Peterlee’s biggest
Welfare Park
Park or garden · 310 m outside town
6.8 ha (17 acres)1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
10 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: peter robinson · CC BY-SA 2.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Peterlee · parks, paths & countryside
Peterlee has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 110 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.2 for every square kilometre. The sea makes up 19% of the area within 5 km. 85% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Peterlee grades A− for the outdoors: #4 of 52 in County Durham. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
85%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
110 km
4.2 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: North York Moors National Park
The sea
19%
of the area within 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Peterlee?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths4.2 km of path per km², more than 83% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.On a National TrailThe King Charles III England Coast Path passes through.Historic parks2 registered historic parks and gardens, including Pasmore Pavilion.
Peterlee’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by the King Charles III England Coast Path.
Outdoors grade
Peterlee grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Peterlee, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
A−
Better than 82% of UK towns#4 of 52 in County Durham · 19th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
54out of
100
100
A park within a walk85%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
57out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.2 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
84out of
100
100
The sea19%of the area within 5 km
89out 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
Peterlee is 19th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 18,600 to 21,200 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
Peterlee4.2
Towns its size3.7
County Durham towns3.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Peterlee2.3
Towns its size2.3
County Durham towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Peterlee85%
Towns its size86%
County Durham towns88%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Peterlee stands out most for path per km²: only 20 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Camborne Cornwall | A+ | 2.2 | 93% | 4 | 8% |
| 2 | Littlehampton West Sussex | A+ | 2.1 | 99% | 3.1 | 18% |
| 3 | Dronfield Derbyshire | A+ | 3.2 | 97% | 5.3 | 9% |
| 4 | Litherland Merseyside | A | 7.3 | 94% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 5 | Buxton Derbyshire | A | 3.5 | 86% | 3.8 | 61% |
| 6 | Faversham Kent | A | 2 | 88% | 3.5 | 24% |
| 7 | Houghton Regis Bedfordshire | A | 3.5 | 81% | 8 | 20% |
| 8 | Colne Lancashire | A | 3.2 | 86% | 5.3 | 8% |
| 9 | Waltham Abbey Essex | A | 11.9 | 92% | 6.7 | 0% |
| 10 | Quedgeley and Hardwicke Gloucestershire | A | 2.1 | 99% | 4.7 | 21% |
| 11 | Farnham Surrey | A | 5.1 | 73% | 4.3 | 35% |
| 12 | Hazlemere Buckinghamshire | A | 2.5 | 81% | 4.7 | 68% |
| 13 | Forest Town Nottinghamshire | A | 6.4 | 94% | 5.7 | 0% |
| 14 | Northwich Cheshire | A | 8.8 | 92% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 15 | Leek Staffordshire | A | 4.2 | 83% | 3.6 | 19% |
| 16 | Stratton St Margaret Wiltshire | A | 3.3 | 82% | 5.1 | 5% |
| 17 | Keynsham Somerset | A | 2.1 | 95% | 4.6 | 11% |
| 18 | Harwich Essex | A− | 1.7 | 95% | 2.1 | 20% |
| 19 | Peterlee County Durham | A− | 2.3 | 85% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 20 | Dukinfield Greater Manchester | A− | 4 | 95% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 21 | Ebbw Vale Gwent | A− | 2 | 92% | 3.3 | 29% |
| 22 | Rothwell West Yorkshire | A− | 3.4 | 91% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 23 | Mansfield Woodhouse Nottinghamshire | A− | 2.8 | 94% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 24 | Devizes Wiltshire | A− | 1.8 | 91% | 3.2 | 38% |
| 25 | Walkden Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.4 | 92% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 26 | Belper Derbyshire | B+ | 2.4 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 27 | Eastwood Nottinghamshire | B+ | 2.6 | 93% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 28 | Hythe and Dibden Purlieu Hampshire | B+ | 0.8 | 49% | 4.4 | 44% |
| 29 | Sandhurst Berkshire | B+ | 5.1 | 79% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 30 | Hazel Grove Greater Manchester | B+ | 2.9 | 62% | 4.2 | 3% |
| 31 | Mirfield West Yorkshire | B | 2.5 | 90% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Ripley Derbyshire | B | 2.4 | 91% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Irlam Greater Manchester | B | 3.1 | 95% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 34 | Cradley Heath West Midlands | B | 3.3 | 76% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 35 | Penwortham Lancashire | B | 2.9 | 91% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Ely Cambridgeshire | B | 2.7 | 88% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 37 | Stanley County Durham | B | 1.7 | 88% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 38 | Stourport-on-Severn Worcestershire | B | 3.1 | 79% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 39 | Romsey Hampshire | B− | 1.2 | 82% | 4.5 | 2% |
| 40 | Ware Hertfordshire | B− | 2 | 81% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 41 | Calne Wiltshire | B− | 1.3 | 88% | 2.4 | 33% |
| 42 | Wednesbury West Midlands | B− | 2.7 | 93% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 43 | Dereham Norfolk | B− | 1.8 | 90% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Failsworth Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.8 | 77% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 45 | Clevedon Somerset | C+ | 1.1 | 69% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 46 | Rawmarsh South Yorkshire | C+ | 2 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 47 | Bideford Devon | C+ | 0.9 | 83% | 1 | 11% |
| 48 | Newmarket Suffolk | C+ | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 49 | Knowle and Dorridge West Midlands | C+ | 2.7 | 82% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Spennymoor County Durham | C+ | 2.1 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Thornton Lancashire | C | 2.1 | 71% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Nantwich Cheshire | C | 2.2 | 86% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 53 | Horwich Greater Manchester | C | 1.8 | 67% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 54 | Maghull Merseyside | C− | 1.6 | 86% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 55 | Skegness Lincolnshire | C− | 0.9 | 58% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 56 | Willerby and Anlaby East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 1.6 | 46% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Selby North Yorkshire | C− | 1.6 | 81% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 58 | Goole East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 1.7 | 81% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 59 | Stamford Lincolnshire | D | 1.3 | 64% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 60 | Tiverton Devon | D | 1.5 | 59% | 2.6 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Peterlee’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 Peterlee
The biggest is Welfare Park, 6.8 ha (17 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Woodhouse Park
Park or garden
4.7 ha (12 acres)1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Peterlee
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
8 in 10 Peterlee 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 (85%)Further (15%)
Peterlee85%
Towns its size86%
County Durham towns88%
All UK towns83%
About 3,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 26 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 760 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The North York Moors National Park is 18 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
North York Moors National Park covers 1,441 km² and has been a National Park since 1952.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
5 waymarked walks pass through or near Peterlee
110 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Peterlee and the kilometre around it, 4.2 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalRegionalLocal
King Charles III England Coast Path: North Gare to South Bents7.6 km
Durham Coastal Path7.5 km
Way of Love4.7 km
Yew Tree Trail3.5 km
Squirrel Trail2.8 km
The King Charles III England Coast Path, a national route, passes Peterlee. Close to home, the Durham Coastal Path has 8 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.
History along the way
2 registered historic parks in Peterlee
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Peterlee’s named parks.
Registered · Grade IIPasmore Pavilion0.5 ha
Registered · Grade IIThe Castle, Castle Eden1.3 ha
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 Peterlee: June, July and 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) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 51 | 49 | 47 | 54 | 49 | 65 | 68 | 77 | 61 | 78 | 86 | 67 |
March is the driest month (47 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 86 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 38 nights a year. The climate in Peterlee →
The coast
Peterlee is near the sea
19% of the area within 5 km of Peterlee is sea. 7 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 3 with a name.
Shippersea Bay2.0 mi from town
DirectionsHawthorn Hive2.5 mi from town
DirectionsBlast Beach3.1 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
2 viewpoints and 26 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.
Hills and peaks 1
Plus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 26
Plus 26 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.
HordenEasingtonShotton CollieryBlackhall CollieryWingateWheatley HillPeterlee
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peterlee | A− | 2.3 | 85% | 0% |
| Horden 1.1 mi | A− | 2.1 | 82% | 0% |
| Easington 1.7 mi | A− | 5.0 | 94% | 0% |
| Shotton Colliery 1.9 mi | D− | 0.9 | 40% | 0% |
| Blackhall Colliery 2.4 mi | B | 1.1 | 95% | 0% |
| Wingate 2.6 mi | D− | 1.0 | 64% | 0% |
| Wheatley Hill 3.3 mi | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 0% |
Easington, 1.7 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 94% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Easington has at least twice Peterlee’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Peterlee
What is the biggest park in Peterlee?
Welfare Park, 6.8 ha (17 acres), with 1.4 km of path, just outside the built-up area. Woodhouse Park (4.7 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Peterlee near a National Park?
Yes. North York Moors National Park begins 18 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 Peterlee?
5 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 Peterlee live near a park?
85% 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 Peterlee?
June, July and September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Peterlee are historic?
Pasmore Pavilion (Grade II) and The Castle, Castle Eden (Grade II) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Peterlee good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.2 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 84% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 54% (2.3 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 Peterlee’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Peterlee’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.