Church of St Michael and All Angels · Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.0Almost everyone in Witton Gilbert lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Footpaths add up to 30 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.9 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Witton Gilbert add up to 2.1 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Witton Gilbert grades B+ for the outdoors: #10 of 52 in County Durham. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Witton Gilbert?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Witton Gilbert’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by dense footpaths.
Witton Gilbert grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Witton Gilbert, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
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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.
Witton Gilbert is 17th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,400 to 2,600 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, Witton Gilbert stands out most for path per km²: only 5 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rawnsley Staffordshire | A+ | 17.7 | 100% | 3.7 | 36% |
| 2 | Shalford Surrey | A+ | 14.9 | 89% | 4.8 | 47% |
| 3 | Silloth Cumbria | A+ | 7.3 | 100% | 1.4 | 17% |
| 4 | Hopton on Sea Norfolk | A+ | 6.7 | 100% | 1.6 | 2% |
| 5 | Binley Woods Warwickshire | A | 5.5 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 6 | Rowhedge Essex | A | 1.6 | 100% | 6.4 | 0% |
| 7 | Maple Cross Hertfordshire | A | 3.1 | 100% | 2.9 | 14% |
| 8 | Hawley Hampshire | A | 6.9 | 92% | 5.8 | 0% |
| 9 | Chopwell Tyne and Wear | A | 7.5 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 10 | Longford Gloucestershire | A | 11.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 11 | Drybrook Gloucestershire | A− | 3.9 | 83% | 3.4 | 10% |
| 12 | South Anston South Yorkshire | A− | 3.5 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 13 | Stewartby Bedfordshire | A− | 21 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Saundersfoot Dyfed | A− | 10.2 | 69% | 0.9 | 19% |
| 15 | Porthmadog Gwynedd | B+ | 0.9 | 94% | 2 | 41% |
| 16 | Thornley County Durham | B+ | 3.2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 17 | Witton Gilbert County Durham | B+ | 2.1 | 100% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 18 | Craven Arms Shropshire | B | 1.3 | 87% | 2.9 | 59% |
| 19 | Barlestone Leicestershire | B | 3 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 20 | Farndon Nottinghamshire | B | 3.8 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 21 | Oakley Bedfordshire | B | 3.2 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 22 | Pannal North Yorkshire | B− | 3.7 | 77% | 3 | 0% |
| 23 | Coundon and Leeholme County Durham | B− | 4.4 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 24 | Brewood Staffordshire | B− | 3 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 25 | Kelvedon Hatch Essex | B− | 7.3 | 77% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 26 | Seer Green Buckinghamshire | B− | 1.7 | 38% | 3.8 | 35% |
| 27 | Ash Green Warwickshire | B− | 3.4 | 67% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 28 | Timsbury Somerset | B− | 2.7 | 68% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 29 | Bishop's Itchington Warwickshire | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 30 | Crossways Dorset | C+ | 0.5 | 100% | 1.8 | 22% |
| 31 | Shepley West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.6 | 87% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 32 | Widdrington Station Northumberland | C+ | 1 | 88% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 33 | Caton Lancashire | C+ | 1.2 | 72% | 2.2 | 67% |
| 34 | Steeple Claydon Buckinghamshire | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 35 | Whittington Staffordshire | C | 7.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Stratton Gloucestershire | C | 0.7 | 46% | 3.3 | 70% |
| 37 | Great Houghton South Yorkshire | C | 1.8 | 100% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 38 | Tycroes Dyfed | C | 3.5 | 80% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Llandybie Dyfed | C | 2.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 13% |
| 40 | Laleham Surrey | C | 9.8 | 34% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Ash (Dover) Kent | C | 2.3 | 72% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 42 | Willaston (Cheshire West and Chester) Cheshire | C− | 4.2 | 60% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 43 | Upper Heyford Oxfordshire | C− | 1.1 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Hatton Derbyshire | C− | 3.3 | 61% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 45 | Loggerheads Staffordshire | C− | 1.2 | 86% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Cwm Gwent | C− | 2 | 12% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Cliffe Kent | C− | 1.1 | 55% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 48 | Probus Cornwall | C− | 0.6 | 75% | 1.5 | 15% |
| 49 | Maulden Bedfordshire | D | 0.9 | 55% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 50 | East Harling Norfolk | D | 1.7 | 85% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Lampeter Dyfed | D | 1.5 | 88% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 52 | Long Crendon Buckinghamshire | D | 1.4 | 86% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 53 | Mawsley Village Northamptonshire | D | 1.5 | 71% | 2 | 0% |
| 54 | Fordham Cambridgeshire | D | 2.3 | 35% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 55 | Long Itchington Warwickshire | D | 2.1 | 45% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Clophill Bedfordshire | D | 0.7 | 41% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 57 | Silverstone Northamptonshire | D | 1.1 | 0% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 58 | Nafferton East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.3 | 56% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Holme upon Spalding Moor East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.5 | 41% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Rhos West Glamorgan | D− | 1 | 58% | 0.8 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Witton Gilbert’s built-up area.
How close Witton Gilbert’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).
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 361 residents.
The North Pennines National Landscape is 8.4 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.
4 waymarked walks pass through or near Witton Gilbert
30 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Witton Gilbert and the kilometre around it, 3.9 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Close to home, the H100 - Witton Gilbert 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.
The best walking months in Witton Gilbert: May and July 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) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 57 | 53 | 45 | 53 | 49 | 74 | 65 | 71 | 59 | 66 | 75 | 65 |
March is the driest month (45 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 75 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 48 nights a year. The climate in Witton Gilbert →
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
Witton Gilbert is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
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 1
Plus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 7
Plus 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witton Gilbert | B+ | 2.1 | 100% | 0% |
| Sacriston 0.8 mi | C+ | 2.1 | 72% | 0% |
| Langley Park 1.8 mi | C | 0.8 | 84% | 0% |
| Ushaw Moor and Bearpark 2.1 mi | C+ | 1.6 | 82% | 0% |
| New Brancepeth 2.9 mi | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 0% |
| Burnhope 3.1 mi | B+ | 3.1 | 100% | 0% |
| Durham 3.3 mi | C | 1.1 | 68% | 0% |
New Brancepeth, 2.9 miles away, grades B+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Witton Gilbert
Is Witton Gilbert near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the North Pennines National Landscape, 8.4 mi west of the town’s edge. It covers 1,985 km² and was designated in 1988.
What are the best walks near Witton Gilbert?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the H100 - Witton Gilbert, Small Pilgrim Places and Way of Light.
What is the nearest beach to Witton Gilbert?
Hendon Beach, 12 mi from the edge of the town, then Blast Beach (12 mi). Witton Gilbert itself is inland.
How many people in Witton Gilbert 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 Witton Gilbert?
May and July to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Witton Gilbert good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 78% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 48% (2.1 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 Witton Gilbert’s overall grade.
Where Witton Gilbert’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.