Photo: A J Paxton · CC BY-SA 2.0Parks and walks in Bradninch
The Blackdown Hills National Landscape begins 5.1 mi from the village’s edge. 9 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 1.1 for every square kilometre. 73% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Bradninch grades D for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors village is Bradninch?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Bradninch’s strongest suit is the Blackdown Hills National Landscape close by. Where it falls short is footpaths.
Bradninch grades D for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Bradninch, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
100
100
100
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.
Bradninch is 48th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,700 to 1,900 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Bradninch falls furthest behind on path per km², where 49 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Llanberis Gwynedd | A+ | 33.7 | 100% | 3.9 | 49% |
| 2 | St Just Cornwall | A+ | 1.8 | 100% | 4.2 | 50% |
| 3 | Southwick Wiltshire | A+ | 22.2 | 100% | 5.2 | 1% |
| 4 | Market Lavington Wiltshire | A+ | 9.9 | 100% | 4.1 | 1% |
| 5 | Mistley Essex | A | 4.3 | 86% | 1.9 | 41% |
| 6 | Colwall Stone Herefordshire | A | 4.5 | 67% | 5.5 | 64% |
| 7 | Wembury Devon | A− | 2.4 | 53% | 2.7 | 41% |
| 8 | Tow Law County Durham | A− | 4.1 | 100% | 1.3 | 21% |
| 9 | Horam East Sussex | B+ | 3.9 | 91% | 1.4 | 46% |
| 10 | Painswick Gloucestershire | B+ | 1.3 | 81% | 4.3 | 83% |
| 11 | Waddesdon Buckinghamshire | B+ | 3 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 12 | Tongwynlais South Glamorgan | B+ | 8.6 | 65% | 5.8 | 0% |
| 13 | Marks Tey Essex | B+ | 5.5 | 92% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 14 | Findon West Sussex | B+ | 1.7 | 74% | 3.7 | 70% |
| 15 | Bishop's Castle Shropshire | B+ | 2 | 100% | 1.3 | 53% |
| 16 | Weston Turville Buckinghamshire | B | 2.9 | 64% | 3.1 | 30% |
| 17 | Fernhurst West Sussex | B | 3.1 | 37% | 3 | 92% |
| 18 | Hathersage Derbyshire | B | 1.6 | 58% | 4.5 | 100% |
| 19 | Ironville Derbyshire | B | 1.6 | 100% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 20 | Northop Hall Clwyd | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Rhayader Powys | B | 5.5 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 22 | Hemingfield South Yorkshire | B | 3.3 | 80% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 23 | Hughenden Valley Buckinghamshire | B− | 2.1 | 32% | 3.4 | 76% |
| 24 | Chilcompton Somerset | B− | 6.5 | 40% | 2.9 | 1% |
| 25 | Yelverton Devon | B− | 3.6 | 72% | 1.1 | 85% |
| 26 | Holbrook Derbyshire | B− | 4.2 | 55% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 27 | Warton (Lancaster) Lancashire | B− | 0.3 | 32% | 3.5 | 43% |
| 28 | Meldreth Cambridgeshire | B− | 4.7 | 82% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 29 | Inkberrow Worcestershire | B− | 5.3 | 83% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 30 | Ingrave and Herongate Essex | B− | 5 | 51% | 4 | 0% |
| 31 | Newcastle Emlyn Dyfed | B− | 5.9 | 100% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Warden Kent | B− | 1.4 | 100% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 33 | High Halstow Kent | B− | 1.7 | 76% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 34 | Copford Essex | B− | 4 | 70% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 35 | Barnburgh and Harlington South Yorkshire | B− | 1.8 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Great Yeldham Essex | C+ | 3.1 | 86% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 37 | Lowdham Nottinghamshire | C+ | 3.7 | 85% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 38 | Pontlottyn Gwent | C+ | 1.8 | 70% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Withnoe Cornwall | C+ | 1.4 | 100% | 0.9 | 3% |
| 40 | Ryton-on-Dunsmore Warwickshire | C | 1.2 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Walkington East Riding of Yorkshire | C | 2.3 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 42 | Dunkeswell Devon | C | 1.4 | 83% | 0.7 | 87% |
| 43 | Lympstone Devon | C | 1 | 66% | 1.3 | 16% |
| 44 | Scotby Cumbria | C− | 3 | 75% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 45 | Drakes Broughton Worcestershire | C− | 1 | 86% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Woolpit Suffolk | C− | 4.3 | 54% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 47 | Branton South Yorkshire | C− | 1.1 | 71% | 3 | 0% |
| 48 | Bradninch Devon | D | 2.3 | 73% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 49 | Thornton-le-Dale North Yorkshire | D | 1.1 | 58% | 1.1 | 29% |
| 50 | Rickinghall and Botesdale Suffolk | D | 1.7 | 61% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Harston Cambridgeshire | D | 1.6 | 45% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 52 | Stainton North Yorkshire | D | 0.5 | 0% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Barnetby le Wold Lincolnshire | D | 1.8 | 59% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 54 | Wragby Lincolnshire | D | 1.3 | 69% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 55 | Mickle Trafford Cheshire | D− | 0.5 | 70% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Audlem Cheshire | D− | 0.6 | 50% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 57 | Great Barton Suffolk | D− | 1.6 | 19% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Pentre Maelor Clwyd | D− | 1.4 | 8% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 59 | Bardsey West Yorkshire | D− | 0.1 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 60 | Wainfleet All Saints Lincolnshire | D− | 0 | 0% | 0.7 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Bradninch’s built-up area.
7 in 10 Bradninch 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).
About 500 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 8 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 228 residents.
The Blackdown Hills National Landscape is 5.1 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.
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Bradninch scores 0% on it even though the Blackdown Hills National Landscape is 5.1 mi away. Dartmoor National Park covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Bradninch
9 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Bradninch and the kilometre around it, 1.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
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 Bradninch: May 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 96 | 73 | 68 | 66 | 57 | 63 | 62 | 74 | 66 | 101 | 108 | 108 |
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 108 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 36 nights a year. The climate in Bradninch →
8 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
Bradninch 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
Nature reserves 2
Plus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 8
Plus 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradninch | D | 2.3 | 73% | 0% |
| Cullompton 2.4 mi | B− | 3.2 | 100% | 0% |
| Silverton 2.6 mi | C− | 1.0 | 100% | 0% |
| Broadclyst 4.5 mi | D | 1.4 | 78% | 0% |
| Whimple 5.0 mi | C+ | 5.2 | 70% | 1% |
| Willand 5.1 mi | C− | 0.9 | 88% | 1% |
| Cranbrook 5.4 mi | B+ | 6.4 | 87% | 1% |
Cranbrook, 5.4 miles away, grades B+, the best next door: 87% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Whimple and Cranbrook have at least twice Bradninch’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Bradninch
Is Bradninch near a National Park?
Yes. Dartmoor National Park begins 14 mi south-west of the village’s edge. It covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, 5.1 mi away.
What are the best walks near Bradninch?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the village, including the Bradninch Town Trail.
What is the nearest beach to Bradninch?
Jacobs Ladder Beach, 13 mi from the edge of the village, then Pirate Cove (14 mi). Bradninch itself is inland.
How many people in Bradninch live near a park?
73% 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 Bradninch?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Bradninch good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 1.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 9% 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 Bradninch’s overall grade.
Where Bradninch’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.