Dolgellau’s biggest
Marian Mawr
Playing field
7.8 ha (19 acres)
11 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Dolgellau
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Eirian Evans · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Dolgellau · parks, paths & countryside
Dolgellau is inside Snowdonia National Park
100% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Parks and playing fields in Dolgellau add up to 3.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Dolgellau grades A for the outdoors: #2 of 13 in Gwynedd. 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
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
22 km
1.9 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
100%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Snowdonia National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Dolgellau?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Inside Snowdonia National ParkDolgellau sits inside it: 2,140 km² of protected landscape.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Room to roam3.6 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 77% of UK towns.
Dolgellau’s strongest suit is a protected landscape all round, followed by parks close to every home.
Outdoors grade
Dolgellau grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Dolgellau, 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 90% of UK towns#2 of 13 in Gwynedd · 8th 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 walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
89out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape100%of the land within 5 km
100out of
100
100
Footpaths1.9 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
28out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 1.3% 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
Dolgellau is 8th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,500 to 2,700 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
Dolgellau1.9
Towns its size2.3
Gwynedd towns1.8
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Dolgellau3.6
Towns its size2.5
Gwynedd towns1.8
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Dolgellau100%
Towns its size83%
Gwynedd towns83%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Dolgellau stands out most for park space per resident: only 17 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 37 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petworth West Sussex | A+ | 29.6 | 100% | 4.1 | 93% |
| 2 | Tywardreath Cornwall | A+ | 4.6 | 100% | 2.5 | 26% |
| 3 | Ambleside Cumbria | A+ | 6.9 | 92% | 4.6 | 100% |
| 4 | Downley Buckinghamshire | A+ | 9.5 | 76% | 7.6 | 71% |
| 5 | Silloth Cumbria | A+ | 7.3 | 100% | 1.4 | 17% |
| 6 | Hopton on Sea Norfolk | A+ | 6.7 | 100% | 1.6 | 2% |
| 7 | Hellingly East Sussex | A | 6.9 | 90% | 3.7 | 11% |
| 8 | Dolgellau Gwynedd | A | 3.6 | 100% | 1.9 | 100% |
| 9 | Binley Woods Warwickshire | A | 5.5 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Hawley Hampshire | A | 6.9 | 92% | 5.8 | 0% |
| 11 | Maple Cross Hertfordshire | A | 3.1 | 100% | 2.9 | 14% |
| 12 | Longford Gloucestershire | A | 11.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 13 | Darenth Kent | A− | 1.8 | 100% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 14 | Drybrook Gloucestershire | A− | 3.9 | 83% | 3.4 | 10% |
| 15 | Stewartby Bedfordshire | A− | 21 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Avonmouth Bristol | B+ | 2.5 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 17 | Langold Nottinghamshire | B+ | 13 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 18 | Porthmadog Gwynedd | B+ | 0.9 | 94% | 2 | 41% |
| 19 | Thornley County Durham | B+ | 3.2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 20 | Dipton County Durham | B | 3.2 | 87% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 21 | Craven Arms Shropshire | B | 1.3 | 87% | 2.9 | 59% |
| 22 | Prestbury Cheshire | B | 5.6 | 42% | 3.2 | 6% |
| 23 | Barlestone Leicestershire | B | 3 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 24 | Builth Wells Powys | B | 4.9 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 25 | Brynamman Dyfed | B | 1.7 | 100% | 1 | 51% |
| 26 | Brewood Staffordshire | B− | 3 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 27 | Halton Lancashire | B− | 0.9 | 100% | 1.7 | 35% |
| 28 | Seer Green Buckinghamshire | B− | 1.7 | 38% | 3.8 | 35% |
| 29 | Grimsargh Lancashire | B− | 2.6 | 67% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 30 | Ash Green Warwickshire | B− | 3.4 | 67% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 31 | Godstone Surrey | C+ | 1.7 | 52% | 3.7 | 18% |
| 32 | Hurworth-on-Tees County Durham | C+ | 4.5 | 93% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 33 | Endon Staffordshire | C+ | 3 | 89% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Little Dunmow Essex | C+ | 1.1 | 89% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 35 | Dunchurch Warwickshire | C+ | 7.8 | 68% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 36 | Caton Lancashire | C+ | 1.2 | 72% | 2.2 | 67% |
| 37 | Stratton Gloucestershire | C | 0.7 | 46% | 3.3 | 70% |
| 38 | Heage Derbyshire | C | 1.9 | 78% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Watlington Norfolk | C | 2.3 | 100% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 40 | South Brent Devon | C | 1.5 | 79% | 0.8 | 64% |
| 41 | Smallfield Surrey | C | 1.6 | 70% | 2.4 | 1% |
| 42 | Llandybie Dyfed | C | 2.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 13% |
| 43 | Marham Norfolk | C | 3.5 | 85% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Higham Kent | C− | 0.5 | 0% | 1.8 | 18% |
| 45 | Hardwick Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.5 | 82% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 46 | Hatton Derbyshire | C− | 3.3 | 61% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 47 | Costessey Norfolk | C− | 1.8 | 12% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 48 | Probus Cornwall | C− | 0.6 | 75% | 1.5 | 15% |
| 49 | Saughall Cheshire | D | 2.5 | 27% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 50 | Tonna West Glamorgan | D | 2.1 | 36% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 51 | Keele Staffordshire | D | 1.1 | 0% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Fordham Cambridgeshire | D | 2.3 | 35% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Silverstone Northamptonshire | D | 1.1 | 0% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 54 | Watton at Stone Hertfordshire | D | 0.8 | 61% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 55 | Swineshead Lincolnshire | D− | 1.2 | 73% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Manea Cambridgeshire | D− | 1.3 | 63% | 1 | 0% |
| 57 | Holme upon Spalding Moor East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.5 | 41% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 58 | Nafferton East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.3 | 56% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Rhos West Glamorgan | D− | 1 | 58% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Cranwell Lincolnshire | D− | 0.5 | 57% | 1.1 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Dolgellau’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 Dolgellau
The biggest is Marian Mawr, 7.8 ha (19 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
Everyone in Dolgellau lives 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 (100%)Further (0%)
Dolgellau100%
Towns its size83%
Gwynedd towns83%
All UK towns83%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 3 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 866 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Dolgellau
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
Snowdonia
Dolgellau is inside it2,140 km²since 1951100% of the land within 5 km
100% of the land within 5 km of Dolgellau is National Park or National Landscape, more than 99% of UK towns. Snowdonia National Park covers 2,140 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Dolgellau
22 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Dolgellau and the kilometre around it, 1.9 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
LocalOther waymarked
New Precipice Walk3.6 km
Precipice Walk0.8 km
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 Dolgellau: 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) | 8.1 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.8 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.6 | 7.6 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 210 | 142 | 125 | 96 | 99 | 107 | 122 | 128 | 142 | 186 | 193 | 206 |
April is the driest month (96 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 210 mm of rain falls in January, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 40 nights a year. The climate in Dolgellau →
Things to do
3 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
Dolgellau is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Traeth Llandanwg Beach11 mi from Dolgellau’s edge
DirectionsLlandanwg Beach11 mi from Dolgellau’s edge
DirectionsTraeth Harlech12 mi from Dolgellau’s edge
DirectionsMorfa Harlech14 mi from Dolgellau’s edge
DirectionsAberdovey Bar16 mi from Dolgellau’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. Craig Llanelltyd, at 60 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Dolgellau.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
View & Bench1.2 mi from town
DirectionsHills and peaks 2
Craig Llanelltyd60 m (197 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsFoel Faner290 m (951 ft) · 1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 3
Plus 3 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 5
Tan-y-fronin town
DirectionsMotocamp Wales0.1 mi from town
DirectionsTorrent Walk Campsite0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 campsites 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.
BarmouthMachynllethDolgellau
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolgellau | A | 3.6 | 100% | 100% |
| Barmouth 7.4 mi | B− | 0.5 | 60% | 53% |
| Machynlleth 10.5 mi | C+ | 2.6 | 45% | 29% |
Dolgellau grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table.
Questions about the outdoors in Dolgellau
What is the biggest park in Dolgellau?
Marian Mawr, 7.8 ha (19 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
What are the best walks near Dolgellau?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the New Precipice Walk and Precipice Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Dolgellau?
Traeth Llandanwg Beach, 11 mi from the edge of the town, then Llandanwg Beach (11 mi). Dolgellau itself is inland.
How many people in Dolgellau 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 Dolgellau?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Dolgellau good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 1.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 28% 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 Dolgellau’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Dolgellau’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.