Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.078% of Braunton’s residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park
The North Devon National Landscape begins 0.1 mi from the town’s edge. The sea makes up 17% of the area within 5 km. Parks and playing fields in Braunton add up to 1.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Braunton grades B for the outdoors: #23 of 47 in Devon. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Braunton?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Braunton’s strongest suit is the North Devon National Landscape close by, followed by the South West Coast Path. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Braunton grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Braunton, 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.
Braunton is 30th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 6,300 to 6,900 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Braunton falls furthest behind on path per km², where 46 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stone Kent | A+ | 3.1 | 100% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 2 | Filey North Yorkshire | A | 5.9 | 89% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 3 | Chalford Gloucestershire | A | 1.6 | 96% | 4.7 | 94% |
| 4 | East Boldon and West Boldon Tyne and Wear | A | 3.4 | 96% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 5 | Wingerworth Derbyshire | A | 9 | 86% | 4 | 0% |
| 6 | Shotton Clwyd | A | 4.5 | 100% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 7 | Ibstock Leicestershire | A | 8.5 | 96% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 8 | Barton on Sea Hampshire | A | 4.9 | 50% | 2.8 | 22% |
| 9 | Bedwas Gwent | A | 4.4 | 100% | 4 | 0% |
| 10 | Broad Blunsdon Wiltshire | A− | 5.2 | 93% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 11 | St Blazey Cornwall | A− | 2.4 | 78% | 2.8 | 17% |
| 12 | Marston Moretaine Bedfordshire | A− | 17.4 | 88% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 13 | Olney Buckinghamshire | A− | 6.3 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 14 | Alcester Warwickshire | A− | 4.1 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 15 | Whitfield Kent | A− | 2.3 | 79% | 2.5 | 32% |
| 16 | Horden County Durham | A− | 2.1 | 82% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 17 | Paulton Somerset | A− | 2.1 | 96% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 18 | Whitworth Lancashire | B+ | 2.5 | 96% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 19 | Broadbridge Heath West Sussex | B+ | 1.6 | 95% | 4.3 | 3% |
| 20 | Lightwater Surrey | B+ | 9.2 | 72% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 21 | Milford and Witley Surrey | B+ | 2.6 | 54% | 3.7 | 78% |
| 22 | Cawston Warwickshire | B+ | 3.6 | 98% | 3 | 0% |
| 23 | North Anston South Yorkshire | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 24 | Cleator Moor Cumbria | B+ | 3.5 | 91% | 1.9 | 11% |
| 25 | Little Chalfont Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.5 | 83% | 3.6 | 45% |
| 26 | Groby Leicestershire | B+ | 2.1 | 96% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 27 | Peasedown St John Somerset | B+ | 1.5 | 88% | 4 | 9% |
| 28 | Burley in Wharfedale West Yorkshire | B | 1.6 | 81% | 3.5 | 35% |
| 29 | Hindhead Surrey | B | 1.7 | 37% | 5.9 | 66% |
| 30 | Braunton Devon | B | 1.6 | 78% | 2.1 | 24% |
| 31 | Galleywood Essex | B | 10.3 | 61% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 32 | Hartford Cheshire | B | 2.2 | 95% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Barrow upon Soar Leicestershire | B− | 2.7 | 89% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 34 | Rishton Lancashire | B− | 2.2 | 94% | 3 | 0% |
| 35 | Wincanton Somerset | B− | 1.4 | 88% | 2.8 | 7% |
| 36 | Crigglestone and Durkar West Yorkshire | B− | 4.4 | 45% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 37 | Ushaw Moor and Bearpark County Durham | C+ | 1.6 | 82% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 38 | Chiswell Green Hertfordshire | C+ | 4 | 54% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Denmead Hampshire | C+ | 1.4 | 72% | 2.8 | 35% |
| 40 | Tetbury Gloucestershire | C+ | 1.2 | 66% | 2.6 | 88% |
| 41 | Rawdon West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.7 | 67% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 42 | Bolton-le-Sands Lancashire | C+ | 1.1 | 58% | 1.6 | 23% |
| 43 | Brampton Cambridgeshire | C | 3.2 | 61% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 44 | Market Deeping Lincolnshire | C | 1.5 | 96% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 45 | Farnham Common and Farnham Royal Buckinghamshire | C | 1 | 55% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Waddington Lincolnshire | C | 2.3 | 87% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 47 | Rhoose South Glamorgan | C | 2 | 43% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 48 | Great Wakering Essex | C | 1.1 | 47% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 49 | Lydiate Merseyside | C− | 1.5 | 90% | 2 | 0% |
| 50 | Ashingdon Essex | C− | 1.3 | 61% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Culcheth Cheshire | C− | 1.7 | 67% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Boston Spa West Yorkshire | C− | 1.2 | 86% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 53 | Washingborough and Heighington Lincolnshire | D | 1.8 | 66% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 54 | Holmes Chapel Cheshire | D | 0.8 | 72% | 2 | 0% |
| 55 | Pontarddulais West Glamorgan | D | 1.9 | 67% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 56 | Coleshill Warwickshire | D | 1.3 | 69% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Broughton Clwyd | D− | 0.8 | 80% | 1 | 0% |
| 58 | Keyworth Nottinghamshire | D− | 1.3 | 58% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook Staffordshire | D− | 1.6 | 49% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 60 | Abercynon Mid Glamorgan | D− | 1.1 | 55% | 1.6 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Braunton’s built-up area.
How close Braunton’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).
About 1,500 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 10 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 661 residents.
The North Devon National Landscape is 0.1 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.
North Devon
24% of the land within 5 km of Braunton is National Park or National Landscape, more than 80% of UK towns. Exmoor National Park covers 693 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
Braunton is on the South West Coast Path
30 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Braunton and the kilometre around it, 2.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
The South West Coast Path, a national route, passes Braunton.
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 Braunton: 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 96 | 70 | 62 | 57 | 59 | 66 | 74 | 78 | 66 | 112 | 108 | 110 |
April is the driest month (57 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 112 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 20 nights a year. The climate in Braunton →
Braunton is near the sea
17% of the area within 5 km of Braunton is sea. 11 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 5 with a name.
The South West Coast Path passes the town.
Sea: the area outside the ONS coastline (mean high water). Bathing water quality is published by the Environment Agency (England) and Natural Resources Wales; check it before swimming.
10 playgrounds
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.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Playgrounds 10
Plus 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braunton | B | 1.6 | 78% | 24% |
| Chivenor and Wrafton 1.4 mi | C− | 0.6 | 0% | 17% |
| Fremington 2.9 mi | B+ | 1.4 | 88% | 10% |
| Bickington 3.8 mi | B | 1.4 | 100% | 0% |
| Appledore 4.0 mi | B+ | 1.2 | 100% | 16% |
| Northam 5.1 mi | A− | 6.8 | 43% | 16% |
| Barnstaple 5.2 mi | C | 1.6 | 92% | 0% |
Northam, 5.1 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 43% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Northam has at least twice Braunton’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Braunton
Is Braunton near a National Park?
Yes. Exmoor National Park begins 7.9 mi north-east of the town’s edge. It covers 693 km² and has been a National Park since 1954. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the North Devon National Landscape, 0.1 mi away.
What are the best walks near Braunton?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the South West Coast Path (Section 5: Woolacombe to Braunton) and South West Coast Path (Section 6: Braunton to Instow).
How many people in Braunton live near a park?
78% 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 Braunton?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Braunton good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 2.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 34% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 30% (1.6 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 Braunton’s overall grade.
Where Braunton’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.