Photo: Robert Graham · CC BY-SA 2.055% of the land within 5 km of Wolsingham is National Park or National Landscape
The North Pennines National Landscape reaches the edge of Wolsingham. 37 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 3.9 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Wolsingham add up to 2.7 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Wolsingham grades A+ for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors village is Wolsingham?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Wolsingham’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep, followed by parks close to every home.
Wolsingham grades A+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Wolsingham, 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.
Wolsingham is 2nd of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,300 to 2,500 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against villages its size, Wolsingham stands out most for path per km²: only 7 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 | Wolsingham County Durham | A+ | 2.7 | 100% | 3.9 | 55% |
| 3 | Eton Berkshire | A | 22.9 | 100% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 4 | Aldeburgh Suffolk | A | 2.3 | 88% | 2.3 | 41% |
| 5 | Lyndhurst Hampshire | A | 3.6 | 73% | 4.3 | 100% |
| 6 | St Margaret's at Cliffe Kent | A | 2.3 | 90% | 2.4 | 15% |
| 7 | Old Stratford Northamptonshire | A | 9.8 | 100% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 8 | Little Clacton Essex | A− | 3.6 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 9 | Awsworth Nottinghamshire | A− | 2.4 | 100% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 10 | Upton upon Severn Worcestershire | A− | 4.9 | 90% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 11 | Colerne Wiltshire | A− | 3.1 | 86% | 2.4 | 84% |
| 12 | West Wick Somerset | A− | 1.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 16% |
| 13 | Tanfield Lea County Durham | A− | 3.8 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Higher Folds Greater Manchester | A− | 2.8 | 90% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 15 | Sway Hampshire | B+ | 2.9 | 38% | 4 | 74% |
| 16 | Kington Herefordshire | B+ | 3.9 | 89% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 17 | Williton Somerset | B+ | 1.1 | 88% | 2.1 | 31% |
| 18 | Cotford St Luke Somerset | B+ | 2.2 | 100% | 2.2 | 6% |
| 19 | Henlow Bedfordshire | B | 2.4 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 20 | Nant-y-moel Mid Glamorgan | B | 7 | 100% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 21 | Chattenden Kent | B | 1.4 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 22 | Farndon Nottinghamshire | B | 3.8 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 23 | Middlestown and Overton West Yorkshire | B− | 1.5 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 24 | Alresford Essex | B− | 1.3 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 25 | Watlington Oxfordshire | B− | 2.3 | 67% | 2.4 | 55% |
| 26 | Wootton (Vale of White Horse) Oxfordshire | B− | 3.4 | 84% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 27 | Redlynch and Woodfalls Wiltshire | B− | 2.1 | 34% | 3.1 | 59% |
| 28 | Riccall North Yorkshire | B− | 2.9 | 100% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 29 | Llanrwst Clwyd | C+ | 2.2 | 75% | 1.6 | 45% |
| 30 | Renishaw Derbyshire | C+ | 0.6 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 31 | Shelley Essex | C+ | 0.7 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 32 | Hendreforgan Mid Glamorgan | C+ | 2.7 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Witchford Cambridgeshire | C+ | 1.9 | 100% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Grendon Warwickshire | C+ | 8.1 | 71% | 2 | 0% |
| 35 | Coven Staffordshire | C+ | 3.6 | 87% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Ruspidge Gloucestershire | C+ | 2 | 46% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 37 | Whittington Staffordshire | C | 7.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Pontycymer Mid Glamorgan | C | 2.2 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 39 | Tycroes Dyfed | C | 3.5 | 80% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 40 | South Milford North Yorkshire | C | 1.7 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Bugle Cornwall | C− | 1.8 | 92% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 42 | Hambleton Lancashire | C− | 2.3 | 14% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 43 | Eggborough North Yorkshire | C− | 1.5 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 44 | Wilstead Bedfordshire | C− | 1.7 | 88% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 45 | Willaston (Cheshire West and Chester) Cheshire | C− | 4.2 | 60% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 46 | Marshfield Gwent | C− | 1 | 85% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 47 | Upper Heyford Oxfordshire | C− | 1.1 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 48 | Aberfan Mid Glamorgan | C− | 4.5 | 58% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Cornforth County Durham | C− | 1.9 | 66% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Brown Edge Staffordshire | C− | 1.1 | 88% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 51 | Eastry Kent | D | 2 | 77% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Llanhilleth Gwent | D | 1.3 | 71% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Leyburn North Yorkshire | D | 0.6 | 22% | 2 | 16% |
| 54 | Broughton Lancashire | D | 1.7 | 45% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 55 | Fishburn County Durham | D | 1.5 | 76% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 56 | Parbold Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 36% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 57 | Aston-on-Trent Derbyshire | D | 1.5 | 44% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Myerscough Smithy Lancashire | D | 0.5 | 45% | 3 | 0% |
| 59 | Garden City Clwyd | D− | 1.5 | 58% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Shipdham Norfolk | D− | 1 | 59% | 0.8 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Wolsingham’s built-up area.
Everyone in Wolsingham 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).
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
National Parks and National Landscapes around Wolsingham
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 Pennines
55% of the land within 5 km of Wolsingham is National Park or National Landscape, more than 93% of UK towns. Yorkshire Dales National Park covers 2,185 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Wolsingham
37 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Wolsingham 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 village.
The regional route here is the Weardale Way.
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 Wolsingham: 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 | 10.4 | 8.3 | 7.3 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 75 | 66 | 58 | 58 | 51 | 66 | 66 | 70 | 66 | 78 | 88 | 84 |
May is the driest month (51 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 88 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 59 nights a year. The climate in Wolsingham →
2 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
Wolsingham is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
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
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 2
Plus 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolsingham | A+ | 2.7 | 100% | 55% |
| Tow Law 2.8 mi | A− | 4.1 | 100% | 21% |
| Stanhope 5.1 mi | A+ | 7.7 | 100% | 86% |
| Billy Row 5.4 mi | B | 2.3 | 100% | 0% |
| Crook 5.5 mi | C+ | 1.5 | 85% | 0% |
| Castleside 7.1 mi | B+ | 0.9 | 100% | 42% |
| Esh Winning 7.3 mi | A− | 3.2 | 100% | 0% |
Stanhope, 5.1 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Stanhope has at least twice Wolsingham’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Wolsingham
Is Wolsingham near a National Park?
Yes. Yorkshire Dales National Park begins 18 mi south of the village’s edge. It covers 2,185 km² and has been a National Park since 1954. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the North Pennines National Landscape, at the edge of the village.
What are the best walks near Wolsingham?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Weardale Way and Wolsingham Family Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Wolsingham?
Shingle Beach, 18 mi from the edge of the village, then Shingles (18 mi). Wolsingham itself is inland.
How many people in Wolsingham 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 Wolsingham?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Wolsingham good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 79% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 65% (2.7 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 Wolsingham’s overall grade.
Where Wolsingham’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.