Bedwas’ biggest
Parc Glan yr Afon
Park or garden
16 ha (38 acres)1.0 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
22 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Bedwas · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Bedwas lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Parks and playing fields in Bedwas add up to 4.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 55 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.0 for every square kilometre. Bedwas grades A for the outdoors: #6 of 38 in Gwent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
4.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
55 km
4.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Brecon Beacons National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Bedwas?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Room to roam4.4 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 84% of UK towns.A town of footpaths4.0 km of path per km², more than 80% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.
Bedwas’ strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by plenty of park space.
Outdoors grade
Bedwas grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Bedwas, 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 87% of UK towns#6 of 38 in Gwent · 7th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space4.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
84out of
100
100
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
89out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
81out 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
Bedwas is 7th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 6,200 to 6,800 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
Bedwas4.0
Towns its size3.0
Gwent towns2.7
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Bedwas4.4
Towns its size2.2
Gwent towns2.5
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Bedwas100%
Towns its size84%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Bedwas stands out most for park space per resident: only 12 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netley Hampshire | A+ | 16.3 | 100% | 4.1 | 4% |
| 2 | Stone Kent | A+ | 3.1 | 100% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 3 | Filey North Yorkshire | A | 5.9 | 89% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 4 | Chalford Gloucestershire | A | 1.6 | 96% | 4.7 | 94% |
| 5 | Wingerworth Derbyshire | A | 9 | 86% | 4 | 0% |
| 6 | Shotton Clwyd | A | 4.5 | 100% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 7 | Bedwas Gwent | A | 4.4 | 100% | 4 | 0% |
| 8 | Broad Blunsdon Wiltshire | A− | 5.2 | 93% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 9 | Barnton Cheshire | A− | 10 | 94% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 10 | St Blazey Cornwall | A− | 2.4 | 78% | 2.8 | 17% |
| 11 | Marston Moretaine Bedfordshire | A− | 17.4 | 88% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 12 | Olney Buckinghamshire | A− | 6.3 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 13 | Alcester Warwickshire | A− | 4.1 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 14 | Ackworth Moor Top West Yorkshire | A− | 4.6 | 91% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 15 | Whitfield Kent | A− | 2.3 | 79% | 2.5 | 32% |
| 16 | Paulton Somerset | A− | 2.1 | 96% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 17 | Burghfield Common Berkshire | A− | 2.1 | 100% | 2.9 | 8% |
| 18 | Whitworth Lancashire | B+ | 2.5 | 96% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 19 | Broadbridge Heath West Sussex | B+ | 1.6 | 95% | 4.3 | 3% |
| 20 | Lightwater Surrey | B+ | 9.2 | 72% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 21 | Milford and Witley Surrey | B+ | 2.6 | 54% | 3.7 | 78% |
| 22 | Cawston Warwickshire | B+ | 3.6 | 98% | 3 | 0% |
| 23 | North Anston South Yorkshire | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 24 | Cleator Moor Cumbria | B+ | 3.5 | 91% | 1.9 | 11% |
| 25 | Little Chalfont Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.5 | 83% | 3.6 | 45% |
| 26 | Groby Leicestershire | B+ | 2.1 | 96% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 27 | Peasedown St John Somerset | B+ | 1.5 | 88% | 4 | 9% |
| 28 | Hindhead Surrey | B | 1.7 | 37% | 5.9 | 66% |
| 29 | Braunton Devon | B | 1.6 | 78% | 2.1 | 24% |
| 30 | Galleywood Essex | B | 10.3 | 61% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 31 | Hartford Cheshire | B | 2.2 | 95% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Oundle Northamptonshire | B− | 2.4 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 33 | Bovey Tracey Devon | B− | 2.2 | 66% | 2.5 | 55% |
| 34 | Rishton Lancashire | B− | 2.2 | 94% | 3 | 0% |
| 35 | Yapton West Sussex | B− | 1.8 | 63% | 2 | 15% |
| 36 | Upton West Yorkshire | B− | 2.2 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 37 | Crigglestone and Durkar West Yorkshire | B− | 4.4 | 45% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 38 | Ushaw Moor and Bearpark County Durham | C+ | 1.6 | 82% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 39 | South Molton Devon | C+ | 2.2 | 96% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 40 | Chiswell Green Hertfordshire | C+ | 4 | 54% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Denmead Hampshire | C+ | 1.4 | 72% | 2.8 | 35% |
| 42 | Tetbury Gloucestershire | C+ | 1.2 | 66% | 2.6 | 88% |
| 43 | Malton North Yorkshire | C+ | 2.3 | 43% | 2.4 | 24% |
| 44 | Brampton Cambridgeshire | C | 3.2 | 61% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 45 | Market Deeping Lincolnshire | C | 1.5 | 96% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Farnham Common and Farnham Royal Buckinghamshire | C | 1 | 55% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Cross Hands and Pen-y-groes Dyfed | C | 9.7 | 70% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 48 | Lydiate Merseyside | C− | 1.5 | 90% | 2 | 0% |
| 49 | Gildersome West Yorkshire | C− | 1.2 | 81% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 50 | Ashingdon Essex | C− | 1.3 | 61% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Weaverham Cheshire | C− | 0.7 | 81% | 3 | 0% |
| 52 | Boston Spa West Yorkshire | C− | 1.2 | 86% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 53 | Washingborough and Heighington Lincolnshire | D | 1.8 | 66% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 54 | Wem Shropshire | D | 1.2 | 77% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 55 | Holmes Chapel Cheshire | D | 0.8 | 72% | 2 | 0% |
| 56 | Pontarddulais West Glamorgan | D | 1.9 | 67% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Selston Nottinghamshire | D | 0.9 | 61% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Broughton Clwyd | D− | 0.8 | 80% | 1 | 0% |
| 59 | Abercynon Mid Glamorgan | D− | 1.1 | 55% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 60 | Tadcaster North Yorkshire | D− | 0.6 | 58% | 1.7 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Bedwas’ 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 Bedwas
The biggest is Parc Glan yr Afon, 16 ha (38 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
How close Bedwas’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 (100%)Further (0%)
Bedwas100%
Towns its size84%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
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 340 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Brecon Beacons National Park is 9.9 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
National Park
Brecon Beacons
9.9 mi north-east1,350 km²since 1955
Brecon Beacons National Park covers 1,350 km² and has been a National Park since 1955.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Bedwas
55 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Bedwas and the kilometre around it, 4.0 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
Forge Walk3.3 km
Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk3.2 km
The regional route here is the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk.
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 Bedwas: 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) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 160 | 117 | 105 | 86 | 89 | 86 | 97 | 117 | 106 | 154 | 159 | 171 |
June is the driest month (86 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 171 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 42 nights a year. The climate in Bedwas →
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
Bedwas is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Bendricks13 mi from Bedwas’ edge
DirectionsPebble Beach14 mi from Bedwas’ edge
DirectionsWatch House Beach16 mi from Bedwas’ edge
DirectionsLadye Bay17 mi from Bedwas’ edge
DirectionsClevedon Beach17 mi from Bedwas’ edge
DirectionsGood to know
Check the water before you swim. Natural Resources Wales tests designated bathing waters from May to September and publishes a rating for each beach.
Up high. Mynydd Dimlaith, at 224 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Bedwas.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Twyn yr Oerfel0.8 mi from town
DirectionsHills and peaks 3
Mynydd Dimlaith224 m (735 ft) · 0.6 mi from town
DirectionsMynydd Rudry222 m (728 ft) · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsMynydd y Grug375 m (1,230 ft) · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 19
Plus 19 playgrounds 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.
TrethomasLlanbradachCaerphillyCwmfelinfachMachenAbertridwr and SenghenyddBedwas
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedwas | A | 4.4 | 100% | 0% |
| Trethomas 1.3 mi | B− | 6.9 | 48% | 0% |
| Llanbradach 1.7 mi | D− | 1.2 | 52% | 0% |
| Caerphilly 1.7 mi | B | 2.6 | 82% | 0% |
| Cwmfelinfach 1.8 mi | A− | 24.6 | 100% | 0% |
| Machen 2.6 mi | A | 3.5 | 100% | 0% |
| Abertridwr and Senghenydd 3.2 mi | C− | 1.8 | 87% | 0% |
Bedwas grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table. Cwmfelinfach has at least twice Bedwas’ green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Bedwas
What is the biggest park in Bedwas?
Parc Glan yr Afon, 16 ha (38 acres), with 1 km of path. 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Bedwas near a National Park?
Yes. Brecon Beacons National Park begins 9.9 mi north-east of the town’s edge. It covers 1,350 km² and has been a National Park since 1955.
What are the best walks near Bedwas?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Forge Walk and Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Bedwas?
The Bendricks, 13 mi from the edge of the town, then Pebble Beach (14 mi). Bedwas itself is inland.
How many people in Bedwas live near a park?
100% 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 Bedwas?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Bedwas good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 81% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 84% (4.4 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 Bedwas’ overall grade.
Sources
Where Bedwas’ 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.