Newton Abbot’s biggest
Decoy Country Park
Park or garden
54 ha (134 acres)4.8 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.8 km of path
76 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Nature reserve
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Jim Osley · CC BY-SA 2.0C+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Newton Abbot · parks, paths & countryside
Parks and walks in Newton Abbot
Dartmoor National Park begins 1.6 mi from the town’s edge. 62% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Parks and playing fields in Newton Abbot add up to 2.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Newton Abbot grades C+ for the outdoors: #36 of 47 in Devon. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.6 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
62%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
66 km
2.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
6%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Dartmoor National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Newton Abbot?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Countryside both waysDartmoor starts 1.6 mi north-west, South Devon 6.1 mi south.Parks can be a walk away38% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Newton Abbot’s strongest suit is two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Outdoors grade
Newton Abbot grades C+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Newton Abbot, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
C+
Better than 39% of UK towns#36 of 47 in Devon · 42nd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.6 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
62out of
100
100
A park within a walk62%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
22out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape6%of the land within 5 km
68out of
100
100
Footpaths2.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
39out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 2.4% sea, under the 5% that counts
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
Newton Abbot is 42nd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 27,000 to 32,400 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
Newton Abbot2.3
Towns its size3.2
Devon towns1.8
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Newton Abbot2.6
Towns its size2.1
Devon towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Newton Abbot62%
Towns its size84%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Newton Abbot stands out most for park space per resident: only 24 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 52 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yate Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.3 | 99% | 6.8 | 11% |
| 2 | Jarrow Tyne and Wear | A+ | 5.3 | 90% | 6.1 | 0% |
| 3 | Northfleet Kent | A | 2 | 85% | 7.7 | 4% |
| 4 | Ashington Northumberland | A | 5.6 | 83% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 5 | Penarth South Glamorgan | A | 3.5 | 83% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 6 | Witney Oxfordshire | A | 2.5 | 88% | 4.6 | 19% |
| 7 | Woodley Berkshire | A | 5 | 81% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 8 | Lancing and Sompting West Sussex | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3 | 37% |
| 9 | Prestwich Greater Manchester | A | 9 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 10 | Totton Hampshire | A | 1.6 | 94% | 4.4 | 50% |
| 11 | Burntwood Staffordshire | A− | 5.3 | 81% | 3.4 | 12% |
| 12 | Ewell Surrey | A− | 7.5 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 13 | Chandler's Ford Hampshire | A− | 2.7 | 80% | 5.3 | 6% |
| 14 | Stretford Greater Manchester | A− | 3.7 | 92% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 15 | Tadworth and Epsom Downs Surrey | A− | 3.4 | 65% | 5.3 | 16% |
| 16 | Great Yarmouth Norfolk | A− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.2 | 18% |
| 17 | Cleethorpes Lincolnshire | A− | 3 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 18 | Daventry Northamptonshire | A− | 4.1 | 99% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Eston North Yorkshire | B+ | 2.9 | 93% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 20 | Harpenden Hertfordshire | B+ | 3.5 | 84% | 2.9 | 2% |
| 21 | Cramlington Northumberland | B+ | 2.3 | 91% | 6.6 | 0% |
| 22 | Deal Kent | B+ | 1 | 86% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 23 | Farnworth Greater Manchester | B+ | 3 | 85% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 24 | Chichester West Sussex | B+ | 1.6 | 89% | 3 | 40% |
| 25 | Pontypool Gwent | B+ | 3.6 | 93% | 1.8 | 7% |
| 26 | Brierley Hill West Midlands | B+ | 3.1 | 82% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 27 | Colwyn Bay Clwyd | B+ | 1.9 | 77% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 28 | Windsor Berkshire | B | 5.5 | 83% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 29 | Shipley West Yorkshire | B | 2.1 | 87% | 6 | 0% |
| 30 | Consett County Durham | B | 1.7 | 87% | 3.1 | 19% |
| 31 | Darwen Lancashire | B | 2.2 | 89% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 32 | Witham Essex | B | 1.9 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Egham Surrey | B | 4.1 | 63% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Bushey Hertfordshire | B | 3.1 | 77% | 4 | 0% |
| 35 | Atherton Greater Manchester | B | 3.8 | 83% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Evesham Worcestershire | B− | 1.7 | 80% | 3.5 | 4% |
| 37 | Stanford-le-Hope Essex | B− | 2.6 | 84% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 38 | Radcliffe Greater Manchester | B− | 1.7 | 86% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Whitstable Kent | B− | 1.5 | 84% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 40 | Melton Mowbray Leicestershire | B− | 3.3 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Kendal Cumbria | C+ | 0.9 | 67% | 4 | 33% |
| 42 | Newton Abbot Devon | C+ | 2.6 | 62% | 2.3 | 6% |
| 43 | Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire | C | 1.6 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 44 | Newark-on-Trent Nottinghamshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 2 | 0% |
| 45 | Bedworth Warwickshire | C | 1.5 | 87% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 46 | Barnstaple Devon | C | 1.6 | 92% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Frome Somerset | C | 1.3 | 78% | 2.4 | 9% |
| 48 | Rayleigh Essex | C | 2 | 71% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 49 | Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire | C | 0.7 | 92% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 50 | Wickford Essex | C | 2.4 | 59% | 3 | 0% |
| 51 | Sedgley West Midlands | C | 1.5 | 65% | 4 | 0% |
| 52 | Congleton Cheshire | C | 1.7 | 72% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 53 | Hertford Hertfordshire | C | 0.9 | 65% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 54 | Rushden Northamptonshire | C− | 1.5 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 55 | Heywood Greater Manchester | C− | 1.3 | 80% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Heswall Merseyside | C− | 1.1 | 56% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 57 | Port Talbot West Glamorgan | C− | 1.3 | 68% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 58 | Ormskirk Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 80% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 59 | Spalding Lincolnshire | D | 1.1 | 85% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 60 | Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.5 | 70% | 1.9 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Newton Abbot’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 Newton Abbot
The biggest is Decoy Country Park, 54 ha (134 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 7 named parks by size: 67 ha (166 acres) and 7 km of path
Parks & gardens 61 haPlaying fields 5.7 haPlay spaces 0.1 ha
The two biggest, Decoy Country Park and Courtenay Park, are 86% of the named green space and carry 6 km of path between them. 3 of the 7 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Courtenay Park
Park or garden
3.4 ha (8 acres)1.3 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
5 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Newton Abbot
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Forde Park
Park or garden
3.4 ha (8 acres)0.5 km of path
5 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Baker's Park
Playing field
4.2 ha (10 acres)0.5 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.4 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Osborne Park
Playing field
1.5 ha (4 acres)
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Powderham Park
Park or garden
0.5 ha (1 acres)0.2 km of path
Centralin the middle of Newton Abbot
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
6 in 10 Newton Abbot 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 (62%)Further (38%)
Newton Abbot62%
Towns its size84%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 11,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 28 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,059 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
Dartmoor and South Devon both start about 6 miles from Newton Abbot
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
6% of the land within 5 km of Newton Abbot is National Park or National Landscape, more than 67% of UK towns. Dartmoor National Park covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
5 waymarked walks pass through or near Newton Abbot
66 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Newton Abbot and the kilometre around it, 2.3 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
Orange Way10.8 km
Templer Way7.3 km
John Musgrave Heritage Trail3.8 km
Newton Abbot Circular3.6 km
Stover Heritage Trail2.6 km
3 regional routes pass through, including the Orange Way, Templer Way and John Musgrave Heritage 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 Newton Abbot: 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 | 15.5 | 16.4 | 16.0 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 131 | 98 | 77 | 68 | 61 | 63 | 59 | 67 | 64 | 113 | 114 | 125 |
July is the driest month (59 mm) and the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 131 mm of rain falls in January, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 20 nights a year. The climate in Newton Abbot →
The coast
Beaches near Newton Abbot
2% of the area within 5 km of Newton Abbot is sea, so the Outdoors Grade counts it as inland. 16 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 3 with a name.
Maidencombe Beach2.9 mi from town
DirectionsWhitsand Beach3.1 mi from town
DirectionsWatcombe Beach3.1 mi from town
DirectionsSea: 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
4 viewpoints and 28 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.
4Viewpoints3.9× towns its size5Nature reserves4.7× towns its size2Picnic sites28Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size1Campsites
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 4
Plus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 5
Jetty Marsh Local Nature Reserve0.3 ha · in town
DirectionsDecoy Country Park3.1 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsHackney Marshes Local Nature Reserve9.3 ha · 0.5 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 nature reserves more.
Picnic sites 2
Bench and Statue0.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 28
Courtney park playgroundin town
DirectionsJetty Marsh Teenage Areain town
DirectionsPlus 26 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Plus 1 campsite 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.
AbbotskerswellKingsteigntonKingskerswellDenburyIpplepenHeathfieldNewton Abbot
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Abbot | C+ | 2.6 | 62% | 6% |
| Abbotskerswell 1.6 mi | C− | 4.2 | 49% | 0% |
| Kingsteignton 1.7 mi | B− | 1.9 | 95% | 0% |
| Kingskerswell 2.4 mi | C+ | 3.5 | 76% | 0% |
| Denbury 2.7 mi | C− | 2.8 | 24% | 3% |
| Ipplepen 3.2 mi | D− | 0.8 | 42% | 0% |
| Heathfield 3.3 mi | A+ | 20.4 | 100% | 30% |
Heathfield, 3.3 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Heathfield has at least twice Newton Abbot’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Newton Abbot
What is the biggest park in Newton Abbot?
Decoy Country Park, 54 ha (134 acres), with 4.8 km of path. Courtenay Park (3.4 ha) is second. 7 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Newton Abbot near a National Park?
Yes. Dartmoor National Park begins 1.6 mi north-west of the town’s edge. It covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Newton Abbot?
5 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Orange Way, Templer Way and John Musgrave Heritage Trail. Decoy Country Park alone has 4.8 km of path.
How many people in Newton Abbot live near a park?
62% 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 Newton Abbot?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Newton Abbot good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 2.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 39% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 62% (2.6 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 Newton Abbot’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Newton Abbot’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.