Barnoldswick’s biggest
Victory Park
Playing field
13 ha (31 acres)1.3 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
18 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Barnoldswick
2 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Dr Neil Clifton · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Barnoldswick · parks, paths & countryside
Barnoldswick has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 UK towns
57 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 4.0 for every square kilometre. The Forest Of Bowland National Landscape begins 2.4 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Barnoldswick add up to 1.8 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Barnoldswick grades B+ for the outdoors: #27 of 65 in Lancashire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.8 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
87%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
57 km
4.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
2%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Forest Of Bowland National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Barnoldswick?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths4.0 km of path per km², more than 80% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Countryside both waysForest Of Bowland starts 2.4 mi south-west, Yorkshire Dales 5.3 mi north-east.Less park per person1.8 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Barnoldswick’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Barnoldswick grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Barnoldswick, 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#27 of 65 in Lancashire · 21st of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.8 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
37out of
100
100
A park within a walk87%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
62out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape2%of the land within 5 km
64out 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
Barnoldswick is 21st of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 10,300 to 11,500 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
Barnoldswick4.0
Towns its size3.2
Lancashire towns3.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Barnoldswick1.8
Towns its size1.9
Lancashire towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Barnoldswick87%
Towns its size82%
Lancashire towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Barnoldswick stands out most for path per km²: only 20 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weybourne Surrey | A+ | 7.1 | 86% | 6.1 | 14% |
| 2 | West End Hampshire | A | 9.1 | 100% | 6.1 | 0% |
| 3 | Brierfield Lancashire | A | 2.1 | 92% | 5.6 | 18% |
| 4 | Penryn Cornwall | A | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 31% |
| 5 | Great Harwood Lancashire | A | 2.2 | 97% | 4.3 | 4% |
| 6 | Godalming Surrey | A− | 4.6 | 73% | 3.1 | 66% |
| 7 | Soham Cambridgeshire | A− | 4.7 | 97% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 8 | Conisbrough South Yorkshire | A− | 5.3 | 99% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 9 | Platt Bridge and Abram Greater Manchester | A− | 3.7 | 98% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Royston South Yorkshire | A− | 7.9 | 97% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 11 | Romiley Greater Manchester | A− | 3.9 | 80% | 3.8 | 1% |
| 12 | Southwater West Sussex | A− | 3.4 | 82% | 3.7 | 3% |
| 13 | Sawbridgeworth Hertfordshire | A− | 4 | 85% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Chadwell St Mary Essex | A− | 3.2 | 97% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 15 | Whitwick Leicestershire | A− | 4.2 | 84% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 16 | Kearsley Greater Manchester | A− | 3.4 | 91% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 17 | Uppermill Greater Manchester | A− | 2.4 | 70% | 4.8 | 27% |
| 18 | Tidworth Wiltshire | B+ | 3.7 | 90% | 2.3 | 8% |
| 19 | Pelsall West Midlands | B+ | 6.1 | 95% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 20 | Ross-on-Wye Herefordshire | B+ | 1.9 | 76% | 3.4 | 56% |
| 21 | Barnoldswick Lancashire | B+ | 1.8 | 87% | 4 | 2% |
| 22 | South Elmsall West Yorkshire | B+ | 9 | 92% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 23 | Cranleigh Surrey | B | 2.5 | 20% | 4.3 | 38% |
| 24 | Corsham Wiltshire | B | 1.9 | 81% | 3 | 31% |
| 25 | Baldock Hertfordshire | B | 2.1 | 91% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 26 | Warmsworth South Yorkshire | B | 2.7 | 79% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 27 | Great Dunmow Essex | B | 2 | 92% | 4 | 0% |
| 28 | Gillingham Dorset | B | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 3% |
| 29 | Sandbach Cheshire | B− | 2.5 | 87% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 30 | Helston Cornwall | B− | 1.3 | 61% | 2.7 | 21% |
| 31 | Mossley Greater Manchester | B− | 0.9 | 74% | 4.5 | 14% |
| 32 | Oswaldtwistle Lancashire | B− | 1.1 | 94% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 33 | Leatherhead Surrey | B− | 1 | 72% | 3.9 | 24% |
| 34 | Filton Gloucestershire | B− | 3.3 | 40% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 35 | Cambourne Cambridgeshire | B− | 0.7 | 91% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Baglan West Glamorgan | C+ | 2.5 | 69% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 37 | Liskeard Cornwall | C+ | 0.8 | 89% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 38 | Bolsover Derbyshire | C+ | 1.9 | 85% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 39 | Selsey West Sussex | C | 1.6 | 79% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 40 | Earl Shilton Leicestershire | C | 1.5 | 98% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Sandy Bedfordshire | C | 0.9 | 76% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 42 | Brimington Derbyshire | C | 1.2 | 72% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Ulverston Cumbria | C | 0.7 | 60% | 1.8 | 8% |
| 44 | Towcester Northamptonshire | C | 1.3 | 77% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 45 | Epping Essex | C− | 1.2 | 70% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 46 | Attleborough Norfolk | C− | 1.8 | 93% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Hexham Northumberland | C− | 1.5 | 64% | 2 | 9% |
| 48 | Cleveleys Lancashire | C− | 0.8 | 71% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 49 | Downham Market Norfolk | C− | 1.5 | 77% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 50 | Chatteris Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.4 | 94% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Lutterworth Leicestershire | C− | 1.7 | 83% | 2 | 0% |
| 52 | Cheadle Staffordshire | C− | 1.7 | 90% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 53 | West Moors Dorset | C− | 0.9 | 33% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 54 | New Ollerton and Ollerton Nottinghamshire | C− | 0.8 | 80% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 55 | Dinnington South Yorkshire | C− | 1.1 | 81% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 56 | Leominster Herefordshire | C− | 1.1 | 72% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 57 | Newtown Powys | D | 2.3 | 65% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 58 | Longton Lancashire | D | 1.7 | 60% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 59 | Burton Latimer Northamptonshire | D | 0.9 | 62% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Tonyrefail Mid Glamorgan | D− | 0.7 | 48% | 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 Barnoldswick’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 Barnoldswick
The biggest is Victory Park, 13 ha (31 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Letcliffe Park
Park or garden
4.6 ha (11 acres)1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi southfrom the centre
Dog park Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
9 in 10 Barnoldswick residents live 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 (87%)Further (13%)
Barnoldswick87%
Towns its size82%
Lancashire towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 1,400 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 13 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 840 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
Forest Of Bowland and Yorkshire Dales both start about 5 miles from Barnoldswick
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 Landscape
Forest Of Bowland
2.4 mi south-west806 km²since 19642% of the land within 5 km
Official site2% of the land within 5 km of Barnoldswick is National Park or National Landscape, more than 64% of UK towns. Yorkshire Dales National Park covers 2,185 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Barnoldswick
57 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Barnoldswick 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.
Regional
Pendle Way12.8 km
The regional route here is the Pendle Way.
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 Barnoldswick: June 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) | 7.9 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.1 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 131 | 112 | 94 | 70 | 76 | 90 | 102 | 112 | 110 | 129 | 133 | 158 |
April is the driest month (70 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 158 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 51 nights a year. The climate in Barnoldswick →
Things to do
13 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.
1Viewpoints29Hills and peaks1Nature reserves13Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size2Dog parks3Campsites
The nearest beaches
Barnoldswick is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Treasure Beach3.5 mi from Barnoldswick’s edge
DirectionsCar Park Beach23 mi from Barnoldswick’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach North23 mi from Barnoldswick’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South23 mi from Barnoldswick’s edge
DirectionsStone Beach23 mi from Barnoldswick’s edge
DirectionsGood to know
Check the water before you swim. The Environment Agency 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.
Hills and peaks 29
Loughber Hill0.1 mi from town
DirectionsGill Rock0.2 mi from town
DirectionsHigh Close Hill0.3 mi from town
DirectionsLees Hill0.3 mi from town
DirectionsCopy Hill0.5 mi from town
DirectionsGreen Hill0.6 mi from town
DirectionsHawber0.7 mi from town
DirectionsGrazenber0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 21 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Plus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 13
Clough Park Play Areain town
DirectionsLetcliffe Play Areain town
DirectionsPlus 11 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
Letcliffe Dog Exercise Area0.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Campsites 3
Bridge Holme Caravan Sitein town
DirectionsLower Greenhill Holiday Park0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite 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.
EarbyFoulridgeColneBarrowfordTrawdenGargraveBarnoldswick
ABCDOutdoors Grade
Barrowford, 4.9 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 82% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Foulridge, Barrowford and Trawden have at least twice Barnoldswick’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Barnoldswick
What is the biggest park in Barnoldswick?
Victory Park, 13 ha (31 acres), with 1.3 km of path. Letcliffe Park (4.6 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Barnoldswick near a National Park?
Yes. Yorkshire Dales National Park begins 5.3 mi north-east of the town’s edge. It covers 2,185 km² and has been a National Park since 1954. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Forest Of Bowland National Landscape, 2.4 mi away.
What are the best walks near Barnoldswick?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the Pendle Way.
What is the nearest beach to Barnoldswick?
Treasure Beach, 3.5 mi from the edge of the town, then Car Park Beach (23 mi). Barnoldswick itself is inland.
How many people in Barnoldswick live near a park?
87% 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 Barnoldswick?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Barnoldswick 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 37% (1.8 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 Barnoldswick’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Barnoldswick’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.