Pontypool’s biggest
Cwmynyscoy Gwarchodfa Natur Leol
Park or garden
6.9 ha (17 acres)
10 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.7 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Pontypool · parks, paths & countryside
93% of Pontypool’s residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park
The Brecon Beacons National Park reaches the edge of Pontypool. Parks and playing fields in Pontypool add up to 3.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 60 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 1.8 for every square kilometre. Pontypool grades B+ for the outdoors: #15 of 38 in Gwent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.6 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
93%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
60 km
1.8 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
7%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Brecon Beacons National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Pontypool?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Room to roam3.6 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 78% of UK towns.Countryside close byThe Brecon Beacons National Park starts 0.0 mi north-east.On a National TrailThe Cambrian Way passes through.Historic parksPontypool Park is a registered historic park (Grade II*).
Pontypool’s strongest suit is plenty of park space, followed by the Brecon Beacons National Park close by.
Outdoors grade
Pontypool grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Pontypool, 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 68% of UK towns#15 of 38 in Gwent · 26th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space3.6 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
78out of
100
100
A park within a walk93%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
72out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape7%of the land within 5 km
69out of
100
100
Footpaths1.8 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
24out 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
Pontypool is 26th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 26,700 to 31,700 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
Pontypool1.8
Towns its size3.3
Gwent towns2.7
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Pontypool3.6
Towns its size2.2
Gwent towns2.5
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Pontypool93%
Towns its size84%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Pontypool stands out most for park space per resident: only 13 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 55 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yate Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.3 | 99% | 6.8 | 11% |
| 2 | Jarrow Tyne and Wear | A+ | 5.3 | 90% | 6.1 | 0% |
| 3 | Northfleet Kent | A | 2 | 85% | 7.7 | 4% |
| 4 | Stalybridge Greater Manchester | A | 5 | 82% | 4.8 | 12% |
| 5 | Ashington Northumberland | A | 5.6 | 83% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 6 | Penarth South Glamorgan | A | 3.5 | 83% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 7 | Witney Oxfordshire | A | 2.5 | 88% | 4.6 | 19% |
| 8 | Woodley Berkshire | A | 5 | 81% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 9 | Lancing and Sompting West Sussex | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3 | 37% |
| 10 | Prestwich Greater Manchester | A | 9 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 11 | Totton Hampshire | A | 1.6 | 94% | 4.4 | 50% |
| 12 | Burntwood Staffordshire | A− | 5.3 | 81% | 3.4 | 12% |
| 13 | Ewell Surrey | A− | 7.5 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Stretford Greater Manchester | A− | 3.7 | 92% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 15 | Tadworth and Epsom Downs Surrey | A− | 3.4 | 65% | 5.3 | 16% |
| 16 | Great Yarmouth Norfolk | A− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.2 | 18% |
| 17 | Cleethorpes Lincolnshire | A− | 3 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 18 | Daventry Northamptonshire | A− | 4.1 | 99% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Eston North Yorkshire | B+ | 2.9 | 93% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 20 | Harpenden Hertfordshire | B+ | 3.5 | 84% | 2.9 | 2% |
| 21 | Cramlington Northumberland | B+ | 2.3 | 91% | 6.6 | 0% |
| 22 | Haverhill Suffolk | B+ | 2.4 | 91% | 5 | 0% |
| 23 | Longbenton Tyne and Wear | B+ | 3.3 | 80% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 24 | Deal Kent | B+ | 1 | 86% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 25 | Farnworth Greater Manchester | B+ | 3 | 85% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 26 | Pontypool Gwent | B+ | 3.6 | 93% | 1.8 | 7% |
| 27 | Colwyn Bay Clwyd | B+ | 1.9 | 77% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 28 | Windsor Berkshire | B | 5.5 | 83% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 29 | Shipley West Yorkshire | B | 2.1 | 87% | 6 | 0% |
| 30 | Consett County Durham | B | 1.7 | 87% | 3.1 | 19% |
| 31 | Darwen Lancashire | B | 2.2 | 89% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 32 | Witham Essex | B | 1.9 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Egham Surrey | B | 4.1 | 63% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Bushey Hertfordshire | B | 3.1 | 77% | 4 | 0% |
| 35 | Atherton Greater Manchester | B | 3.8 | 83% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Rhyl Clwyd | B | 1 | 84% | 2.2 | 7% |
| 37 | Evesham Worcestershire | B− | 1.7 | 80% | 3.5 | 4% |
| 38 | Stanford-le-Hope Essex | B− | 2.6 | 84% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 39 | Radcliffe Greater Manchester | B− | 1.7 | 86% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 40 | Melton Mowbray Leicestershire | B− | 3.3 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Kendal Cumbria | C+ | 0.9 | 67% | 4 | 33% |
| 42 | Horley Surrey | C+ | 1.9 | 84% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 43 | Newton Abbot Devon | C+ | 2.6 | 62% | 2.3 | 6% |
| 44 | Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire | C | 1.6 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 45 | Newark-on-Trent Nottinghamshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 2 | 0% |
| 46 | Walton-on-Thames Surrey | C | 1.6 | 81% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Bedworth Warwickshire | C | 1.5 | 87% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 48 | Frome Somerset | C | 1.3 | 78% | 2.4 | 9% |
| 49 | Barnstaple Devon | C | 1.6 | 92% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire | C | 0.7 | 92% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Wickford Essex | C | 2.4 | 59% | 3 | 0% |
| 52 | Congleton Cheshire | C | 1.7 | 72% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 53 | Hertford Hertfordshire | C | 0.9 | 65% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 54 | Rushden Northamptonshire | C− | 1.5 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 55 | Heywood Greater Manchester | C− | 1.3 | 80% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Heswall Merseyside | C− | 1.1 | 56% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 57 | Port Talbot West Glamorgan | C− | 1.3 | 68% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 58 | Ormskirk Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 80% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 59 | Spalding Lincolnshire | D | 1.1 | 85% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 60 | Wisbech Cambridgeshire | D | 1.2 | 79% | 1.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Pontypool’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 Pontypool
The biggest is Cwmynyscoy Gwarchodfa Natur Leol, 6.9 ha (17 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Panteg Park
Park or garden
1.5 ha (4 acres)0.5 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.1 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Trevethin Community Garden
Park or garden
0.1 ha (0 acres)
1.1 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Pontypool’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%)
Pontypool93%
Towns its size84%
Gwent towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 2,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 34 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 855 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Pontypool
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
At the edge north-east1,350 km²since 19557% of the land within 5 km
7% of the land within 5 km of Pontypool is National Park or National Landscape, more than 69% of UK towns. Brecon Beacons National Park covers 1,350 km² and has been a National Park since 1955.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Pontypool is on the Cambrian Way
60 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Pontypool and the kilometre around it, 1.8 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
National
Cambrian Way10.8 km
The Cambrian Way, a national route, passes Pontypool.
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 Pontypool
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Pontypool’s named parks.
Registered · Grade II*Pontypool Park7.6 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 Pontypool: 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 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 174 | 129 | 110 | 92 | 97 | 92 | 91 | 118 | 108 | 172 | 170 | 187 |
July is the driest month (91 mm) and the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 187 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 46 nights a year. The climate in Pontypool →
Things to do
34 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
Pontypool is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Fossil Beach16 mi from Pontypool’s edge
DirectionsSugar Loaf Beach16 mi from Pontypool’s edge
DirectionsLadye Bay17 mi from Pontypool’s edge
DirectionsClevedon Beach17 mi from Pontypool’s edge
DirectionsThe Bendricks21 mi from Pontypool’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
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Blaenserchan Colliery81 ha · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsTirpentwys Nature Reserve23 ha · 1.2 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.
AbersychanCwmbrânPenperlleniSwffrydLlanhillethTrinantPontypool
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontypool | B+ | 3.6 | 93% | 7% |
| Abersychan 2.7 mi | B− | 2.8 | 83% | 17% |
| Cwmbrân 3.2 mi | B+ | 2.1 | 84% | 1% |
| Penperlleni 3.6 mi | C− | 0.6 | 80% | 17% |
| Swffryd 4.3 mi | D− | 1.4 | 17% | 0% |
| Llanhilleth 4.5 mi | D | 1.3 | 71% | 0% |
| Trinant 5.0 mi | C+ | 2.5 | 100% | 0% |
Pontypool grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table.
Questions about the outdoors in Pontypool
What is the biggest park in Pontypool?
Cwmynyscoy Gwarchodfa Natur Leol, 6.9 ha (17 acres). Panteg Park (1.5 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Pontypool near a National Park?
Brecon Beacons National Park reaches the edge of Pontypool. It covers 1,350 km² and has been a National Park since 1955.
What are the best walks near Pontypool?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the Cambrian Way.
What is the nearest beach to Pontypool?
Fossil Beach, 16 mi from the edge of the town, then Sugar Loaf Beach (16 mi). Pontypool itself is inland.
How many people in Pontypool 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 Pontypool?
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 Pontypool are historic?
Pontypool Park (Grade II*) is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Pontypool good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 1.8 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 24% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 78% (3.6 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 Pontypool’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Pontypool’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.