Gamesley’s biggest
Glossop Rugby Union Football Club
Playing field · 390 m outside town
2.4 ha (6 acres)0.1 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent. · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Gamesley · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Gamesley lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Footpaths add up to 35 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 5.0 for every square kilometre. The Peak District National Park begins 0.6 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Gamesley add up to 0.8 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Gamesley grades A− for the outdoors: #16 of 59 in Derbyshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
0.8 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
35 km
5.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
32%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Peak District National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Gamesley?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.A town of footpaths5.0 km of path per km², more than 92% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Protected countryside32% of the land within 5 km is Peak District National Park.Less park per person0.8 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Gamesley’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by dense footpaths. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Gamesley grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Gamesley, 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 83% of UK towns#16 of 59 in Derbyshire · 9th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space0.8 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
8out of
100
100
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
89out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape32%of the land within 5 km
85out of
100
100
Footpaths5.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
93out 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
Gamesley is 9th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,000 to 3,300 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
Gamesley5.0
Towns its size2.3
Derbyshire towns3.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Gamesley0.8
Towns its size1.7
Derbyshire towns2.2
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Gamesley100%
Towns its size80%
Derbyshire towns86%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Gamesley stands out most for path per km²: only 3 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 53 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whyteleafe Surrey | A+ | 16.3 | 100% | 4.9 | 15% |
| 2 | Theale Berkshire | A+ | 5 | 100% | 3.8 | 39% |
| 3 | Horton Heath Hampshire | A+ | 10 | 100% | 3.3 | 13% |
| 4 | Bignall End Staffordshire | A | 9.1 | 100% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 5 | Llangollen Clwyd | A | 3.5 | 91% | 2.5 | 76% |
| 6 | Menai Bridge Gwynedd | A | 1.8 | 100% | 2.4 | 7% |
| 7 | Moira Leicestershire | A | 15.5 | 86% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 8 | Tywyn Gwynedd | A− | 2.4 | 79% | 1.9 | 51% |
| 9 | Gamesley Derbyshire | A− | 0.8 | 100% | 5 | 32% |
| 10 | Netherton (Kirklees) West Yorkshire | A− | 2 | 88% | 5.5 | 6% |
| 11 | Oughtibridge South Yorkshire | A− | 2.2 | 76% | 6 | 19% |
| 12 | Bream Gloucestershire | A− | 2.2 | 82% | 4.7 | 10% |
| 13 | Wootton Isle of Wight | B+ | 3.7 | 67% | 1.7 | 20% |
| 14 | North Petherton Somerset | B+ | 3.8 | 91% | 2.3 | 5% |
| 15 | Amlwch Gwynedd | B+ | 1.6 | 87% | 2.1 | 14% |
| 16 | Porthleven Cornwall | B+ | 1.6 | 78% | 2.5 | 19% |
| 17 | Drayton Oxfordshire | B+ | 1.7 | 100% | 3 | 3% |
| 18 | Markyate Hertfordshire | B+ | 1.4 | 100% | 2.2 | 53% |
| 19 | Wheatley Hill County Durham | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 20 | Newton and Blackwell Derbyshire | B | 2.6 | 91% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Honeybourne Worcestershire | B | 2.9 | 80% | 2.6 | 14% |
| 22 | Upper Beeding West Sussex | B | 0.6 | 83% | 3.9 | 62% |
| 23 | Fleur-de-lis and Pengam Gwent | B | 6 | 54% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 24 | Weldon Northamptonshire | B | 8.2 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 25 | Newbold Verdon Leicestershire | B− | 2.3 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 26 | Bugbrooke Northamptonshire | B− | 3.7 | 80% | 3 | 0% |
| 27 | Askam in Furness Cumbria | B− | 1.7 | 90% | 2 | 0% |
| 28 | Harwell Oxfordshire | B− | 1.4 | 85% | 2.3 | 42% |
| 29 | Healing Lincolnshire | B− | 2 | 78% | 1.3 | 1% |
| 30 | Crumbles East Sussex | B− | 0.3 | 44% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 31 | Lambourn Berkshire | C+ | 1.2 | 61% | 3 | 100% |
| 32 | Etwall Derbyshire | C+ | 2.3 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 33 | Milborne Port Somerset | C+ | 1.6 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 34 | Dymchurch Kent | C+ | 1.6 | 58% | 1 | 13% |
| 35 | Thaxted Essex | C | 0.8 | 91% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 36 | Swillington West Yorkshire | C | 2.2 | 68% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 37 | West Bergholt Essex | C | 1.5 | 82% | 1.8 | 9% |
| 38 | Swanmore Hampshire | C | 1.4 | 69% | 1.9 | 54% |
| 39 | Sutton Courtenay Oxfordshire | C | 1.2 | 23% | 4 | 6% |
| 40 | West Chiltington West Sussex | C | 1.5 | 18% | 2.7 | 38% |
| 41 | Bottesford Leicestershire | C | 3.9 | 69% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 42 | Haddenham Cambridgeshire | C | 2.2 | 86% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 43 | Teynham Kent | C | 0.8 | 55% | 1.8 | 13% |
| 44 | Ogmore Vale Mid Glamorgan | C | 4.3 | 79% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 45 | Cullingworth West Yorkshire | C− | 1.1 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 46 | Hadlow Kent | C− | 1.7 | 61% | 2 | 11% |
| 47 | Charvil Berkshire | C− | 0.7 | 68% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 48 | Claydon Suffolk | C− | 2.8 | 72% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 49 | Lostwithiel Cornwall | C− | 1.6 | 67% | 1.5 | 11% |
| 50 | West Auckland County Durham | C− | 1.1 | 91% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 51 | Purton Wiltshire | C− | 0.8 | 60% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 52 | South Petherton Somerset | C− | 1.1 | 61% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 53 | Rendlesham Suffolk | C− | 0.8 | 52% | 1.6 | 59% |
| 54 | Navenby Lincolnshire | D | 1.2 | 81% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Gobowen Shropshire | D | 1.2 | 50% | 1.2 | 2% |
| 56 | Skellingthorpe Lincolnshire | D | 1.2 | 69% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 57 | Queniborough Leicestershire | D | 1.4 | 48% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 58 | Kirton in Lindsey Lincolnshire | D− | 1.7 | 57% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 59 | Boroughbridge North Yorkshire | D− | 0.4 | 60% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 60 | Donington Lincolnshire | D− | 0.8 | 54% | 0.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Gamesley’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 Gamesley
The biggest is Glossop Rugby Union Football Club, 2.4 ha (6 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Roman Gardens
Park or garden · 10 m outside town
0.3 ha (1 acres)
Centralin the middle of Gamesley
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Gamesley’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).
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Gamesley100%
Towns its size80%
Derbyshire towns86%
All UK towns83%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 20 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 156 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Peak District National Park is 0.6 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
32% of the land within 5 km of Gamesley is National Park or National Landscape, more than 84% of UK towns. Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Gamesley is on the Pennine Bridleway Interim Route for Walkers
35 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Gamesley and the kilometre around it, 5.0 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
Pennine Bridleway Interim Route for Walkers8.6 km
Trans-Pennine Trail (Stockport to Silkstone Common)7.7 km
Tameside Trail (East - Broadbottom to Mossley)5.4 km
GM Ringway Stage 84.3 km
Trans-Pennine Trail (Charlesworth alternative route)2.8 km
GM Ringway Stage 70.6 km
Tameside Trail (West - Broadbottom to Mossley)0.5 km
The Pennine Bridleway Interim Route for Walkers, a national route, passes Gamesley. Close to home, the Tameside Trail (East - Broadbottom to Mossley) has 5 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 4 regional routes pass through, including the Trans-Pennine Trail (Stockport to Silkstone Common), GM Ringway Stage 8, Trans-Pennine Trail (Charlesworth alternative route) and GM Ringway Stage 7.
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 Gamesley: 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) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 104 | 90 | 79 | 69 | 66 | 84 | 96 | 96 | 90 | 115 | 111 | 126 |
May is the driest month (66 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 126 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 44 nights a year. The climate in Gamesley →
Things to do
20 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
Gamesley is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Stone Beach16 mi from Gamesley’s edge
DirectionsWader Point16 mi from Gamesley’s edge
DirectionsCar Park Beach16 mi from Gamesley’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South16 mi from Gamesley’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach North16 mi from Gamesley’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.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 1
Mottram Hill0.7 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Plus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 20
Newshaw Lane Park0.4 mi from town
DirectionsHollingworth Playground0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 18 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park 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.
HadfieldBroadbottomGlossopHattersleyHydeStalybridgeGamesley
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamesley | A− | 0.8 | 100% | 32% |
| Hadfield 0.9 mi | A | 2.4 | 91% | 36% |
| Broadbottom 1.2 mi | A+ | 5.0 | 100% | 15% |
| Glossop 1.4 mi | B+ | 1.5 | 78% | 60% |
| Hattersley 2.0 mi | C | 0.9 | 52% | 7% |
| Hyde 3.6 mi | A | 4.3 | 91% | 1% |
| Stalybridge 3.7 mi | A | 5.0 | 82% | 12% |
Broadbottom, 1.2 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Hadfield, Broadbottom and Hyde have at least twice Gamesley’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Gamesley
What is the biggest park in Gamesley?
Glossop Rugby Union Football Club, 2.4 ha (6 acres), just outside the built-up area. Roman Gardens (0.3 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Gamesley near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 0.6 mi south of the town’s edge. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Gamesley?
7 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Pennine Bridleway Interim Route for Walkers, Trans-Pennine Trail (Stockport to Silkstone Common) and Tameside Trail (East - Broadbottom to Mossley).
What is the nearest beach to Gamesley?
Stone Beach, 16 mi from the edge of the town, then Wader Point (16 mi). Gamesley itself is inland.
How many people in Gamesley 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 Gamesley?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Gamesley good for walking?
For paths, yes: 5.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 93% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 8% (0.8 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 Gamesley’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Gamesley’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.