Photo: Liz Moon · CC BY-SA 2.0West Clyst has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 UK towns
32 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 4.2 for every square kilometre. The East Devon National Landscape begins 5.0 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in West Clyst add up to 0.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. West Clyst grades C− for the outdoors: #45 of 47 in Devon. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is West Clyst?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
West Clyst’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by the East Devon National Landscape close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
West Clyst grades C− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is West Clyst, 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.
West Clyst is 50th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,600 to 2,800 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, West Clyst stands out most for path per km²: only 5 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 56 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lindford Hampshire | A+ | 17.1 | 100% | 4.7 | 42% |
| 2 | Ambleside Cumbria | A+ | 6.9 | 92% | 4.6 | 100% |
| 3 | Settle North Yorkshire | A+ | 6.4 | 100% | 3.6 | 73% |
| 4 | Downley Buckinghamshire | A+ | 9.5 | 76% | 7.6 | 71% |
| 5 | Hadston Northumberland | A+ | 5.8 | 100% | 2 | 1% |
| 6 | Yorkley and Whitecroft Gloucestershire | A | 3.3 | 74% | 6.4 | 1% |
| 7 | Martlesham Heath Suffolk | A− | 3.5 | 68% | 4.6 | 25% |
| 8 | Newington Kent | A− | 2.3 | 78% | 2.3 | 21% |
| 9 | Combe Martin Devon | A− | 1.8 | 88% | 1.5 | 37% |
| 10 | Newhey Greater Manchester | B+ | 2.4 | 100% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 11 | Avonmouth Bristol | B+ | 2.5 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 12 | Blofield Norfolk | B+ | 2.9 | 100% | 1.5 | 17% |
| 13 | Buckfastleigh Devon | B+ | 2.9 | 89% | 1.3 | 53% |
| 14 | Broadway Worcestershire | B | 2 | 65% | 3.6 | 56% |
| 15 | Dipton County Durham | B | 3.2 | 87% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 16 | Farington Moss Lancashire | B | 5.9 | 93% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 17 | Prestbury Cheshire | B | 5.6 | 42% | 3.2 | 6% |
| 18 | Boverton South Glamorgan | B | 4.3 | 52% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 19 | Ormesby St Margaret Norfolk | B | 2.1 | 79% | 0.8 | 21% |
| 20 | Brynamman Dyfed | B | 1.7 | 100% | 1 | 51% |
| 21 | Sutton-in-Craven North Yorkshire | B | 1.8 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 22 | Mancetter and Witherley Warwickshire | B− | 3.1 | 88% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 23 | Alltwen West Glamorgan | B− | 4.2 | 100% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 24 | Cliffe Woods Kent | B− | 1.7 | 62% | 2.5 | 1% |
| 25 | Halton Lancashire | B− | 0.9 | 100% | 1.7 | 35% |
| 26 | Denby Dale West Yorkshire | B− | 0.7 | 100% | 4 | 0% |
| 27 | Pucklechurch Gloucestershire | C+ | 1.2 | 64% | 4.2 | 20% |
| 28 | Godstone Surrey | C+ | 1.7 | 52% | 3.7 | 18% |
| 29 | Shevington Moor Greater Manchester | C+ | 2.1 | 90% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 30 | Ashington West Sussex | C+ | 1.3 | 86% | 2.3 | 21% |
| 31 | Hurworth-on-Tees County Durham | C+ | 4.5 | 93% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 32 | Snettisham Norfolk | C+ | 1.1 | 73% | 1.3 | 32% |
| 33 | Endon Staffordshire | C+ | 3 | 89% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Little Dunmow Essex | C+ | 1.1 | 89% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 35 | Bosham West Sussex | C+ | 1.2 | 48% | 1.4 | 58% |
| 36 | Lostock Gralam Cheshire | C | 1.2 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 37 | Catterick North Yorkshire | C | 3.6 | 89% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 38 | Badsey Worcestershire | C | 2.8 | 54% | 1.9 | 5% |
| 39 | South Brent Devon | C | 1.5 | 79% | 0.8 | 64% |
| 40 | Shelley West Yorkshire | C− | 1.2 | 81% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 41 | Wittering Cambridgeshire | C− | 3.1 | 83% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 42 | South Wonston Hampshire | C− | 1.6 | 42% | 2.6 | 7% |
| 43 | Swavesey Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.8 | 80% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Wolston Warwickshire | C− | 1.6 | 89% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 45 | Cheswick Green West Midlands | C− | 1 | 77% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Higham Kent | C− | 0.5 | 0% | 1.8 | 18% |
| 47 | Codicote Hertfordshire | C− | 0.4 | 90% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 48 | Newick East Sussex | C− | 1.7 | 35% | 2.1 | 16% |
| 49 | Hardwick Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.5 | 82% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 50 | West Clyst Devon | C− | 0.6 | 59% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Saughall Cheshire | D | 2.5 | 27% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 52 | Christleton and Waverton Cheshire | D | 2.4 | 55% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 53 | Tonna West Glamorgan | D | 2.1 | 36% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 54 | Willington Derbyshire | D | 1.8 | 67% | 2 | 0% |
| 55 | Brierley South Yorkshire | D | 0.7 | 82% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 56 | Larkhill Wiltshire | D | 1.1 | 68% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Ambrosden Oxfordshire | D | 1 | 78% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 58 | St Martins Shropshire | D | 0.6 | 59% | 0.8 | 2% |
| 59 | Swineshead Lincolnshire | D− | 1.2 | 73% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 60 | Manea Cambridgeshire | D− | 1.3 | 63% | 1 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is West Clyst’s built-up area.
6 in 10 West Clyst 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).
About 1,100 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 18 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 149 residents.
The East Devon National Landscape is 5.0 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.
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so West Clyst scores 0% on it even though the East Devon National Landscape is 5.0 mi away. Dartmoor National Park covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
3 waymarked walks pass through or near West Clyst
32 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in West Clyst and the kilometre around it, 4.2 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
2 regional routes pass through, including the Exeter to Honiton Way and Two Counties Way.
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 West Clyst: 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 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 90 | 68 | 61 | 59 | 53 | 58 | 56 | 67 | 62 | 94 | 101 | 96 |
May is the driest month (53 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 101 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 37 nights a year. The climate in West Clyst →
2 viewpoints, 18 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.
The nearest beaches
West Clyst is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Check the water before you swim. The Environment Agency tests designated bathing waters from May to September and publishes a rating for each beach.
Up high. Beacon Hill, at 120 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of West Clyst.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 18
Plus 15 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Clyst | C− | 0.6 | 59% | 0% |
| Clyst Honiton 0.9 mi | B+ | 8.0 | 83% | 0% |
| Broadclyst 1.4 mi | D | 1.4 | 78% | 0% |
| Cranbrook 2.3 mi | B+ | 6.4 | 87% | 1% |
| Exeter 2.7 mi | B− | 1.8 | 81% | 0% |
| Clyst St Mary 2.7 mi | B | 5.8 | 100% | 0% |
| Topsham 4.2 mi | B− | 1.9 | 76% | 0% |
Cranbrook, 2.3 miles away, grades B+, the best next door: 87% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Clyst Honiton, Broadclyst and Cranbrook have at least twice West Clyst’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in West Clyst
Is West Clyst near a National Park?
Yes. Dartmoor National Park begins 9.3 mi south-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 East Devon National Landscape, 5.0 mi away.
What are the best walks near West Clyst?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Exeter to Honiton Way, Two Counties Way and Pinhoe to Exeter Way.
What is the nearest beach to West Clyst?
Pirate Cove, 8.8 mi from the edge of the town, then Exmouth Beach (9.0 mi). West Clyst itself is inland.
How many people in West Clyst live near a park?
59% 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 West Clyst?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is West Clyst good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.2 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 84% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 6% (0.6 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 West Clyst’s overall grade.
Where West Clyst’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.