Belper’s biggest
The Park
Park or garden
18 ha (44 acres)4.0 km of path
55 minto walk all 4 km of path
25 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Belper
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Alan Murray-Rust · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Belper · parks, paths & countryside
Belper has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 95 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.1 for every square kilometre. 94% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Parks and playing fields in Belper add up to 2.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Belper grades B+ for the outdoors: #24 of 59 in Derbyshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
94%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
95 km
4.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Peak District National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Belper?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths4.1 km of path per km², more than 83% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Historic parksRiver Gardens is a registered historic park (Grade II*).
Belper’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by its historic parks.
Outdoors grade
Belper grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Belper, 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 69% of UK towns#24 of 59 in Derbyshire · 23rd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
58out of
100
100
A park within a walk94%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
74out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
83out 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
Belper is 23rd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 17,800 to 20,500 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
Belper4.1
Towns its size3.3
Derbyshire towns3.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Belper2.4
Towns its size2.2
Derbyshire towns2.2
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Belper94%
Towns its size86%
Derbyshire towns86%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Belper stands out most for path per km²: only 17 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 | Litherland Merseyside | A | 7.3 | 94% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 4 | Buxton Derbyshire | A | 3.5 | 86% | 3.8 | 61% |
| 5 | Houghton Regis Bedfordshire | A | 3.5 | 81% | 8 | 20% |
| 6 | Brixham Devon | A | 3.1 | 76% | 2.5 | 30% |
| 7 | Colne Lancashire | A | 3.2 | 86% | 5.3 | 8% |
| 8 | Waltham Abbey Essex | A | 11.9 | 92% | 6.7 | 0% |
| 9 | Hazlemere Buckinghamshire | A | 2.5 | 81% | 4.7 | 68% |
| 10 | Forest Town Nottinghamshire | A | 6.4 | 94% | 5.7 | 0% |
| 11 | Northwich Cheshire | A | 8.8 | 92% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 12 | Leek Staffordshire | A | 4.2 | 83% | 3.6 | 19% |
| 13 | Keynsham Somerset | A | 2.1 | 95% | 4.6 | 11% |
| 14 | Abbots Langley and Kings Langley Hertfordshire | A | 3.8 | 88% | 3.6 | 3% |
| 15 | Harwich Essex | A− | 1.7 | 95% | 2.1 | 20% |
| 16 | Peterlee County Durham | A− | 2.3 | 85% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 17 | Ebbw Vale Gwent | A− | 2 | 92% | 3.3 | 29% |
| 18 | Mansfield Woodhouse Nottinghamshire | A− | 2.8 | 94% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 19 | Devizes Wiltshire | A− | 1.8 | 91% | 3.2 | 38% |
| 20 | Alton Hampshire | B+ | 2.6 | 82% | 3 | 27% |
| 21 | Glossop Derbyshire | B+ | 1.5 | 78% | 4.2 | 60% |
| 22 | Walkden Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.4 | 92% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 23 | Belper Derbyshire | B+ | 2.4 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 24 | Eastwood Nottinghamshire | B+ | 2.6 | 93% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 25 | Hythe and Dibden Purlieu Hampshire | B+ | 0.8 | 49% | 4.4 | 44% |
| 26 | Sandhurst Berkshire | B+ | 5.1 | 79% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 27 | Warminster Wiltshire | B+ | 1.7 | 86% | 3 | 44% |
| 28 | Hazel Grove Greater Manchester | B+ | 2.9 | 62% | 4.2 | 3% |
| 29 | Mirfield West Yorkshire | B | 2.5 | 90% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 30 | Ripley Derbyshire | B | 2.4 | 91% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 31 | Irlam Greater Manchester | B | 3.1 | 95% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 32 | Cradley Heath West Midlands | B | 3.3 | 76% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 33 | Penwortham Lancashire | B | 2.9 | 91% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 34 | Ely Cambridgeshire | B | 2.7 | 88% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 35 | Stanley County Durham | B | 1.7 | 88% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 36 | Shaw Greater Manchester | B | 1.9 | 96% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 37 | Stourport-on-Severn Worcestershire | B | 3.1 | 79% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 38 | Romsey Hampshire | B− | 1.2 | 82% | 4.5 | 2% |
| 39 | Ware Hertfordshire | B− | 2 | 81% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 40 | Guisborough North Yorkshire | B− | 1.5 | 80% | 2.6 | 35% |
| 41 | Calne Wiltshire | B− | 1.3 | 88% | 2.4 | 33% |
| 42 | Wednesbury West Midlands | B− | 2.7 | 93% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 43 | Carterton Oxfordshire | B− | 2.1 | 82% | 2 | 13% |
| 44 | Failsworth Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.8 | 77% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 45 | Rawmarsh South Yorkshire | C+ | 2 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 46 | Maesteg Mid Glamorgan | C+ | 2 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 47 | Melksham Wiltshire | C+ | 2.2 | 87% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 48 | Bideford Devon | C+ | 0.9 | 83% | 1 | 11% |
| 49 | Newmarket Suffolk | C+ | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Knowle and Dorridge West Midlands | C+ | 2.7 | 82% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 51 | Adwick le Street South Yorkshire | C+ | 2.8 | 89% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Spennymoor County Durham | C+ | 2.1 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Thornton Lancashire | C | 2.1 | 71% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 54 | Nantwich Cheshire | C | 2.2 | 86% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 55 | Sleaford Lincolnshire | C | 1.7 | 93% | 2 | 0% |
| 56 | Maghull Merseyside | C− | 1.6 | 86% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 57 | Willerby and Anlaby East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 1.6 | 46% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Selby North Yorkshire | C− | 1.6 | 81% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 59 | Goole East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 1.7 | 81% | 1.4 | 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 Belper’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 Belper
The biggest is The Park, 18 ha (44 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 7 named parks by size: 23 ha (57 acres) and 5 km of path
Parks & gardens 20 haPlaying fields 2.5 ha
The two biggest, The Park and River Gardens, are 84% of the named green space and carry 5 km of path between them. 5 of the 7 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Historic park · Grade II*
River Gardens
Park or garden
1.5 ha (4 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Belper Town Football Club
Playing field
2.2 ha (6 acres)
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Crich Lane Festival Park
Park or garden
0.6 ha (1 acres)0.2 km of path
Centralin the middle of Belper
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Belper Memorial Garden
Park or garden
0.4 ha (1 acres)0.2 km of path
0.5 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Beaurepaire Garden
Park or garden
0.2 ha (0 acres)0.2 km of path
0.7 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Whitehouse Rise Recreation Ground
Playing field
0.3 ha (1 acres)
1.1 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
9 in 10 Belper 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 (94%)Further (6%)
Belper94%
Towns its size86%
Derbyshire towns86%
All UK towns83%
About 1,100 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 38 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 502 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Peak District National Park is 6.2 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
Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
8 waymarked walks pass through or near Belper
95 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Belper and the kilometre around it, 4.1 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
Amber Valley Routeway Walk 1411.0 km
Derwent Valley Heritage Way8.6 km
Midshires Way7.9 km
Amber Valley Routeways Walk 112.1 km
Amber Valley Routeway Walk 81.6 km
Amber Valley Routeway Walk 101.3 km
Amber Valley Routeway Walk 51.1 km
Amber Valley Routeways Walk 200.6 km
Close to home, the Amber Valley Routeway Walk 14 has 11 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 2 regional routes pass through, including the Derwent Valley Heritage Way and Midshires Way.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
A historic park in the middle of Belper
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Belper’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade II*
River Gardens
1.5 ha. A registered historic park (Grade II*). 0 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge.
Heritage walks
Derwent Valley Heritage Way 8.6 km
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 Belper: May 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) | 8.1 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.8 | 16.9 | 16.4 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.6 | 7.6 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 70 | 69 | 58 | 59 | 57 | 80 | 73 | 77 | 73 | 89 | 88 | 87 |
May is the driest month (57 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 89 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 48 nights a year. The climate in Belper →
Things to do
38 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
Belper is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Beach18 mi from Belper’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. Pinchom's Hill, at 171 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Belper.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 3
Pinchom's Hill171 m (561 ft) · 0.2 mi from town
DirectionsBessalone182 m (597 ft) · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsFirestone Hill191 m (627 ft) · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Wyver Lane Nature Reserve16 ha · 0.4 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 38
The Scotches Play Areain town
DirectionsMilford Play Area0.5 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 36 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Broadholme Lane Caravan Park0.3 mi from town
DirectionsNext door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
MilfordHolbrookHeageDenby BottlesAmbergateKilburn and Horsley WoodhouseBelper
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belper | B+ | 2.4 | 94% | 0% |
| Milford 1.5 mi | C+ | 1.4 | 100% | 0% |
| Holbrook 1.6 mi | B− | 4.2 | 55% | 0% |
| Heage 1.6 mi | C | 1.9 | 78% | 0% |
| Denby Bottles 1.9 mi | B | 1.4 | 100% | 0% |
| Ambergate 2.2 mi | B+ | 2.4 | 100% | 0% |
| Kilburn and Horsley Woodhouse 2.4 mi | C | 1.6 | 75% | 0% |
Ambergate, 2.2 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 Belper
What is the biggest park in Belper?
The Park, 18 ha (44 acres), with 4 km of path. River Gardens (1.5 ha) is second. 7 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Belper near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 6.2 mi north-west of the town’s edge. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Belper?
8 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Amber Valley Routeway Walk 14, Derwent Valley Heritage Way and Midshires Way. The Park alone has 4 km of path.
What is the nearest beach to Belper?
The Beach, 18 mi from the edge of the town. Belper itself is inland.
How many people in Belper live near a park?
94% 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 Belper?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Belper are historic?
River Gardens (Grade II*) is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Belper good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 83% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 58% (2.4 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 Belper’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Belper’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.