Witham’s biggest
Witham Town Park
Park or garden
1.6 ha (4 acres)0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Witham
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Christopher Hilton · CC BY-SA 2.0BOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Witham · parks, paths & countryside
Witham has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 98 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.1 for every square kilometre. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 94% of residents. Parks and playing fields in Witham add up to 1.9 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Witham grades B for the outdoors: #30 of 81 in Essex. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.9 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
94%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
98 km
4.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Dedham Vale National Landscape
Outdoors grade
Witham grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Witham, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
B
Better than 60% of UK towns#30 of 81 in Essex · 38th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.9 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
43out of
100
100
A park within a walk94%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
73out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
82out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland
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
Witham is 38th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 25,300 to 29,600 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
Witham4.1
Towns its size3.8
Essex towns2.7
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Witham1.9
Towns its size2.5
Essex towns2.4
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Witham94%
Towns its size83%
Essex towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Witham stands out most for homes near a park: only 6 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 38 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 | Stroud Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.6 | 79% | 5.8 | 70% |
| 4 | Sevenoaks Kent | A | 8.1 | 76% | 3.8 | 70% |
| 5 | Stalybridge Greater Manchester | A | 5 | 82% | 4.8 | 12% |
| 6 | Ashington Northumberland | A | 5.6 | 83% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 7 | Penarth South Glamorgan | A | 3.5 | 83% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 8 | Newport Isle of Wight | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3.8 | 37% |
| 9 | Huntingdon Cambridgeshire | A | 5.7 | 99% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 10 | Woodley Berkshire | A | 5 | 81% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 11 | Lancing and Sompting West Sussex | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3 | 37% |
| 12 | Totton Hampshire | A | 1.6 | 94% | 4.4 | 50% |
| 13 | Burntwood Staffordshire | A− | 5.3 | 81% | 3.4 | 12% |
| 14 | Larkfield Kent | A− | 5.6 | 75% | 3.4 | 27% |
| 15 | Ewell Surrey | A− | 7.5 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Rickmansworth Hertfordshire | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 4.4 | 11% |
| 17 | Stretford Greater Manchester | A− | 3.7 | 92% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 18 | Tadworth and Epsom Downs Surrey | A− | 3.4 | 65% | 5.3 | 16% |
| 19 | Great Yarmouth Norfolk | A− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.2 | 18% |
| 20 | Little Hulton Greater Manchester | A− | 8.6 | 87% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 21 | East Grinstead West Sussex | A− | 1.6 | 87% | 3.7 | 58% |
| 22 | Wilmslow Cheshire | A− | 4.4 | 90% | 4 | 0% |
| 23 | Daventry Northamptonshire | A− | 4.1 | 99% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 24 | Cramlington Northumberland | B+ | 2.3 | 91% | 6.6 | 0% |
| 25 | Portishead Somerset | B+ | 2 | 82% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 26 | Haverhill Suffolk | B+ | 2.4 | 91% | 5 | 0% |
| 27 | Longbenton Tyne and Wear | B+ | 3.3 | 80% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 28 | Thatcham Berkshire | B+ | 1.9 | 87% | 3.1 | 27% |
| 29 | Fleetwood Lancashire | B+ | 2.7 | 92% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 30 | Deal Kent | B+ | 1 | 86% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 31 | Farnworth Greater Manchester | B+ | 3 | 85% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Pontypool Gwent | B+ | 3.6 | 93% | 1.8 | 7% |
| 33 | Colwyn Bay Clwyd | B+ | 1.9 | 77% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Shipley West Yorkshire | B | 2.1 | 87% | 6 | 0% |
| 35 | Darwen Lancashire | B | 2.2 | 89% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Newton Aycliffe County Durham | B | 2.1 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 37 | Rugeley Staffordshire | B | 1.2 | 94% | 2.7 | 37% |
| 38 | Witham Essex | B | 1.9 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Egham Surrey | B | 4.1 | 63% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 40 | Broadstairs Kent | B | 1.7 | 76% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Atherton Greater Manchester | B | 3.8 | 83% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 42 | Bushey Hertfordshire | B | 3.1 | 77% | 4 | 0% |
| 43 | Rhyl Clwyd | B | 1 | 84% | 2.2 | 7% |
| 44 | Droitwich Spa Worcestershire | B | 2.5 | 84% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 45 | Evesham Worcestershire | B− | 1.7 | 80% | 3.5 | 4% |
| 46 | Thetford Norfolk | B− | 2.9 | 65% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Stanford-le-Hope Essex | B− | 2.6 | 84% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 48 | Ashton-in-Makerfield Greater Manchester | B− | 2.6 | 93% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 49 | Melton Mowbray Leicestershire | B− | 3.3 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Kendal Cumbria | C+ | 0.9 | 67% | 4 | 33% |
| 51 | Horley Surrey | C+ | 1.9 | 84% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire | C | 1.6 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Walton-on-Thames Surrey | C | 1.6 | 81% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 54 | Golborne Greater Manchester | C | 3 | 66% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 55 | Frome Somerset | C | 1.3 | 78% | 2.4 | 9% |
| 56 | Wickford Essex | C | 2.4 | 59% | 3 | 0% |
| 57 | Hertford Hertfordshire | C | 0.9 | 65% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Heswall Merseyside | C− | 1.1 | 56% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 59 | Ormskirk Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 80% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Wisbech Cambridgeshire | D | 1.2 | 79% | 1.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Witham’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 Witham
The biggest is Witham Town Park, 1.6 ha (4 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 10 named parks by size: 11 ha (27 acres)
Parks & gardens 2.3 haPlaying fields 8.2 haPlay spaces 0.4 ha
The two biggest, Witham Town Park and Recreation Ground Rickstones Road, are 53% of the named green space. 8 of the 10 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Recreation Ground Rickstones Road
Playing field
4.2 ha (10 acres)
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Witham Hockey and Cricket Club
Playing field
2.6 ha (6 acres)
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Sauls Bridge Sports Ground
Playing field
1.4 ha (3 acres)0.2 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Rivenhall Oak
Park or garden · 280 m outside town
0.7 ha (2 acres)
1.9 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Alan Road Play Area
Play space
0.1 ha (0 acres)
Centralin the middle of Witham
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Rivenhall Park Play Area
Play space
0.1 ha (0 acres)
1.3 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Spa Road Play Area
Play space
0.1 ha (0 acres)
Centralin the middle of Witham
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 10 named parks and green spaces
Witham Town ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsRecreation Ground Rickstones RoadPlaying field · 4.2 ha
DirectionsWitham Hockey and Cricket ClubPlaying field · 2.6 ha
DirectionsSauls Bridge Sports GroundPlaying field · 1.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRivenhall OakPark or garden · 0.7 ha · just outside town
DirectionsAlan Road Play AreaPlay space · 0.1 ha
DirectionsRivenhall Park Play AreaPlay space · 0.1 ha
DirectionsSpa Road Play AreaPlay space · 0.1 ha
DirectionsWitham Skate ParkPlay space · 0.1 ha
DirectionsSouthfields Play AreaPlay space · 0.0 ha
DirectionsClose to home
9 in 10 Witham 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 (94%)Further (7%)
Witham94%
Towns its size83%
Essex towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 2,000 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 1,442 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Dedham Vale National Landscape is 11 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.
National ParkNational LandscapeThe 5 km the grade counts
Footpaths & waymarked walks
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Witham
98 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Witham and the kilometre around it, 4.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Local
John Ray Walk4.9 km
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 Witham: 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) | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.7 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 51 | 40 | 35 | 41 | 46 | 51 | 44 | 57 | 47 | 63 | 60 | 57 |
March is the driest month (35 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 63 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 39 nights a year. The climate in Witham →
Things to do
19 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
Witham is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Mill Beach4.8 mi from Witham’s edge
DirectionsEast Point Beach7.4 mi from Witham’s edge
DirectionsWeymarks Beach12 mi from Witham’s edge
DirectionsBell Wharf Beach17 mi from Witham’s edge
DirectionsThree Shells Beach18 mi from Witham’s 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
Nature reserves 1
Whetmead Local Nature Reserve11 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 19
Alan Road Play Areain town
DirectionsRickstones Play Parkin town
DirectionsWitham Town Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 16 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Olivers Dog Walking Field0.3 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.
Wickham BishopsHatfield PeverelGreat TothamSilver EndKelvedon and FeeringTye GreenWitham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witham | B | 1.9 | 94% | 0% |
| Wickham Bishops 2.3 mi | C+ | 3.4 | 91% | 0% |
| Hatfield Peverel 2.3 mi | C | 2.0 | 84% | 0% |
| Great Totham 3.0 mi | C+ | 2.8 | 100% | 0% |
| Silver End 3.4 mi | C | 2.0 | 88% | 0% |
| Kelvedon and Feering 4.1 mi | B− | 3.5 | 94% | 0% |
| Tye Green 4.4 mi | B | 2.0 | 100% | 0% |
Witham grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Witham
What is the biggest park in Witham?
Witham Town Park, 1.6 ha (4 acres), with 0.6 km of path. Recreation Ground Rickstones Road (4.2 ha) is second. 10 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Witham near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Dedham Vale National Landscape, 11 mi north-east of the town’s edge. It covers 91 km² and was designated in 1970.
What are the best walks near Witham?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the John Ray Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Witham?
Mill Beach, 4.8 mi from the edge of the town, then East Point Beach (7.4 mi). Witham itself is inland.
How many people in Witham live near a park?
94% 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 Witham?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Witham good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 82% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 43% (1.9 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 Witham’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Witham’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.