoors: #48 of 52 in County Durham. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
70%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
21 km
2.1 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 4.3 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Lanchester?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Countryside close byThe North Pennines National Landscape starts 4.3 mi west.Less park per person1.4 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Lanchester’s strongest suit is the North Pennines National Landscape close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Lanchester grades D for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Lanchester, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
D
Better than 11% of UK towns#48 of 52 in County Durham · 54th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
23out of
100
100
A park within a walk70%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
31out 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
Footpaths2.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
33out 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
Lanchester is 54th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,400 to 3,700 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
Lanchester2.1
Towns its size2.7
County Durham towns3.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Lanchester1.4
Towns its size2.2
County Durham towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Lanchester70%
Towns its size83%
County Durham towns88%
All UK towns83%
Lanchester falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 43 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lane End Buckinghamshire | A+ | 3.1 | 92% | 4.7 | 90% |
| 2 | Silsoe Bedfordshire | A+ | 6.6 | 100% | 3.8 | 2% |
| 3 | Goring Oxfordshire | A+ | 3 | 100% | 3.2 | 98% |
| 4 | Leonard Stanley and King's Stanley Gloucestershire | A | 2 | 100% | 4.6 | 51% |
| 5 | Talke and Talke Pits Staffordshire | A | 16.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 6 | Bishopston West Glamorgan | A | 3 | 47% | 3.1 | 41% |
| 7 | Kingsbury Warwickshire | A− | 17.2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 8 | Shenley Hertfordshire | A− | 6.1 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 9 | Elsenham Essex | A− | 3 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Westward Ho! Devon | A− | 12.3 | 63% | 1.7 | 18% |
| 11 | Taff's Well Mid Glamorgan | A− | 2.3 | 100% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 12 | Grassmoor Derbyshire | A− | 6.8 | 85% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 13 | Church Stretton Shropshire | A− | 2.2 | 68% | 4.7 | 92% |
| 14 | Essington Staffordshire | B+ | 6.8 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 15 | Blaenau Ffestiniog Gwynedd | B+ | 3.6 | 70% | 2.5 | 78% |
| 16 | St Asaph Clwyd | B+ | 3.2 | 100% | 1.6 | 9% |
| 17 | Water Orton Warwickshire | B+ | 5.3 | 82% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 18 | Hartley Wintney Hampshire | B+ | 6.1 | 82% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Chartham Kent | B | 2.3 | 67% | 3.3 | 44% |
| 20 | Roade Northamptonshire | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Brockenhurst Hampshire | B | 1.8 | 63% | 3.3 | 98% |
| 22 | Llanfairfechan Clwyd | B | 1 | 48% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 23 | Sturminster Newton Dorset | B | 1.4 | 85% | 3.6 | 5% |
| 24 | Sunniside Tyne and Wear | B | 2.1 | 87% | 4 | 0% |
| 25 | Gunnislake and St Ann's Chapel Cornwall | B− | 2.5 | 64% | 2.3 | 66% |
| 26 | Belton Norfolk | B− | 1.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 48% |
| 27 | Ruabon Clwyd | B− | 3.8 | 69% | 1.9 | 20% |
| 28 | Burtonwood Cheshire | B− | 3.3 | 93% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 29 | Theydon Bois Essex | B− | 2.4 | 70% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 30 | Castle Cary Somerset | B− | 2.2 | 91% | 3 | 0% |
| 31 | Pilsley and Lower Pilsley Derbyshire | B− | 1.9 | 91% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 32 | Bembridge Isle of Wight | B− | 1.5 | 50% | 2.3 | 7% |
| 33 | Penllergaer West Glamorgan | B− | 21 | 83% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 34 | Langport Somerset | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 35 | Kirkheaton West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.8 | 92% | 3 | 0% |
| 36 | Broomfield Essex | C+ | 2.7 | 45% | 5 | 0% |
| 37 | Fishguard Dyfed | C+ | 0.8 | 64% | 2.1 | 23% |
| 38 | Woodstock Oxfordshire | C+ | 1 | 80% | 3 | 11% |
| 39 | Boreham Essex | C+ | 1.1 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 40 | Thorpe Willoughby North Yorkshire | C | 0.4 | 92% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Cosby Leicestershire | C | 1.6 | 93% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 42 | Upper Poppleton North Yorkshire | C | 2.9 | 82% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 43 | Marden Kent | C | 1.8 | 71% | 2.1 | 3% |
| 44 | Nettleham Lincolnshire | C | 4.2 | 74% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 45 | Goff's Oak Hertfordshire | C− | 2.4 | 41% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Bramhope West Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 0% | 2.7 | 2% |
| 47 | Holsworthy Devon | C− | 2.7 | 84% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 48 | Lytchett Matravers Dorset | C− | 1.2 | 83% | 1.2 | 5% |
| 49 | Tylorstown and Pontygwaith Mid Glamorgan | C− | 2.3 | 63% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 50 | Willand Devon | C− | 0.9 | 88% | 0.6 | 1% |
| 51 | Snaith East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 0.2 | 89% | 2 | 0% |
| 52 | Witham St Hughs Lincolnshire | D | 0.7 | 91% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Chapel St Leonards Lincolnshire | D | 0.4 | 53% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 54 | Lanchester County Durham | D | 1.4 | 70% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Metheringham Lincolnshire | D | 0.8 | 44% | 3 | 0% |
| 56 | Bilsthorpe Nottinghamshire | D | 0.7 | 88% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 57 | Cherry Willingham Lincolnshire | D | 1 | 79% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 58 | Spixworth Norfolk | D | 0.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 5% |
| 59 | Wollaston Northamptonshire | D− | 1.2 | 11% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 60 | Barlby North Yorkshire | D− | 0.2 | 0% | 1.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Lanchester’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 Lanchester
The biggest is The Green, 0.3 ha (1 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
7 in 10 Lanchester 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 (70%)Further (30%)
Lanchester70%
Towns its size83%
County Durham towns88%
All UK towns83%
About 1,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 7 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 501 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The North Pennines National Landscape is 4.3 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 Lanchester scores 0% on it even though the North Pennines National Landscape is 4.3 mi away.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Lanchester
21 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Lanchester and the kilometre around it, 2.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Way of Light9.5 km
Heritage 100 - Lanchester7.2 km
Close to home, the Heritage 100 - Lanchester has 7 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Way of Light.
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 Lanchester: June 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 | 10.3 | 8.3 | 7.2 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 65 | 46 | 44 | 66 | 52 | 77 | 70 | 73 | 51 | 76 | 75 | 82 |
March is the driest month (44 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 82 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 51 nights a year. The climate in Lanchester →
Things to do
7 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
Lanchester is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Shingles10 mi from Lanchester’s edge
DirectionsShingle Beach10 mi from Lanchester’s edge
DirectionsHendon Beach16 mi from Lanchester’s edge
DirectionsBlast Beach16 mi from Lanchester’s edge
DirectionsHawthorn Hive17 mi from Lanchester’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.
Up high. Humber Hill, at 270 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Lanchester.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 1
Humber Hill270 m (887 ft) · 1.2 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 2
Burnhope Pond14 ha · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsMalton Nature Reserve6.0 ha · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Malton Picnic Area0.4 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 7
Denesidein town
DirectionsLanchester Play Areain town
DirectionsPlus 5 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.
BurnhopeAnnfield PlainLangley ParkLeadgateEsh WinningStanleyLanchester
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanchester | D | 1.4 | 70% | 0% |
| Burnhope 1.5 mi | B+ | 3.1 | 100% | 0% |
| Annfield Plain 2.7 mi | B+ | 3.4 | 93% | 0% |
| Langley Park 3.2 mi | C | 0.8 | 84% | 0% |
| Leadgate 3.6 mi | C+ | 1.5 | 91% | 1% |
| Esh Winning 3.7 mi | A− | 3.2 | 100% | 0% |
| Stanley 3.7 mi | B | 1.7 | 88% | 0% |
Esh Winning, 3.7 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Burnhope, Annfield Plain and Esh Winning have at least twice Lanchester’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Lanchester
What is the biggest park in Lanchester?
The Green, 0.3 ha (1 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Lanchester near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the North Pennines National Landscape, 4.3 mi west of the town’s edge. It covers 1,985 km² and was designated in 1988.
What are the best walks near Lanchester?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Way of Light and Heritage 100 - Lanchester.
What is the nearest beach to Lanchester?
Shingles, 10 mi from the edge of the town, then Shingle Beach (10 mi). Lanchester itself is inland.
How many people in Lanchester 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 Lanchester?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Lanchester good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 2.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 33% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 23% (1.4 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 Lanchester’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Lanchester’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.