Northam’s biggest
Northam Burrows Country Park
Park or garden
229 ha (567 acres)2.8 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.8 km of path
321 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Roger A Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Northam · parks, paths & countryside
Northam is on the coast, on the South West Coast Path
The sea makes up 33% of the area within 5 km. The North Devon National Landscape reaches the edge of Northam. Parks and playing fields in Northam add up to 6.8 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Northam grades A− for the outdoors: #12 of 47 in Devon. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
6.8 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
43%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
26 km
2.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
16%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: North Devon National Landscape
The sea
33%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Northam?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast33% of the area within 5 km is sea; 13 beaches mapped.Room to roam6.8 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 91% of UK towns.Countryside close byThe North Devon National Landscape starts 0.0 mi north.Parks can be a walk away57% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Northam’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by plenty of park space. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Outdoors grade
Northam grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Northam, 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 76% of UK towns#12 of 47 in Devon · 11th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space6.8 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
92out of
100
100
A park within a walk43%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
10out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape16%of the land within 5 km
75out of
100
100
Footpaths2.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
30out of
100
100
The sea33%of the area within 5 km
93out 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
Northam is 11th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 5,000 to 5,400 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
Northam2.0
Towns its size2.6
Devon towns1.8
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Northam6.8
Towns its size2.3
Devon towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Northam43%
Towns its size73%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Northam stands out most for park space per resident: only 9 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 55 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cookham Berkshire | A+ | 8.3 | 96% | 4.3 | 19% |
| 2 | Weston Dorset | A+ | 2.5 | 95% | 7.6 | 0% |
| 3 | Whitehill Hampshire | A+ | 10.2 | 74% | 5.1 | 58% |
| 4 | Hungerford Berkshire | A+ | 9.1 | 85% | 3.2 | 100% |
| 5 | Budleigh Salterton Devon | A− | 2.7 | 70% | 2.3 | 38% |
| 6 | Needham Market Suffolk | A− | 7.2 | 88% | 4 | 0% |
| 7 | Edwinstowe Nottinghamshire | A− | 5.6 | 90% | 4 | 0% |
| 8 | Overseal and Castle Gresley Derbyshire | A− | 2.5 | 100% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 9 | Hoylake Merseyside | A− | 3.5 | 83% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 10 | Eynsham Oxfordshire | A− | 3 | 94% | 2.8 | 1% |
| 11 | Northam Devon | A− | 6.8 | 43% | 2 | 16% |
| 12 | Huthwaite Nottinghamshire | B+ | 8.1 | 75% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 13 | Sonning Common Oxfordshire | B+ | 2.6 | 60% | 3.7 | 74% |
| 14 | Llantwit Major South Glamorgan | B+ | 3.2 | 83% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 15 | Seaton Cumbria | B+ | 2.5 | 87% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 16 | Drighlington West Yorkshire | B+ | 4.1 | 92% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 17 | Whitchurch Hampshire | B+ | 2.3 | 75% | 3.3 | 43% |
| 18 | New Alresford Hampshire | B+ | 2 | 94% | 2.3 | 38% |
| 19 | Waverley and Catcliffe South Yorkshire | B+ | 8.8 | 65% | 5 | 0% |
| 20 | Long Ashton Somerset | B+ | 10.2 | 66% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Dartmouth Devon | B+ | 2.1 | 71% | 1.8 | 45% |
| 22 | Battle East Sussex | B+ | 1.7 | 64% | 4.3 | 84% |
| 23 | Fremington Devon | B+ | 1.4 | 88% | 2.1 | 10% |
| 24 | Stone Cross East Sussex | B+ | 1.4 | 86% | 2.3 | 9% |
| 25 | Easingwold North Yorkshire | B | 4.3 | 86% | 1.5 | 14% |
| 26 | Grimethorpe South Yorkshire | B | 2.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 27 | Benson Oxfordshire | B | 6 | 44% | 2.3 | 50% |
| 28 | Longstanton and Northstowe Cambridgeshire | B | 4.3 | 86% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 29 | Rowlands Gill Tyne and Wear | B | 4.9 | 84% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 30 | Redbourn Hertfordshire | B | 2.4 | 70% | 3.2 | 11% |
| 31 | Iver Heath Buckinghamshire | B | 28.9 | 53% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 32 | Virginia Water Surrey | B | 14.5 | 72% | 3 | 0% |
| 33 | Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire | B− | 1.6 | 84% | 7.8 | 0% |
| 34 | Abercarn Gwent | B− | 3 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 35 | Whitburn Tyne and Wear | B− | 2.5 | 46% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Wool Dorset | C+ | 2.3 | 51% | 2.5 | 33% |
| 37 | Brynmawr Gwent | C+ | 1.2 | 68% | 2.9 | 45% |
| 38 | Sacriston County Durham | C+ | 2.1 | 72% | 4 | 0% |
| 39 | Helsby Cheshire | C+ | 1.4 | 66% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 40 | Oakley Hampshire | C | 1.7 | 56% | 2.6 | 21% |
| 41 | Treharris Mid Glamorgan | C | 2.6 | 72% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 42 | Sutton on Sea and Trusthorpe Lincolnshire | C | 1.8 | 67% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Havercroft and Ryhill West Yorkshire | C | 1.6 | 81% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 44 | Bovingdon Hertfordshire | C | 1.4 | 55% | 2.3 | 26% |
| 45 | Shevington Greater Manchester | C | 1.8 | 73% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 46 | Odiham Hampshire | C | 1.9 | 72% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 47 | Looe Cornwall | C− | 0.1 | 47% | 1.7 | 6% |
| 48 | Long Stratton Norfolk | C− | 1 | 89% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 49 | Jaywick Essex | C− | 1.1 | 75% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Bayston Hill Shropshire | C− | 1.8 | 70% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Llangefni Gwynedd | C− | 1.8 | 95% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Littlestone-on-Sea Kent | C− | 1.4 | 37% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 53 | Potton Bedfordshire | D | 1.3 | 77% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Haslington Cheshire | D | 1.8 | 41% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Blackrod Greater Manchester | D | 1 | 83% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 56 | Moorends South Yorkshire | D | 2.2 | 39% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 57 | Winslow Buckinghamshire | D− | 1.4 | 59% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Harleston Norfolk | D− | 0.2 | 42% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 59 | Appley Bridge Greater Manchester | D− | 0.5 | 44% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Somerton Somerset | D− | 0.6 | 48% | 1 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Northam’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 Northam
The biggest is Northam Burrows Country Park, 229 ha (567 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
4 in 10 Northam 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 (43%)Further (57%)
Northam43%
Towns its size73%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 2,900 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 27 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 192 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Northam
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
North Devon
At the edge north172 km²since 196016% of the land within 5 km
Official site16% of the land within 5 km of Northam is National Park or National Landscape, more than 74% of UK towns. Exmoor National Park covers 693 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Northam is on the South West Coast Path
26 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Northam and the kilometre around it, 2.0 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalRegionalOther waymarked
South West Coast Path (Section 7: Instow to Westward Ho! )20.0 km
Tarka Trail5.7 km
Appledore Community Trail2.3 km
South West Coast Path (Section 8: Westward Ho! to Clovelly)0.8 km
The South West Coast Path, a national route, passes Northam. The regional route here is the Tarka 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 Northam: 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 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 105 | 76 | 65 | 55 | 56 | 66 | 70 | 80 | 72 | 115 | 114 | 122 |
April is the driest month (55 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 122 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 17 nights a year. The climate in Northam →
The coast
The coast and beaches near Northam
33% of the area within 5 km of Northam is sea. 13 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 6 with a name.
West Appledore0.7 mi from town
DirectionsNortham Beach0.7 mi from town
DirectionsInstow Beach1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPulley Ridge1.6 mi from town
DirectionsSouth Tail2.1 mi from town
DirectionsNorth Tail2.7 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
2 viewpoints and 27 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.
2Viewpoints1Nature reserves2Picnic sites27Playgrounds2.2× towns its size1Dog parks1Campsites5Slipways
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Burrough Farm0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 27
Plus 27 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Skern0.2 mi from town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Marshford Camping & Caravan Site0.0 mi from town
DirectionsSlipways 5
Plus 5 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.
Westward Ho!AppledoreBidefordFremingtonChivenor and WraftonBrauntonNortham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northam | A− | 6.8 | 43% | 16% |
| Westward Ho! 0.9 mi | A− | 12.3 | 63% | 18% |
| Appledore 1.1 mi | B+ | 1.2 | 100% | 16% |
| Bideford 1.6 mi | C+ | 0.9 | 83% | 11% |
| Fremington 4.0 mi | B+ | 1.4 | 88% | 10% |
| Chivenor and Wrafton 4.8 mi | C− | 0.6 | 0% | 17% |
| Braunton 5.1 mi | B | 1.6 | 78% | 24% |
Westward Ho!, 0.9 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 63% of its residents live within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Northam
What is the biggest park in Northam?
Northam Burrows Country Park, 229 ha (567 acres), with 2.8 km of path. 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Northam near a National Park?
Yes. Exmoor National Park begins 13 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, at the edge of the town.
What are the best walks near Northam?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the South West Coast Path (Section 7: Instow to Westward Ho! ), Tarka Trail and Appledore Community Trail. Northam Burrows Country Park alone has 2.8 km of path.
How many people in Northam live near a park?
43% 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 Northam?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Northam good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 2.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 30% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 92% (6.8 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 Northam’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Northam’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.