Photo: David Dixon · CC BY-SA 2.0Earby has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 52 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.7 for every square kilometre. The Forest Of Bowland National Landscape and the Yorkshire Dales National Park both begin about 5 miles from the town’s edge. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 93% of residents. Earby grades B− for the outdoors: #38 of 65 in Lancashire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Earby?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Earby’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Earby grades B− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Earby, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
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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.
Earby is 20th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 4,200 to 4,600 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, Earby stands out most for path per km²: only 4 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 36 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keswick Cumbria | A+ | 9.1 | 100% | 4.1 | 100% |
| 2 | Lawford Essex | A+ | 3.4 | 94% | 2.8 | 40% |
| 3 | Chipstead and Woodmansterne Surrey | A+ | 10.3 | 92% | 4.8 | 12% |
| 4 | Great Denham Bedfordshire | A | 14.7 | 100% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 5 | Aberbargoed Gwent | A | 22.8 | 95% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 6 | Denaby Main South Yorkshire | A | 10.4 | 100% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 7 | Overton Hampshire | A | 3.7 | 92% | 2.5 | 45% |
| 8 | Kimberley Nottinghamshire | A− | 2.9 | 100% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 9 | Whittle-le-Woods Lancashire | A− | 7.7 | 91% | 4 | 0% |
| 10 | Exminster Devon | A− | 2.5 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 11 | Arborfield Garrison Berkshire | A− | 10.4 | 95% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 12 | Stokenchurch Buckinghamshire | A− | 2.3 | 90% | 2.6 | 86% |
| 13 | Wheathampstead Hertfordshire | A− | 3.1 | 93% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 14 | Horsford Norfolk | B+ | 6.5 | 97% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 15 | Girton Cambridgeshire | B+ | 2.8 | 92% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 16 | Elmswell Suffolk | B | 2.5 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 17 | Clayton West and Scissett West Yorkshire | B | 1.4 | 100% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 18 | Winchcombe Gloucestershire | B | 2.2 | 60% | 3 | 81% |
| 19 | Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire | B | 4.5 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 20 | Earby Lancashire | B− | 1.4 | 93% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Alderley Edge Cheshire | B− | 2.2 | 86% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 22 | Wilton Wiltshire | B− | 1.4 | 94% | 1.6 | 45% |
| 23 | Cwmavon West Glamorgan | B− | 2.3 | 75% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 24 | Tibshelf Derbyshire | B− | 1.4 | 94% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 25 | Toddington Bedfordshire | B− | 0.9 | 86% | 3.1 | 8% |
| 26 | Ferndale Mid Glamorgan | B− | 3.6 | 88% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 27 | Woburn Sands Buckinghamshire | C+ | 1.1 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 28 | Milford on Sea Hampshire | C+ | 1.2 | 50% | 2.1 | 21% |
| 29 | Stamford Bridge East Riding of Yorkshire | C+ | 2.5 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 30 | Brinsley and Underwood Nottinghamshire | C+ | 3.3 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 31 | Iwade Kent | C+ | 0.8 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 32 | Backwell Somerset | C+ | 2.3 | 57% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 33 | Halfway Houses Kent | C | 1.8 | 71% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 34 | Queen's Hills Norfolk | C | 0.4 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 35 | Backworth Tyne and Wear | C | 2 | 59% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 36 | Hope Clwyd | C | 8.5 | 64% | 2 | 0% |
| 37 | Clapham Bedfordshire | C | 1.3 | 94% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 38 | Kilburn and Horsley Woodhouse Derbyshire | C | 1.6 | 75% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 39 | Skelmanthorpe West Yorkshire | C | 1 | 88% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 40 | Brundall Norfolk | C | 1.6 | 62% | 2.3 | 20% |
| 41 | Meopham Kent | C | 1.3 | 53% | 2.5 | 35% |
| 42 | Coxhoe County Durham | C | 1.4 | 66% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 43 | Long Lawford Warwickshire | C | 1.2 | 91% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 44 | Cuffley Hertfordshire | C− | 13.6 | 19% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 45 | Wesham Lancashire | C− | 1.7 | 87% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Saxilby Lincolnshire | C− | 1.3 | 100% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 47 | Chudleigh Devon | C− | 0.3 | 83% | 1.4 | 15% |
| 48 | Epworth Lincolnshire | C− | 1.6 | 75% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Great Ayton North Yorkshire | C− | 0.2 | 48% | 2.2 | 31% |
| 50 | Freckleton Lancashire | D | 0.4 | 73% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 51 | West Kingsdown Kent | D | 0.8 | 28% | 1.6 | 52% |
| 52 | North Weald Bassett Essex | D | 1.4 | 67% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 53 | Linton Cambridgeshire | D | 1.1 | 67% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 54 | Shepperton Green Surrey | D | 1.4 | 73% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 55 | Banks Lancashire | D | 0.3 | 33% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Blidworth Nottinghamshire | D | 0.5 | 23% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 57 | Broughton Lincolnshire | D | 0.9 | 39% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Kegworth Leicestershire | D | 0.4 | 54% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Wheatley Oxfordshire | D− | 0.2 | 34% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Warboys Cambridgeshire | D− | 0.4 | 67% | 1 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Earby’s built-up area.
9 in 10 Earby 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).
About 300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 11 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 401 residents.
Forest Of Bowland and Yorkshire Dales both start about 5 miles from Earby
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.
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Earby scores 0% on it even though the Forest Of Bowland National Landscape is 3.8 mi away. Yorkshire Dales National Park covers 2,185 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Earby
52 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Earby and the kilometre around it, 4.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
The Pennine Way, a national route, passes Earby. 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.
The best walking months in Earby: 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 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 114 | 99 | 84 | 65 | 67 | 79 | 90 | 98 | 93 | 115 | 121 | 139 |
April is the driest month (65 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 139 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 50 nights a year. The climate in Earby →
11 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
Earby is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
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
Hills and peaks 22
Plus 14 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 11
Plus 11 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
Plus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earby | B− | 1.4 | 93% | 0% |
| Barnoldswick 1.8 mi | B+ | 1.8 | 87% | 2% |
| Foulridge 2.9 mi | A− | 9.4 | 23% | 4% |
| Colne 4.0 mi | A | 3.2 | 86% | 8% |
| Carleton-in-Craven 4.5 mi | C+ | 0.4 | 100% | 10% |
| Cowling 4.7 mi | B | 1.3 | 100% | 0% |
| Trawden 4.9 mi | B− | 4.0 | 0% | 0% |
Colne, 4 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 86% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Foulridge, Colne and Trawden have at least twice Earby’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Earby
Is Earby near a National Park?
Yes. Yorkshire Dales National Park begins 4.5 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, 3.8 mi away.
What are the best walks near Earby?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Pendle Way and Pennine Way (Ickornshaw to Malham).
What is the nearest beach to Earby?
Treasure Beach, 3.8 mi from the edge of the town, then Car Park Beach (23 mi). Earby itself is inland.
How many people in Earby 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 Earby?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Earby good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 91% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 24% (1.4 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 Earby’s overall grade.
Where Earby’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.