Cirencester’s biggest
Home Park
Park or garden · 0 m outside town
17 ha (42 acres)
24 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Philip Halling · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Cirencester · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Cirencester lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
95% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. The Cotswolds National Landscape reaches the edge of Cirencester. Parks and playing fields in Cirencester add up to 4.3 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Cirencester grades A+ for the outdoors: #5 of 48 in Gloucestershire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
4.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
95%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
95 km
4.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
48%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Cotswolds National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Cirencester?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep95% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Protected countryside48% of the land within 5 km is Cotswolds National Landscape.Room to roam4.3 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 83% of UK towns.A town of footpaths4.1 km of path per km², more than 81% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.
Cirencester’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by protected countryside on the doorstep.
Outdoors grade
Cirencester grades A+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Cirencester, 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 97% of UK towns#5 of 48 in Gloucestershire · 1st of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space4.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
83out of
100
100
A park within a walk95%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
76out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape48%of the land within 5 km
91out 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
Cirencester is 1st of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 16,500 to 18,900 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
Cirencester4.1
Towns its size3.3
Gloucestershire towns3.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Cirencester4.3
Towns its size2.3
Gloucestershire towns2.4
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Cirencester95%
Towns its size86%
Gloucestershire towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Cirencester stands out most for park space per resident: only 11 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cirencester Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.3 | 95% | 4.1 | 48% |
| 2 | Prestatyn Clwyd | A+ | 3.3 | 92% | 2.9 | 14% |
| 3 | Dorking Surrey | A | 4.4 | 75% | 7 | 57% |
| 4 | Litherland Merseyside | A | 7.3 | 94% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 5 | Clitheroe Lancashire | A | 3 | 98% | 3.1 | 59% |
| 6 | Houghton Regis Bedfordshire | A | 3.5 | 81% | 8 | 20% |
| 7 | Brixham Devon | A | 3.1 | 76% | 2.5 | 30% |
| 8 | Waltham Abbey Essex | A | 11.9 | 92% | 6.7 | 0% |
| 9 | Shiney Row and Penshaw Tyne and Wear | A | 9.6 | 98% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 10 | Connah's Quay Clwyd | A | 5.8 | 97% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 11 | Northwich Cheshire | A | 8.8 | 92% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 12 | Clifton Greater Manchester | A | 10 | 92% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 13 | Abbots Langley and Kings Langley Hertfordshire | A | 3.8 | 88% | 3.6 | 3% |
| 14 | Bredbury and Woodley Greater Manchester | A | 4.8 | 94% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 15 | Euxton Lancashire | A− | 3.7 | 98% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 16 | Alton Hampshire | B+ | 2.6 | 82% | 3 | 27% |
| 17 | Wath upon Dearne South Yorkshire | B+ | 5.5 | 85% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 18 | Glossop Derbyshire | B+ | 1.5 | 78% | 4.2 | 60% |
| 19 | Walkden Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.4 | 92% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 20 | Wombwell South Yorkshire | B+ | 2.4 | 92% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 21 | Eastwood Nottinghamshire | B+ | 2.6 | 93% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 22 | Swanley Kent | B+ | 1.8 | 78% | 4.2 | 20% |
| 23 | Warminster Wiltshire | B+ | 1.7 | 86% | 3 | 44% |
| 24 | Liversedge West Yorkshire | B+ | 2 | 98% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 25 | Amersham Buckinghamshire | B | 1.8 | 62% | 3.7 | 64% |
| 26 | Cradley Heath West Midlands | B | 3.3 | 76% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 27 | Cobham Surrey | B | 3.1 | 49% | 4 | 1% |
| 28 | Wimborne Minster Dorset | B | 2.7 | 51% | 3.6 | 17% |
| 29 | Penrith Cumbria | B | 1.6 | 91% | 2.9 | 9% |
| 30 | Bangor Gwynedd | B | 0.9 | 79% | 2.7 | 11% |
| 31 | Shaw Greater Manchester | B | 1.9 | 96% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Minster (Swale) Kent | B | 2.5 | 89% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 33 | Bramhall Greater Manchester | B− | 4.7 | 71% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 34 | St Ives Cambridgeshire | B− | 1.7 | 95% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 35 | Biddulph Staffordshire | B− | 3.3 | 86% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 36 | Guisborough North Yorkshire | B− | 1.5 | 80% | 2.6 | 35% |
| 37 | Baildon West Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 71% | 7.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Heysham Lancashire | B− | 1.4 | 83% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Carterton Oxfordshire | B− | 2.1 | 82% | 2 | 13% |
| 40 | Ramsbottom Greater Manchester | C+ | 2.1 | 74% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Rawmarsh South Yorkshire | C+ | 2 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 42 | Maesteg Mid Glamorgan | C+ | 2 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Melksham Wiltshire | C+ | 2.2 | 87% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 44 | Newmarket Suffolk | C+ | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 45 | Royston Hertfordshire | C+ | 1.3 | 83% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Adwick le Street South Yorkshire | C+ | 2.8 | 89% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 47 | Bodmin Cornwall | C+ | 1.1 | 87% | 2.4 | 3% |
| 48 | Nantwich Cheshire | C | 2.2 | 86% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 49 | Streetly West Midlands | C | 7.5 | 58% | 2 | 0% |
| 50 | Bourne Lincolnshire | C | 1.3 | 70% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 51 | Ripon North Yorkshire | C | 1 | 75% | 2.4 | 17% |
| 52 | Sleaford Lincolnshire | C | 1.7 | 93% | 2 | 0% |
| 53 | Tonypandy Mid Glamorgan | C | 1.5 | 85% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 54 | Hale Greater Manchester | C− | 2.4 | 50% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Stone Staffordshire | C− | 1.5 | 86% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 56 | North Hykeham Lincolnshire | C− | 2.4 | 60% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 57 | Saffron Walden Essex | C− | 1.1 | 63% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 58 | Louth Lincolnshire | C− | 0.6 | 76% | 1.3 | 47% |
| 59 | Oswestry Shropshire | C− | 1.3 | 88% | 2 | 0% |
| 60 | Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay Staffordshire | C− | 1.5 | 60% | 1.6 | 3% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Cirencester’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 Cirencester
The biggest is Home Park, 17 ha (42 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 4 named parks by size: 29 ha (71 acres)
Parks & gardens 17 haPlaying fields 12 haPlay spaces 0.0 ha
The two biggest, Home Park and Kingshill Playing Field, are 90% of the named green space.
Kingshill Playing Field
Playing field
9.0 ha (22 acres)0.5 km of path
13 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.7 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
St Michael's Park
Playing field
2.9 ha (7 acres)0.3 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Cirencester
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Orchard Field Play Area
Play space
0.0 ha (0 acres)
1 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Cirencester’s homes are to 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 (95%)Further (5%)
Cirencester95%
Towns its size86%
Gloucestershire towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 800 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 932 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Cirencester
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
Cotswolds
At the edge north-west2,041 km²since 196648% of the land within 5 km
Official site48% of the land within 5 km of Cirencester is National Park or National Landscape, more than 91% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
3 waymarked walks pass through or near Cirencester
95 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Cirencester 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.
Regional
The Roman Way12.4 km
Monarch's Way8.7 km
Thames & Severn Way5.0 km
3 regional routes pass through, including the The Roman Way, Monarch's Way and Thames & Severn Way.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
A registered historic park in Cirencester
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Cirencester’s named parks.
Registered · Grade ICirencester Park8.6 ha
Heritage walks
The Roman Way 12.4 km
A listed building or monument counts when it sits inside the park’s OS Open Greenspace outline (to about 15 m), so a few at the boundary are included. Historic England, National Heritage List for England.
When to get out
The best walking months in Cirencester: 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 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 83 | 55 | 52 | 53 | 60 | 56 | 58 | 65 | 56 | 77 | 84 | 84 |
March is the driest month (52 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 84 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 48 nights a year. The climate in Cirencester →
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.
1Viewpoints2Hills and peaks1Nature reserves1Picnic sites19Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size1Campsites
The nearest beaches
Cirencester is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Leys Park20 mi from Cirencester’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.
Up high. Shooters Hill, at 148 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Cirencester.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Seven Rides0.6 mi from town
DirectionsHills and peaks 2
Shooters Hill148 m (486 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsMerrill Hill0.9 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
City Bank Local Nature Reserve1.7 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 19
Bennet Walk Play Areain town
DirectionsMiddle Mead Play Areain town
DirectionsPlus 17 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Green Field Family Campsite0.8 mi from town
DirectionsNext door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
StrattonSouth CerneyAshton KeynesCrickladeFairfordChalfordCirencester
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cirencester | A+ | 4.3 | 95% | 48% |
| Stratton 1.4 mi | C | 0.7 | 46% | 70% |
| South Cerney 3.2 mi | B− | 2.5 | 77% | 7% |
| Ashton Keynes 4.9 mi | C+ | 1.7 | 100% | 0% |
| Cricklade 6.7 mi | D | 0.3 | 9% | 0% |
| Fairford 7.8 mi | A− | 3.4 | 100% | 17% |
| Chalford 8.5 mi | A | 1.6 | 96% | 94% |
Cirencester grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table.
Questions about the outdoors in Cirencester
What is the biggest park in Cirencester?
Home Park, 17 ha (42 acres), just outside the built-up area. Kingshill Playing Field (9.0 ha) is second. 4 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Cirencester near a National Park?
It covers 2,041 km² and was designated in 1966.
What are the best walks near Cirencester?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the The Roman Way, Monarch's Way and Thames & Severn Way.
What is the nearest beach to Cirencester?
The Leys Park, 20 mi from the edge of the town. Cirencester itself is inland.
How many people in Cirencester live near a park?
95% 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 Cirencester?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Cirencester are historic?
Cirencester Park (Grade I) is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Cirencester 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 83% (4.3 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 Cirencester’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Cirencester’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.