Pontllanfraith’s biggest
Islwyn Park
Park or garden
5.1 ha (13 acres)0.1 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Pontllanfraith
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Alan Hughes · CC BY-SA 2.0BOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Pontllanfraith · parks, paths & countryside
93% of Pontllanfraith’s residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park
Parks and playing fields in Pontllanfraith add up to 3.7 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 50 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 2.7 for every square kilometre. Pontllanfraith grades B for the outdoors: #17 of 38 in Gwent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.7 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
93%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
50 km
2.7 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
Outdoors grade
Pontllanfraith grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Pontllanfraith, 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 63% of UK towns#17 of 38 in Gwent · 27th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space3.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
80out of
100
100
A park within a walk93%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
Footpaths2.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
52out 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
Pontllanfraith is 27th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 8,900 to 9,900 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
Pontllanfraith2.7
Towns its size3.2
Gwent towns2.7
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Pontllanfraith3.7
Towns its size2.6
Gwent towns2.5
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Pontllanfraith93%
Towns its size85%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Pontllanfraith stands out most for park space per resident: only 14 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 41 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swanage Dorset | A+ | 6.9 | 95% | 4.2 | 47% |
| 2 | Brynteg Clwyd | A | 8.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 7% |
| 3 | Ilfracombe Devon | A | 2 | 86% | 3 | 28% |
| 4 | Bordon Hampshire | A | 8.6 | 54% | 6.7 | 49% |
| 5 | Killamarsh Derbyshire | A | 10.6 | 97% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 6 | Linthwaite and Slaithwaite West Yorkshire | A | 2.2 | 97% | 4.8 | 12% |
| 7 | New Mills Derbyshire | A | 2.4 | 84% | 5.1 | 34% |
| 8 | Beccles Suffolk | A | 4.5 | 87% | 3.2 | 20% |
| 9 | Nuthall and Watnall Nottinghamshire | A | 6.3 | 97% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Greasby Merseyside | A | 5.9 | 74% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 11 | Southborough Kent | A− | 2.8 | 94% | 2.5 | 57% |
| 12 | Whiteley Hampshire | A− | 3 | 52% | 4.4 | 2% |
| 13 | Thurmaston Leicestershire | A− | 10.4 | 89% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 14 | Hetton-le-Hole Tyne and Wear | A− | 7.8 | 95% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 15 | Esher Surrey | A− | 6.9 | 86% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 16 | Shelf and Northowram West Yorkshire | A− | 5.3 | 88% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 17 | Billingshurst West Sussex | A− | 2.9 | 95% | 3.1 | 3% |
| 18 | Thurnscoe South Yorkshire | A− | 9.4 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 19 | Shaftesbury Dorset | A− | 2.8 | 92% | 2.3 | 44% |
| 20 | Aveley Essex | A− | 3.4 | 84% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 21 | Shanklin Isle of Wight | A− | 1.4 | 33% | 4.5 | 29% |
| 22 | Irthlingborough Northamptonshire | A− | 4.7 | 94% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 23 | Yarm North Yorkshire | A− | 3.3 | 96% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 24 | Frodsham Cheshire | B+ | 2.5 | 67% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 25 | Sandiacre Derbyshire | B+ | 2.6 | 94% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 26 | Hayle Cornwall | B+ | 1.4 | 72% | 3.4 | 6% |
| 27 | Pontllanfraith Gwent | B | 3.7 | 93% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 28 | Shildon County Durham | B | 2.8 | 93% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 29 | Hemsworth West Yorkshire | B | 3.6 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 30 | Gatley Greater Manchester | B | 5.7 | 66% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 31 | North Wingfield and Holmewood Derbyshire | B | 2.7 | 84% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 32 | Queensbury West Yorkshire | B | 2.6 | 91% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 33 | Tiptree Essex | B | 2.7 | 90% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 34 | Immingham Lincolnshire | B | 2 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 35 | Perton Staffordshire | B | 2.4 | 93% | 3 | 0% |
| 36 | Yaxley Cambridgeshire | B− | 2.6 | 90% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 37 | Pembroke Dock Dyfed | B− | 1.7 | 80% | 1.1 | 25% |
| 38 | Mildenhall Suffolk | B− | 2.1 | 91% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 39 | Knottingley West Yorkshire | B− | 2.7 | 88% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 40 | Hook Hampshire | B− | 2.4 | 80% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Caister-on-Sea Norfolk | C+ | 1.1 | 58% | 2.1 | 21% |
| 42 | Wideopen Tyne and Wear | C+ | 2.1 | 75% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 43 | Okehampton Devon | C+ | 0.9 | 85% | 2.2 | 37% |
| 44 | Brandon County Durham | C+ | 2.2 | 72% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 45 | Crook County Durham | C+ | 1.5 | 85% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 46 | Lydney Gloucestershire | C+ | 2.1 | 52% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 47 | Barwell Leicestershire | C | 1.7 | 90% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 48 | Diss Norfolk | C | 1.5 | 80% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 49 | Milnrow Greater Manchester | C | 2.9 | 58% | 3 | 0% |
| 50 | Kinmel Bay Clwyd | C | 1.8 | 76% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Shepton Mallet Somerset | C | 1.2 | 70% | 2.8 | 1% |
| 52 | Totnes Devon | C | 0.4 | 65% | 3.3 | 11% |
| 53 | Pencoed Mid Glamorgan | C− | 2.8 | 52% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Sileby Leicestershire | C− | 1 | 80% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Shifnal Shropshire | D | 1 | 89% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Broughton Astley Leicestershire | D | 1 | 82% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 57 | Brandon Suffolk | D | 0.8 | 39% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Littleport Cambridgeshire | D | 1 | 71% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 59 | Pheasey West Midlands | D− | 0.9 | 40% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Kirkham Lancashire | D− | 1.3 | 66% | 1.3 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Pontllanfraith’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 Pontllanfraith
The biggest is Islwyn Park, 5.1 ha (13 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Islwyn Park
Park or garden
5.1 ha (13 acres)0.1 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Pontllanfraith
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Penllwyn Manor Park
Park or garden
1.8 ha (4 acres)0.3 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Pontllanfraith
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Pontllanfraith’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 (93%)Further (7%)
Pontllanfraith93%
Towns its size85%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 600 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 37 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 253 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Brecon Beacons National Park is 6.6 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
6.6 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
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Pontllanfraith
50 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Pontllanfraith and the kilometre around it, 2.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Regional
Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk5.5 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 Pontllanfraith: 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 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 157 | 122 | 102 | 84 | 88 | 81 | 88 | 105 | 107 | 164 | 160 | 177 |
June is the driest month (81 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 177 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 43 nights a year. The climate in Pontllanfraith →
Things to do
37 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
Pontllanfraith is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Bendricks17 mi from Pontllanfraith’s edge
DirectionsPebble Beach18 mi from Pontllanfraith’s edge
DirectionsLadye Bay19 mi from Pontllanfraith’s edge
DirectionsWatch House Beach20 mi from Pontllanfraith’s edge
DirectionsClevedon Beach20 mi from Pontllanfraith’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.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 37
Jelly Totz Play Centrein town
Directionsthe park0.3 mi from town
DirectionsPantycelyn Street Playground1.1 mi from town
DirectionsYnysddu playground1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 33 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
CRAI Scout Activity Centre0.7 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.
BlackwoodFleur-de-lis and PengamMaesycwmmerOakdaleYstrad MynachTir-y-berth and Glan-y-nantPontllanfraith
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontllanfraith | B | 3.7 | 93% | 0% |
| Blackwood 1.1 mi | A− | 3.6 | 97% | 0% |
| Fleur-de-lis and Pengam 1.4 mi | B | 6.0 | 54% | 0% |
| Maesycwmmer 1.5 mi | C− | 1.9 | 73% | 0% |
| Oakdale 1.8 mi | C+ | 5.2 | 79% | 0% |
| Ystrad Mynach 1.8 mi | B− | 5.4 | 85% | 0% |
| Tir-y-berth and Glan-y-nant 1.9 mi | A | 22.1 | 100% | 0% |
Tir-y-berth and Glan-y-nant, 1.9 miles away, grades A, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Tir-y-berth and Glan-y-nant has at least twice Pontllanfraith’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Pontllanfraith
What is the biggest park in Pontllanfraith?
Islwyn Park, 5.1 ha (13 acres). Islwyn Park (5.1 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Pontllanfraith near a National Park?
Yes. Brecon Beacons National Park begins 6.6 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 Pontllanfraith?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Pontllanfraith?
The Bendricks, 17 mi from the edge of the town, then Pebble Beach (18 mi). Pontllanfraith itself is inland.
How many people in Pontllanfraith live near a park?
93% 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 Pontllanfraith?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Pontllanfraith good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 52% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 80% (3.7 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 Pontllanfraith’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Pontllanfraith’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.