Oldham’s biggest
Daisy Nook Country Park
Park or garden · 0 m outside town
39 ha (96 acres)6.0 km of path
1 h 20 minto walk all 6 km of path
54 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.9 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Peter McDermott · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Oldham · parks, paths & countryside
Oldham has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
237 km of footpaths run through the city and the kilometre around it, 5.0 for every square kilometre. The Peak District National Park begins 2.9 mi from the city’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Oldham add up to 1.7 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Oldham grades B+ for the outdoors: #25 of 81 in Greater Manchester. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.7 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
87%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
237 km
5.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Peak District starts 2.9 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors city is Oldham?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A city of footpaths5.0 km of path per km², more than 92% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Countryside close byThe Peak District National Park starts 2.9 mi east.Historic parks2 registered historic parks and gardens, including Greenacres Cemetery.Less park per person1.7 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Oldham’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by the Peak District National Park close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Oldham grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Oldham, 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 72% of UK towns#25 of 81 in Greater Manchester · 29th of 60 UK cities its size
Public green space1.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
37out of
100
100
A park within a walk87%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
60out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · Peak District begins just past 5 km
62out of
100
100
Footpaths5.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
93out 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.
Cities its size
Oldham is 29th of 60 UK cities its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 78,600 to 148,300 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
Oldham5.0
Cities its size4.1
Greater Manchester towns3.9
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Oldham1.7
Cities its size2.4
Greater Manchester towns2.8
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Oldham87%
Cities its size86%
Greater Manchester towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against cities its size, Oldham stands out most for path per km²: only 17 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 46 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hastings East Sussex | A+ | 3.1 | 76% | 4.3 | 42% |
| 2 | Gloucester Gloucestershire | A | 2.7 | 93% | 6 | 22% |
| 3 | Gillingham Kent | A | 1.6 | 86% | 5.3 | 23% |
| 4 | Ashford Kent | A | 2.7 | 94% | 5.2 | 23% |
| 5 | Poole Dorset | A | 2.5 | 81% | 3.4 | 20% |
| 6 | Crawley West Sussex | A | 2.6 | 85% | 10.5 | 33% |
| 7 | Stockport Greater Manchester | A | 4 | 93% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 8 | Eastbourne East Sussex | A | 2 | 75% | 4.3 | 23% |
| 9 | Basingstoke Hampshire | A | 2.5 | 94% | 5.8 | 6% |
| 10 | Colchester Essex | A | 3.2 | 86% | 5.4 | 10% |
| 11 | Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire | A | 3 | 95% | 3.6 | 18% |
| 12 | Bath Somerset | A | 1.8 | 89% | 5.6 | 50% |
| 13 | Harlow Essex | A | 3.7 | 99% | 8.2 | 0% |
| 14 | Middlesbrough North Yorkshire | A | 2.6 | 85% | 2.9 | 3% |
| 15 | Bracknell Berkshire | A | 3.7 | 97% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 16 | Watford Hertfordshire | A | 2.8 | 88% | 4.5 | 1% |
| 17 | Weston-super-Mare Somerset | A− | 1.2 | 87% | 3.7 | 8% |
| 18 | Stevenage Hertfordshire | A− | 3 | 98% | 7.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Gateshead Tyne and Wear | A− | 3.3 | 95% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 20 | Basildon Essex | A− | 3 | 95% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 21 | Aylesbury Buckinghamshire | A− | 1.8 | 88% | 9.5 | 5% |
| 22 | Maidstone Kent | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 3.5 | 20% |
| 23 | Cheltenham Gloucestershire | A− | 1.4 | 87% | 4.5 | 44% |
| 24 | Redditch Worcestershire | A− | 4.1 | 84% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 25 | Worthing West Sussex | A− | 1.2 | 78% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 26 | Newport Gwent | A− | 2.8 | 85% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 27 | Bedford Bedfordshire | B+ | 4.2 | 88% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 28 | Wakefield West Yorkshire | B+ | 3.9 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 29 | Oldham Greater Manchester | B+ | 1.7 | 87% | 5 | 0% |
| 30 | High Wycombe Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.6 | 68% | 5.4 | 67% |
| 31 | Huddersfield West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.4 | 94% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 32 | Birkenhead Merseyside | B+ | 3.1 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 33 | York North Yorkshire | B | 2.3 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Salford Greater Manchester | B | 2 | 91% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 35 | Kensington and Chelsea London | B | 1.5 | 99% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Chelmsford Essex | B | 2.4 | 87% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 37 | Wythenshawe Greater Manchester | B | 2.5 | 84% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 38 | St Helens Merseyside | B | 3.4 | 91% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 39 | Preston Lancashire | B | 3 | 80% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Wallasey Merseyside | B | 1.9 | 90% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Wigan Greater Manchester | B | 2.7 | 81% | 4 | 0% |
| 42 | Hartlepool County Durham | B− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 43 | Nuneaton Warwickshire | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 44 | West Bromwich West Midlands | B− | 2.7 | 83% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 45 | Grimsby Lincolnshire | B− | 1.3 | 75% | 2.4 | 3% |
| 46 | Halifax West Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Bury Greater Manchester | B− | 2.4 | 82% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 48 | Blackburn Lancashire | B− | 2.2 | 71% | 3.1 | 1% |
| 49 | Exeter Devon | B− | 1.8 | 81% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Royal Sutton Coldfield West Midlands | B− | 6.1 | 64% | 3 | 0% |
| 51 | Lincoln Lincolnshire | B− | 2.5 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 52 | Rochdale Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 53 | Stockton-on-Tees County Durham | C+ | 2 | 83% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 54 | Darlington County Durham | C+ | 2.2 | 87% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 55 | Worcester Worcestershire | C | 1.5 | 77% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 56 | Doncaster South Yorkshire | C | 1.8 | 72% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 57 | Solihull West Midlands | C | 2.9 | 54% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 58 | Scunthorpe Lincolnshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Chester Cheshire | C | 1.6 | 86% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 60 | Southport Merseyside | C− | 1.4 | 60% | 2.1 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Oldham’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 Oldham
The biggest is Daisy Nook Country Park, 39 ha (96 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 19 named parks by size: 142 ha (352 acres) and 24 km of path
Parks & gardens 121 haPlaying fields 21 ha
The two biggest, Daisy Nook Country Park and Alexandra Park, are 42% of the named green space and carry 11 km of path between them. 5 of the 19 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Alexandra Park
Park or garden
22 ha (54 acres)4.7 km of path
1 hto walk all 4.7 km of path
30 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Oldham
3 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Bishop Park
Park or garden
24 ha (58 acres)2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
33 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
3.2 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Stoneleigh Park
Park or garden
11 ha (27 acres)1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
16 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.2 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Werneth Park
Park or garden
6.6 ha (16 acres)2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
9 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi westfrom the centre
3 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Waterhead Park
Park or garden
4.9 ha (12 acres)1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.3 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Lees Recreation Ground
Playing field
9.0 ha (22 acres)0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
13 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Copster Park
Park or garden
4.0 ha (10 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 19 named parks and green spaces
Daisy Nook Country ParkPark or garden · 39 ha · 6.0 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAlexandra ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 4.7 km of path
DirectionsBishop ParkPark or garden · 24 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsStoneleigh ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsWerneth ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsWaterhead ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsLees Recreation GroundPlaying field · 9.0 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsCopster ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsMillennium GreenPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsMillennium GreenPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsLimeside ParkPlaying field · 3.0 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsCrossley Football PitchesPlaying field · 5.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBecket MeadowsPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsManor ParkPlaying field · 2.6 ha
DirectionsLees ParkPlaying field · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsArundel Street ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsCoppice ParkPark or garden · 0.1 ha
DirectionsAgnes Robinson Pocket ParkPark or garden · 0.1 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCoppice Community Centre GardenPark or garden · 0.0 ha
DirectionsClose to home
9 in 10 Oldham 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 (87%)Further (13%)
Oldham87%
Cities its size86%
Greater Manchester towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 15,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 107 playgrounds are mapped in and around the city, about one for every 1,035 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Peak District National Park is 2.9 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
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Oldham scores 0% on it even though the Peak District National Park is 2.9 mi away. Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
5 waymarked walks pass through or near Oldham
237 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Oldham and the kilometre around it, 5.0 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the city.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
Oldham Way24.3 km
Tameside Trail (West - Broadbottom to Mossley)11.6 km
GM Ringway Stage 92.0 km
Tame Valley Way0.5 km
Medlock Valley Way0.3 km
Close to home, the Oldham Way has 24 km of local walk within 2 km of the city. The regional route here is the GM Ringway Stage 9.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
2 historic parks, and what stands in them
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Oldham’s named parks.
Park with listed buildings
Alexandra Park
22 ha. 3 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge.
IIConservatoryIIObservatoryIIWestern Lodge to Alexandra Park
Registered · Grade II*Alexandra Park5.8 ha
Registered · Grade IIGreenacres Cemetery0.7 ha
Listed buildings insideWerneth ParkConservatory in Park, Monument to Sarah Lees and Werneth Park Adult Education Centre
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 Oldham: May to September
The city’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) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 105 | 92 | 81 | 71 | 70 | 84 | 97 | 98 | 95 | 114 | 112 | 126 |
May is the driest month (70 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 126 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 39 nights a year. The climate in Oldham →
Things to do
2 viewpoints, 107 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
Mapped within 2 km of the city in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK city its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
2Viewpoints3Hills and peaks1.5× cities its size2Waterfalls1Nature reserves107Playgroundsabout the same as cities its size1Dog parks1Campsites
The nearest beaches
Oldham is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the city.
Stone Beach7.7 mi from Oldham’s edge
DirectionsCar Park Beach7.8 mi from Oldham’s edge
DirectionsWader Point7.9 mi from Oldham’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South7.9 mi from Oldham’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach North7.9 mi from Oldham’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. Oldham Edge, at 249 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Oldham.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Oldham Edge249 m (817 ft) · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsHartshead Pike267 m (876 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsKnott Hill1.2 mi from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 2
repeat0r0.6 mi from town
DirectionsCrompton Waterfall1.2 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Glodwick Lows18 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 107
Plus 107 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Sholver community parkin town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Dog Hill Scout 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.
LeesChaddertonRoytonWoodhousesFailsworthAshton-under-LyneOldham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oldham | B+ | 1.7 | 87% | 0% |
| Lees 1.7 mi | A− | 2.5 | 80% | 4% |
| Chadderton 1.8 mi | B | 1.9 | 87% | 0% |
| Royton 2.1 mi | B− | 2.8 | 71% | 0% |
| Woodhouses 2.6 mi | C | 2.6 | 40% | 0% |
| Failsworth 2.9 mi | C+ | 1.8 | 77% | 0% |
| Ashton-under-Lyne 2.9 mi | A− | 3.1 | 85% | 0% |
Ashton-under-Lyne, 2.9 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 85% of its residents live within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Oldham
What is the biggest park in Oldham?
Daisy Nook Country Park, 39 ha (96 acres), with 6 km of path, just outside the built-up area. Alexandra Park (22 ha) is second. 19 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the city or within 400 m of it.
Is Oldham near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 2.9 mi east of the city’s edge. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Oldham?
5 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the city, including the Oldham Way, Tameside Trail (West - Broadbottom to Mossley) and GM Ringway Stage 9. Daisy Nook Country Park alone has 6 km of path.
What is the nearest beach to Oldham?
Stone Beach, 7.7 mi from the edge of the city, then Car Park Beach (7.8 mi). Oldham itself is inland.
How many people in Oldham live near a park?
87% 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 Oldham?
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 Oldham are historic?
Greenacres Cemetery (Grade II) and Alexandra Park (Grade II*) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Oldham good for walking?
For paths, yes: 5.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 93% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 37% (1.7 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 Oldham’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Oldham’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.