Totnes’ biggest
Leechwell Garden
Park or garden
0.3 ha (1 acres)0.1 km of path
Centralin the middle of Totnes
Immersion bath associated with Leechwell holy well, 40m north east of Leechwell Cottage monument
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Chris Denny · CC BY-SA 2.0COutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Totnes · parks, paths & countryside
Parks and walks in Totnes
The South Devon National Landscape reaches the edge of Totnes. Parks and playing fields in Totnes add up to 0.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 56 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.3 for every square kilometre. Totnes grades C for the outdoors: #41 of 47 in Devon. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
0.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
65%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
56 km
3.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
11%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: South Devon National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Totnes?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Countryside both waysSouth Devon starts 0.0 mi east, Dartmoor 3.5 mi west.Less park per person0.4 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Totnes’ strongest suit is two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Totnes grades C for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Totnes, 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 28% of UK towns#41 of 47 in Devon · 51st of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space0.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
4out of
100
100
A park within a walk65%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
25out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape11%of the land within 5 km
72out of
100
100
Footpaths3.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
67out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 1.7% 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
Totnes is 51st of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 8,800 to 9,600 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
Totnes3.3
Towns its size3.3
Devon towns1.8
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Totnes0.4
Towns its size2.6
Devon towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Totnes65%
Towns its size85%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
Totnes falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 59 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swanage Dorset | A+ | 6.9 | 95% | 4.2 | 47% |
| 2 | Brynteg Clwyd | A | 8.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 7% |
| 3 | Ilfracombe Devon | A | 2 | 86% | 3 | 28% |
| 4 | Bordon Hampshire | A | 8.6 | 54% | 6.7 | 49% |
| 5 | Killamarsh Derbyshire | A | 10.6 | 97% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 6 | Linthwaite and Slaithwaite West Yorkshire | A | 2.2 | 97% | 4.8 | 12% |
| 7 | New Mills Derbyshire | A | 2.4 | 84% | 5.1 | 34% |
| 8 | Warlingham Surrey | A | 4.2 | 81% | 4.3 | 13% |
| 9 | Nuthall and Watnall Nottinghamshire | A | 6.3 | 97% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Greasby Merseyside | A | 5.9 | 74% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 11 | Whiteley Hampshire | A− | 3 | 52% | 4.4 | 2% |
| 12 | Thurmaston Leicestershire | A− | 10.4 | 89% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 13 | Hetton-le-Hole Tyne and Wear | A− | 7.8 | 95% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 14 | Esher Surrey | A− | 6.9 | 86% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 15 | Shelf and Northowram West Yorkshire | A− | 5.3 | 88% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 16 | Billingshurst West Sussex | A− | 2.9 | 95% | 3.1 | 3% |
| 17 | Thurnscoe South Yorkshire | A− | 9.4 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 18 | Shaftesbury Dorset | A− | 2.8 | 92% | 2.3 | 44% |
| 19 | Aveley Essex | A− | 3.4 | 84% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 20 | Shanklin Isle of Wight | A− | 1.4 | 33% | 4.5 | 29% |
| 21 | Irthlingborough Northamptonshire | A− | 4.7 | 94% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 22 | Winnersh Berkshire | B+ | 9.6 | 80% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 23 | Frodsham Cheshire | B+ | 2.5 | 67% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 24 | Sandiacre Derbyshire | B+ | 2.6 | 94% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 25 | Hayle Cornwall | B+ | 1.4 | 72% | 3.4 | 6% |
| 26 | Banstead Surrey | B+ | 2.4 | 66% | 5.2 | 3% |
| 27 | Ashbourne Derbyshire | B | 1.9 | 92% | 2.7 | 14% |
| 28 | Cockermouth Cumbria | B | 2.6 | 81% | 2.2 | 42% |
| 29 | Pontllanfraith Gwent | B | 3.7 | 93% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 30 | Hemsworth West Yorkshire | B | 3.6 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 31 | Gatley Greater Manchester | B | 5.7 | 66% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 32 | Clay Cross Derbyshire | B | 2.6 | 88% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 33 | North Wingfield and Holmewood Derbyshire | B | 2.7 | 84% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 34 | South Kirkby West Yorkshire | B | 3 | 97% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 35 | Tiptree Essex | B | 2.7 | 90% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 36 | Perton Staffordshire | B | 2.4 | 93% | 3 | 0% |
| 37 | Yaxley Cambridgeshire | B− | 2.6 | 90% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 38 | Whitnash Warwickshire | B− | 2 | 95% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 39 | Cullompton Devon | B− | 3.2 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 40 | Knottingley West Yorkshire | B− | 2.7 | 88% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Hook Hampshire | B− | 2.4 | 80% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 42 | West End and Chobham Surrey | B− | 3.3 | 65% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 43 | Caister-on-Sea Norfolk | C+ | 1.1 | 58% | 2.1 | 21% |
| 44 | Wideopen Tyne and Wear | C+ | 2.1 | 75% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 45 | Okehampton Devon | C+ | 0.9 | 85% | 2.2 | 37% |
| 46 | Brandon County Durham | C+ | 2.2 | 72% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 47 | Barwell Leicestershire | C | 1.7 | 90% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 48 | Diss Norfolk | C | 1.5 | 80% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 49 | Milnrow Greater Manchester | C | 2.9 | 58% | 3 | 0% |
| 50 | Kinmel Bay Clwyd | C | 1.8 | 76% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Totnes Devon | C | 0.4 | 65% | 3.3 | 11% |
| 52 | Ferryhill County Durham | C− | 1.5 | 94% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Pencoed Mid Glamorgan | C− | 2.8 | 52% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Sileby Leicestershire | C− | 1 | 80% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Shifnal Shropshire | D | 1 | 89% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Brandon Suffolk | D | 0.8 | 39% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Littleport Cambridgeshire | D | 1 | 71% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 58 | Harworth and Bircotes Nottinghamshire | D | 1.9 | 64% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Pheasey West Midlands | D− | 0.9 | 40% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Kirkham Lancashire | D− | 1.3 | 66% | 1.3 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Totnes’ 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 Totnes
The biggest is Leechwell Garden, 0.3 ha (1 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Heath's Garden
Park or garden
0.1 ha (0 acres)
Centralin the middle of Totnes
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
7 in 10 Totnes 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 (65%)Further (35%)
Totnes65%
Towns its size85%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 3,200 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 20 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 461 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
South Devon and Dartmoor both start about 3 miles from Totnes
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 east340 km²since 196011% of the land within 5 km
Official site11% of the land within 5 km of Totnes is National Park or National Landscape, more than 71% of UK towns. Dartmoor National Park covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
6 waymarked walks pass through or near Totnes
56 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Totnes and the kilometre around it, 3.3 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
Franklin Totnes Trail10.1 km
John Musgrave Heritage Trail7.0 km
Buckfastleigh to Totnes Trail5.1 km
Dart Valley Trail3.5 km
Torbay Totnes Trail (3T)3.4 km
Orange Way2.9 km
Close to home, the Franklin Totnes Trail has 10 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 4 regional routes pass through, including the John Musgrave Heritage Trail, Buckfastleigh to Totnes Trail, Dart Valley Trail and Orange Way.
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 Totnes: 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) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 148 | 103 | 84 | 71 | 64 | 68 | 62 | 79 | 73 | 130 | 128 | 144 |
July is the driest month (62 mm) and the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 148 mm of rain falls in January, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 24 nights a year. The climate in Totnes →
Things to do
20 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
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.
1Hills and peaks2Nature reserves3Picnic sites20Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size1Campsites1Slipways
The nearest beaches
Totnes is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Goodrington Sands (North)4.6 mi from Totnes’ edge
DirectionsPaignton Beach4.7 mi from Totnes’ edge
DirectionsPreston Sands4.7 mi from Totnes’ edge
DirectionsFairy Cove4.7 mi from Totnes’ edge
DirectionsHollicombe Beach5.0 mi from Totnes’ edge
DirectionsGood to know
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
Hills and peaks 1
Plus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Longmarsh Nature Area4.3 ha · 0.2 mi from town
DirectionsDartington Deer Park10 ha · 1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 20
Borough Park Play Areain town
DirectionsCollapark Playparkin town
DirectionsMeadow Park Play Spacein town
DirectionsPlay areain town
DirectionsThe Pirate Shipin town
DirectionsWestonfields Play Areain town
DirectionsPlus 14 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Camp Dartington0.6 mi from town
DirectionsSlipways 1
Plus 1 slipway 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.
Stoke GabrielMarldonIpplepenPaigntonBuckfastleighDenburyTotnes
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totnes | C | 0.4 | 65% | 11% |
| Stoke Gabriel 3.2 mi | C+ | 1.2 | 70% | 30% |
| Marldon 4.3 mi | A− | 4.1 | 70% | 3% |
| Ipplepen 4.4 mi | D− | 0.8 | 42% | 0% |
| Paignton 5.1 mi | A | 1.8 | 84% | 20% |
| Buckfastleigh 5.5 mi | B+ | 2.9 | 89% | 53% |
| Denbury 5.5 mi | C− | 2.8 | 24% | 3% |
Paignton, 5.1 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 84% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Stoke Gabriel, Marldon and Ipplepen have at least twice Totnes’ green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Totnes
What is the biggest park in Totnes?
Leechwell Garden, 0.3 ha (1 acres). Heath's Garden (0.1 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Totnes near a National Park?
Yes. Dartmoor National Park begins 3.5 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 Totnes?
6 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Franklin Totnes Trail, John Musgrave Heritage Trail and Buckfastleigh to Totnes Trail.
What is the nearest beach to Totnes?
Goodrington Sands (North), 4.6 mi from the edge of the town, then Paignton Beach (4.7 mi). Totnes itself is inland.
How many people in Totnes live near a park?
65% 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 Totnes?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Totnes good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 67% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 4% (0.4 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 Totnes’ overall grade.
Sources
Where Totnes’ 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.