Brixham’s biggest
Berry Head Country Park
Park or garden
39 ha (97 acres)7.7 km of path
1 h 45 minto walk all 7.7 km of path
55 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.2 mi eastfrom the centre
Nature reserve Viewpoint
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Mr Ignavy · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Brixham · parks, paths & countryside
Brixham is on the coast, on the South West Coast Path
The sea makes up 52% of the area within 5 km. The South Devon National Landscape reaches the edge of Brixham. Parks and playing fields in Brixham add up to 3.1 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Brixham grades A for the outdoors: #3 of 47 in Devon. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.1 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
76%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
67 km
2.5 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
30%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: South Devon National Landscape
The sea
52%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Brixham?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast52% of the area within 5 km is sea; 33 beaches mapped.Hills with a view16 mapped viewpoints, about 15× as many per resident as the typical town its size.Protected countryside30% of the land within 5 km is South Devon National Landscape.On a National TrailThe South West Coast Path passes through.
Brixham’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by its views.
Outdoors grade
Brixham grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Brixham, 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 92% of UK towns#3 of 47 in Devon · 7th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space3.1 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
71out of
100
100
A park within a walk76%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
40out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape30%of the land within 5 km
84out of
100
100
Footpaths2.5 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
46out of
100
100
The sea52%of the area within 5 km
99out 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
Brixham is 7th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 16,600 to 19,100 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
Brixham2.5
Towns its size3.4
Devon towns1.8
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Brixham3.1
Towns its size2.4
Devon towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Brixham76%
Towns its size86%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Brixham stands out most for park space per resident: only 21 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 45 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cirencester Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.3 | 95% | 4.1 | 48% |
| 2 | Prestatyn Clwyd | A+ | 3.3 | 92% | 2.9 | 14% |
| 3 | Littlehampton West Sussex | A+ | 2.1 | 99% | 3.1 | 18% |
| 4 | Dorking Surrey | A | 4.4 | 75% | 7 | 57% |
| 5 | Litherland Merseyside | A | 7.3 | 94% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 6 | Houghton Regis Bedfordshire | A | 3.5 | 81% | 8 | 20% |
| 7 | Brixham Devon | A | 3.1 | 76% | 2.5 | 30% |
| 8 | Waltham Abbey Essex | A | 11.9 | 92% | 6.7 | 0% |
| 9 | Colne Lancashire | A | 3.2 | 86% | 5.3 | 8% |
| 10 | Shiney Row and Penshaw Tyne and Wear | A | 9.6 | 98% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 11 | Connah's Quay Clwyd | A | 5.8 | 97% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 12 | Forest Town Nottinghamshire | A | 6.4 | 94% | 5.7 | 0% |
| 13 | Northwich Cheshire | A | 8.8 | 92% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 14 | Clifton Greater Manchester | A | 10 | 92% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 15 | Abbots Langley and Kings Langley Hertfordshire | A | 3.8 | 88% | 3.6 | 3% |
| 16 | Bredbury and Woodley Greater Manchester | A | 4.8 | 94% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 17 | Euxton Lancashire | A− | 3.7 | 98% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 18 | Alton Hampshire | B+ | 2.6 | 82% | 3 | 27% |
| 19 | Wath upon Dearne South Yorkshire | B+ | 5.5 | 85% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 20 | Glossop Derbyshire | B+ | 1.5 | 78% | 4.2 | 60% |
| 21 | Walkden Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.4 | 92% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 22 | Wombwell South Yorkshire | B+ | 2.4 | 92% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 23 | Belper Derbyshire | B+ | 2.4 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 24 | Eastwood Nottinghamshire | B+ | 2.6 | 93% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 25 | Swanley Kent | B+ | 1.8 | 78% | 4.2 | 20% |
| 26 | Warminster Wiltshire | B+ | 1.7 | 86% | 3 | 44% |
| 27 | Liversedge West Yorkshire | B+ | 2 | 98% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 28 | Amersham Buckinghamshire | B | 1.8 | 62% | 3.7 | 64% |
| 29 | Cradley Heath West Midlands | B | 3.3 | 76% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 30 | Cobham Surrey | B | 3.1 | 49% | 4 | 1% |
| 31 | Wimborne Minster Dorset | B | 2.7 | 51% | 3.6 | 17% |
| 32 | Penrith Cumbria | B | 1.6 | 91% | 2.9 | 9% |
| 33 | Bangor Gwynedd | B | 0.9 | 79% | 2.7 | 11% |
| 34 | Shaw Greater Manchester | B | 1.9 | 96% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 35 | Minster (Swale) Kent | B | 2.5 | 89% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 36 | Bramhall Greater Manchester | B− | 4.7 | 71% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 37 | St Ives Cambridgeshire | B− | 1.7 | 95% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 38 | Biddulph Staffordshire | B− | 3.3 | 86% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 39 | Guisborough North Yorkshire | B− | 1.5 | 80% | 2.6 | 35% |
| 40 | Baildon West Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 71% | 7.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Carterton Oxfordshire | B− | 2.1 | 82% | 2 | 13% |
| 42 | Ramsbottom Greater Manchester | C+ | 2.1 | 74% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 43 | Rawmarsh South Yorkshire | C+ | 2 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 44 | Maesteg Mid Glamorgan | C+ | 2 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 45 | Melksham Wiltshire | C+ | 2.2 | 87% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 46 | Newmarket Suffolk | C+ | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 47 | Royston Hertfordshire | C+ | 1.3 | 83% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 48 | Adwick le Street South Yorkshire | C+ | 2.8 | 89% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 49 | Bodmin Cornwall | C+ | 1.1 | 87% | 2.4 | 3% |
| 50 | Nantwich Cheshire | C | 2.2 | 86% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 51 | Streetly West Midlands | C | 7.5 | 58% | 2 | 0% |
| 52 | Bourne Lincolnshire | C | 1.3 | 70% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 53 | Sleaford Lincolnshire | C | 1.7 | 93% | 2 | 0% |
| 54 | Tonypandy Mid Glamorgan | C | 1.5 | 85% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 55 | Hale Greater Manchester | C− | 2.4 | 50% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Stone Staffordshire | C− | 1.5 | 86% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 57 | North Hykeham Lincolnshire | C− | 2.4 | 60% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Louth Lincolnshire | C− | 0.6 | 76% | 1.3 | 47% |
| 59 | Oswestry Shropshire | C− | 1.3 | 88% | 2 | 0% |
| 60 | Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay Staffordshire | C− | 1.5 | 60% | 1.6 | 3% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Brixham’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 Brixham
The biggest is Berry Head Country Park, 39 ha (97 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 5 named parks by size: 48 ha (118 acres) and 8 km of path
Parks & gardens 39 haPlaying fields 8.6 ha
The two biggest, Berry Head Country Park and St Mary's Park, are 89% of the named green space and carry 8 km of path between them.
St Mary's Park
Playing field
3.3 ha (8 acres)0.2 km of path
5 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.4 mi southfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Brixham Cricket Club
Playing field
3.8 ha (9 acres)
5 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Astley Park
Playing field
1.5 ha (4 acres)
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Churchill Memorial Gardens
Park or garden
0.1 ha (0 acres)
0.9 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
8 in 10 Brixham 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 (76%)Further (24%)
Brixham76%
Towns its size86%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 4,300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 19 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 939 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Brixham
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
National Landscape
South Devon
At the edge south-west340 km²since 196030% of the land within 5 km
Official site30% of the land within 5 km of Brixham is National Park or National Landscape, more than 83% of UK towns. Dartmoor National Park covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Brixham is on the South West Coast Path
67 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Brixham and the kilometre around it, 2.5 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
Greenway Walk10.9 km
Orange Way9.2 km
South West Coast Path (Section 41: Dartmouth to Brixham)8.6 km
John Musgrave Heritage Trail8.5 km
Brixham Heritage Trail7.0 km
South West Coast Path (Section 42: Brixham to Babbacombe)6.3 km
Dart Valley Trail3.4 km
South West Coast Path (Avoiding Mansands Beach)0.8 km
The South West Coast Path, a national route, passes Brixham. Close to home, the Greenway Walk has 11 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 3 regional routes pass through, including the Orange Way, John Musgrave Heritage Trail and Dart Valley Trail.
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 Brixham: 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) | 8.5 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 16.4 | 16.0 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 118 | 97 | 84 | 71 | 61 | 69 | 62 | 77 | 76 | 125 | 128 | 137 |
May is the driest month (61 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 137 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 10 nights a year. The climate in Brixham →
The coast
The coast and beaches near Brixham
52% of the area within 5 km of Brixham is sea. 33 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 16 with a name.
Fishcombe Cove0.0 mi from town
DirectionsShoalstone0.0 mi from town
DirectionsBreakwater Beach0.0 mi from town
DirectionsLadybird Beach0.0 mi from town
DirectionsChurston Cove0.1 mi from town
DirectionsSt Mary's Bay0.1 mi from town
DirectionsElberry Cove0.4 mi from town
DirectionsBroad Sands0.5 mi from town
DirectionsMansands0.7 mi from town
DirectionsLong Sands1.2 mi from town
DirectionsScabbacombe Sands1.5 mi from town
DirectionsGoodrington Sands (North)1.8 mi from town
DirectionsThe 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.
Things to do
16 viewpoints and 19 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.
16Viewpoints15.4× towns its size19Hills and peaks18.1× towns its size2Nature reserves19Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size3Campsites4Slipways
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 19
Mudstone Hillin town
DirectionsGuzzle Down160 m (525 ft) · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsBrim Hill80 m (262 ft) · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsSugar Loaf Hill1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 15 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Berry Head National Nature Reserve43 ha · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsSharkham Point National Nature Reserve16 ha · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 19
Indigo Go Wildin town
DirectionsNorth Boundary Road Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 17 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 3
Upton Manor Farm (Temporarily closed)in town
DirectionsWall Park Touring and Centry Road Camping0.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 4
Plus 4 slipways 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.
DartmouthPaigntonStoke GabrielMarldonTorquayTotnesBrixham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
Brixham grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table.
Questions about the outdoors in Brixham
What is the biggest park in Brixham?
Berry Head Country Park, 39 ha (97 acres), with 7.7 km of path. St Mary's Park (3.3 ha) is second. 5 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Brixham near a National Park?
Yes. Dartmoor National Park begins 10 mi west of the town’s edge. It covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the South Devon National Landscape, at the edge of the town.
What are the best walks near Brixham?
8 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Greenway Walk, Orange Way and South West Coast Path (Section 41: Dartmouth to Brixham). Berry Head Country Park alone has 7.7 km of path.
How many people in Brixham live near a park?
76% 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 Brixham?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Brixham good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.5 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 46% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 71% (3.1 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 Brixham’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Brixham’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.