Cwmbrân’s biggest
Rose Garden
Park or garden
3.0 ha (7 acres)1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Cwmbrân · parks, paths & countryside
84% of Cwmbrân’s residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park
The Brecon Beacons National Park begins 2.1 mi from the town’s edge. Footpaths add up to 144 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.7 for every square kilometre. Cwmbrân grades B+ for the outdoors: #16 of 38 in Gwent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.1 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
84%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
144 km
3.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
1%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Brecon Beacons National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Cwmbrân?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths3.7 km of path per km², more than 75% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Countryside close byThe Brecon Beacons National Park starts 2.1 mi north.On a National TrailThe Cambrian Way passes through.Historic parksLlantarnam Abbey is a registered historic park (Grade II).
Cwmbrân’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by the Brecon Beacons National Park close by.
Outdoors grade
Cwmbrân grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Cwmbrân, 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 65% of UK towns#16 of 38 in Gwent · 29th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.1 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
47out of
100
100
A park within a walk84%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
54out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape1%of the land within 5 km
63out of
100
100
Footpaths3.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
76out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 0.7% sea, under the 5% that counts
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
Cwmbrân is 29th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 41,500 to 53,200 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
Cwmbrân3.7
Towns its size3.6
Gwent towns2.7
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Cwmbrân2.1
Towns its size2.3
Gwent towns2.5
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Cwmbrân84%
Towns its size83%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
Cwmbrân falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 37 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Folkestone Kent | A+ | 2.3 | 95% | 4.9 | 45% |
| 2 | Havant Hampshire | A+ | 3.6 | 84% | 5.8 | 30% |
| 3 | Lancaster Lancashire | A+ | 2.4 | 96% | 3.5 | 22% |
| 4 | Andover Hampshire | A | 2.7 | 91% | 4.4 | 21% |
| 5 | Salisbury Wiltshire | A | 2.7 | 94% | 3.9 | 22% |
| 6 | Wrexham Clwyd | A | 3.8 | 92% | 3.9 | 2% |
| 7 | Wallsend Tyne and Wear | A | 6 | 93% | 5.7 | 0% |
| 8 | Bexhill-on-Sea East Sussex | A | 1.7 | 83% | 3.4 | 13% |
| 9 | Banbury Oxfordshire | A | 2.6 | 96% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 10 | Bletchley Buckinghamshire | A | 4.1 | 91% | 5.9 | 0% |
| 11 | Eastleigh Hampshire | A− | 3 | 76% | 4.9 | 17% |
| 12 | Llanelli Dyfed | A− | 2.3 | 85% | 2.4 | 18% |
| 13 | Trowbridge Wiltshire | A− | 2.3 | 91% | 4.3 | 3% |
| 14 | Christchurch Dorset | A− | 2.1 | 70% | 3.3 | 14% |
| 15 | Crosby Merseyside | A− | 4.6 | 89% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 16 | Royal Tunbridge Wells Kent | A− | 2.2 | 93% | 2.7 | 73% |
| 17 | Washington Tyne and Wear | A− | 4.5 | 90% | 4 | 0% |
| 18 | Ashton-under-Lyne Greater Manchester | A− | 3.1 | 85% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 19 | Cheshunt Hertfordshire | B+ | 4.8 | 79% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 20 | Newbury Berkshire | B+ | 1.9 | 81% | 3.3 | 50% |
| 21 | Hatfield Hertfordshire | B+ | 2.8 | 84% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 22 | West Molesey Surrey | B+ | 4.4 | 80% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 23 | Torquay Devon | B+ | 1.8 | 87% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 24 | Thundersley and South Benfleet Essex | B+ | 3.2 | 69% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 25 | Bridgwater Somerset | B+ | 1.9 | 86% | 3.7 | 2% |
| 26 | Yeovil Somerset | B+ | 2 | 90% | 3.2 | 2% |
| 27 | Royal Leamington Spa Warwickshire | B+ | 2.7 | 91% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 28 | Batley West Yorkshire | B+ | 2.7 | 94% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 29 | Cwmbrân Gwent | B+ | 2.1 | 84% | 3.7 | 1% |
| 30 | Middleton Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.5 | 80% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 31 | Horsham West Sussex | B | 1.5 | 83% | 3.9 | 19% |
| 32 | Wokingham Berkshire | B | 4 | 84% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 33 | Leigh Greater Manchester | B | 5.3 | 77% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 34 | Beeston Nottinghamshire | B | 2.7 | 77% | 6 | 0% |
| 35 | Ramsgate Kent | B | 1.2 | 89% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 36 | Winchester Hampshire | B | 1.2 | 79% | 3.8 | 35% |
| 37 | Altrincham Greater Manchester | B | 2.2 | 91% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 38 | Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire | B | 2.2 | 80% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 39 | Castleford West Yorkshire | B | 2.3 | 92% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 40 | Fareham Hampshire | B | 1.1 | 48% | 4 | 2% |
| 41 | Bloxwich West Midlands | B− | 3.6 | 74% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 42 | Oldbury West Midlands | B− | 3 | 68% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 43 | Lytham St Anne's Lancashire | B− | 2.4 | 83% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 44 | Braintree Essex | B− | 1.7 | 89% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 45 | Tipton West Midlands | B− | 1.9 | 79% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 46 | Hinckley Leicestershire | C+ | 1.8 | 87% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 47 | Willenhall West Midlands | C+ | 3.4 | 66% | 3 | 0% |
| 48 | Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire | C+ | 1.5 | 85% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 49 | Kingswinford West Midlands | C+ | 2.6 | 71% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 50 | Urmston Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.7 | 79% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 51 | King's Lynn Norfolk | C+ | 1.3 | 80% | 2.2 | 23% |
| 52 | Clacton-on-Sea Essex | C | 1.7 | 73% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 53 | Kirkby Merseyside | C | 2.2 | 87% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 54 | Grays Essex | C | 1.2 | 83% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Durham County Durham | C | 1.1 | 68% | 6 | 0% |
| 56 | Keighley West Yorkshire | C | 1.6 | 73% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 57 | Boston Lincolnshire | C− | 2.1 | 78% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 58 | Worksop Nottinghamshire | C− | 1.3 | 75% | 3 | 0% |
| 59 | Grantham Lincolnshire | D | 0.9 | 69% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 60 | Bridgend Mid Glamorgan | D | 0.9 | 78% | 2 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Cwmbrân’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 Cwmbrân
The biggest is Rose Garden, 3.0 ha (7 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 5 named parks by size: 7 ha (18 acres) and 2 km of path
Parks & gardens 3.3 haPlaying fields 4.1 haPlay spaces 0.1 ha
The two biggest, Rose Garden and Cwmbran Park, are 77% of the named green space. 3 of the 5 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Cwmbran Park
Playing field
2.8 ha (7 acres)0.3 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Cwmbrân
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Pontnewydd Recreation Ground
Playing field
1.3 ha (3 acres)0.4 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Picwic Green
Park or garden
0.3 ha (1 acres)0.1 km of path
0.7 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Parc Sgrialu Northfields
Play space
0.1 ha (0 acres)
0.8 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Cwmbrân’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 (84%)Further (16%)
Cwmbrân84%
Towns its size83%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 8,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 61 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 772 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Brecon Beacons National Park is 2.1 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
2.1 mi north1,350 km²since 1955
Brecon Beacons National Park covers 1,350 km² and has been a National Park since 1955.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Cwmbrân is on the Cambrian Way
144 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Cwmbrân and the kilometre around it, 3.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalLocal
Cambrian Way8.8 km
Lodge Hill Circular Walk2.4 km
The Cambrian Way, a national route, passes Cwmbrân.
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 Cwmbrân
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Cwmbrân’s named parks.
Registered · Grade IILlantarnam Abbey1.4 ha
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 Cwmbrân: 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 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 167 | 117 | 102 | 82 | 88 | 84 | 89 | 109 | 105 | 153 | 154 | 165 |
April is the driest month (82 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 167 mm of rain falls in January, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 43 nights a year. The climate in Cwmbrân →
Things to do
61 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
Cwmbrân is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Sugar Loaf Beach13 mi from Cwmbrân’s edge
DirectionsLadye Bay14 mi from Cwmbrân’s edge
DirectionsClevedon Beach14 mi from Cwmbrân’s edge
DirectionsFossil Beach15 mi from Cwmbrân’s edge
DirectionsThe Bendricks18 mi from Cwmbrân’s 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 Twyn Glas, at 472 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Cwmbrân.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 2
Mynydd Twyn Glas472 m (1,549 ft) · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsIron Age Hill Fort120 m (394 ft) · 1.2 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Henllys Local Nature Reserve7.4 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 61
Building Blocks Tooin town
DirectionsCheeky Monkeysin town
DirectionsChildrend Play Groundin town
DirectionsTherapy Playin town
DirectionsPenny Crescent Play Area0.5 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 56 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.
PonthirPontypoolCaerleonRiscaRogerstoneAbercarnCwmbrân
ABCDOutdoors Grade
Risca, 4.1 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 94% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Risca has at least twice Cwmbrân’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Cwmbrân
What is the biggest park in Cwmbrân?
Rose Garden, 3.0 ha (7 acres), with 1.1 km of path. Cwmbran Park (2.8 ha) is second. 5 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Cwmbrân near a National Park?
Yes. Brecon Beacons National Park begins 2.1 mi north of the town’s edge. It covers 1,350 km² and has been a National Park since 1955.
What are the best walks near Cwmbrân?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Cambrian Way and Lodge Hill Circular Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Cwmbrân?
Sugar Loaf Beach, 13 mi from the edge of the town, then Ladye Bay (14 mi). Cwmbrân itself is inland.
How many people in Cwmbrân live near a park?
84% 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 Cwmbrân?
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 Cwmbrân are historic?
Llantarnam Abbey (Grade II) is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Cwmbrân good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 76% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 47% (2.1 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 Cwmbrân’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Cwmbrân’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.