Preston’s biggest
Moor Park
Park or garden
40 ha (98 acres)5.5 km of path
1 h 15 minto walk all 5.5 km of path
55 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Preston
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Thomas Nugent · CC BY-SA 2.0BOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Preston · parks, paths & countryside
Preston has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 UK towns
226 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 4.1 for every square kilometre. The Forest Of Bowland National Landscape begins 3.6 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Preston add up to 3.0 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Preston grades B for the outdoors: #34 of 65 in Lancashire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
80%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
226 km
4.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Forest Of Bowland starts 3.6 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Preston?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths4.1 km of path per km², more than 81% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Countryside close byThe Forest Of Bowland National Landscape starts 3.6 mi north.Historic parks7 registered historic parks and gardens, including Avenham Walk.
Preston’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by the Forest Of Bowland National Landscape close by.
Outdoors grade
Preston grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Preston, 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 60% of UK towns#34 of 65 in Lancashire · 36th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space3.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
70out of
100
100
A park within a walk80%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
47out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · Forest Of Bowland begins just past 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
82out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 0.7% 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
Preston is 36th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 75,500 to 118,000 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
Preston4.1
Towns its size4.0
Lancashire towns3.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Preston3.0
Towns its size2.5
Lancashire towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Preston80%
Towns its size87%
Lancashire towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Preston stands out most for park space per resident: only 16 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hastings East Sussex | A+ | 3.1 | 76% | 4.3 | 42% |
| 2 | Burnley Lancashire | A+ | 3.4 | 95% | 5.7 | 7% |
| 3 | Gillingham Kent | A | 1.6 | 86% | 5.3 | 23% |
| 4 | Ashford Kent | A | 2.7 | 94% | 5.2 | 23% |
| 5 | Guildford Surrey | A | 2.8 | 86% | 6.1 | 31% |
| 6 | Eastbourne East Sussex | A | 2 | 75% | 4.3 | 23% |
| 7 | Stockport Greater Manchester | A | 4 | 93% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 8 | Basingstoke Hampshire | A | 2.5 | 94% | 5.8 | 6% |
| 9 | Chatham Kent | A | 1.6 | 78% | 6.4 | 26% |
| 10 | Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire | A | 3 | 95% | 3.6 | 18% |
| 11 | Bath Somerset | A | 1.8 | 89% | 5.6 | 50% |
| 12 | Harlow Essex | A | 3.7 | 99% | 8.2 | 0% |
| 13 | Bracknell Berkshire | A | 3.7 | 97% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 14 | Weston-super-Mare Somerset | A− | 1.2 | 87% | 3.7 | 8% |
| 15 | Chesterfield Derbyshire | A− | 2.7 | 86% | 4.4 | 4% |
| 16 | Stevenage Hertfordshire | A− | 3 | 98% | 7.3 | 0% |
| 17 | Gateshead Tyne and Wear | A− | 3.3 | 95% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 18 | Basildon Essex | A− | 3 | 95% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 19 | Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire | A− | 5.2 | 94% | 4 | 0% |
| 20 | Aylesbury Buckinghamshire | A− | 1.8 | 88% | 9.5 | 5% |
| 21 | Carlisle Cumbria | A− | 3.2 | 91% | 3.1 | 4% |
| 22 | St Albans Hertfordshire | A− | 3.7 | 95% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 23 | Maidstone Kent | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 3.5 | 20% |
| 24 | Cheltenham Gloucestershire | A− | 1.4 | 87% | 4.5 | 44% |
| 25 | Redditch Worcestershire | A− | 4.1 | 84% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 26 | Worthing West Sussex | A− | 1.2 | 78% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 27 | Bedford Bedfordshire | B+ | 4.2 | 88% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 28 | Wakefield West Yorkshire | B+ | 3.9 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 29 | Oldham Greater Manchester | B+ | 1.7 | 87% | 5 | 0% |
| 30 | High Wycombe Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.6 | 68% | 5.4 | 67% |
| 31 | Birkenhead Merseyside | B+ | 3.1 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 32 | Salford Greater Manchester | B | 2 | 91% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Chelmsford Essex | B | 2.4 | 87% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Wythenshawe Greater Manchester | B | 2.5 | 84% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 35 | St Helens Merseyside | B | 3.4 | 91% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 36 | Preston Lancashire | B | 3 | 80% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 37 | Wallasey Merseyside | B | 1.9 | 90% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 38 | Wigan Greater Manchester | B | 2.7 | 81% | 4 | 0% |
| 39 | Hartlepool County Durham | B− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 40 | Nuneaton Warwickshire | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Rugby Warwickshire | B− | 2.8 | 92% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Tamworth Staffordshire | B− | 2.7 | 89% | 3 | 0% |
| 43 | West Bromwich West Midlands | B− | 2.7 | 83% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 44 | Grimsby Lincolnshire | B− | 1.3 | 75% | 2.4 | 3% |
| 45 | Halifax West Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Bury Greater Manchester | B− | 2.4 | 82% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 47 | Royal Sutton Coldfield West Midlands | B− | 6.1 | 64% | 3 | 0% |
| 48 | Lincoln Lincolnshire | B− | 2.5 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 49 | Rochdale Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Stockton-on-Tees County Durham | C+ | 2 | 83% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Woking Surrey | C+ | 1.7 | 67% | 6.5 | 0% |
| 52 | Shrewsbury Shropshire | C+ | 1.6 | 87% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 53 | Darlington County Durham | C+ | 2.2 | 87% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 54 | Worcester Worcestershire | C | 1.5 | 77% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Doncaster South Yorkshire | C | 1.8 | 72% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Solihull West Midlands | C | 2.9 | 54% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 57 | Scunthorpe Lincolnshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Chester Cheshire | C | 1.6 | 86% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Southport Merseyside | C− | 1.4 | 60% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 60 | Burton upon Trent Staffordshire | C− | 1.9 | 74% | 2.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Preston’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 Preston
The biggest is Moor Park, 40 ha (98 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 17 named parks by size: 177 ha (437 acres) and 30 km of path
Parks & gardens 160 haPlaying fields 17 ha
The two biggest, Moor Park and Ashton Park, are 40% of the named green space and carry 9 km of path between them. 6 of the 17 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Ashton Park
Park or garden
32 ha (79 acres)3.3 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.3 km of path
45 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.8 mi westfrom the centre
2 listedGuild Walk
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Grange Park
Park or garden
25 ha (63 acres)4.2 km of path
55 minto walk all 4.2 km of path
36 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.8 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II*
Avenham Park
Park or garden
19 ha (48 acres)4.8 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.8 km of path
27 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi southfrom the centre
5 listedLadies Walk
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II
Haslam Park
Park or garden
20 ha (49 acres)3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
28 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.5 mi westfrom the centre
4 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Brookfield Park
Park or garden
9.7 ha (24 acres)1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
14 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.2 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II*
Miller Park
Park or garden
4.1 ha (10 acres)2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.2 mi southfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Ribbleton Park
Playing field
7.4 ha (18 acres)1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
10 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 17 named parks and green spaces
Moor ParkPark or garden · 40 ha · 5.5 km of path
DirectionsAshton ParkPark or garden · 32 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsGrange ParkPark or garden · 25 ha · 4.2 km of path
DirectionsAvenham ParkPark or garden · 19 ha · 4.8 km of path
DirectionsHaslam ParkPark or garden · 20 ha · 3.7 km of path
DirectionsBrookfield ParkPark or garden · 9.7 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsMiller ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 2.2 km of path
DirectionsRibbleton ParkPlaying field · 7.4 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsFrenchwood Recreation GroundPlaying field · 7.1 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsPriory ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSherwood GreenPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWinckley SquarePark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsOxhey's Recreation GroundPlaying field · 1.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSmith's Recreation GroundPlaying field · 0.9 ha
DirectionsBroadgate GardensPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsStrand Road GardensPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsPeace GardenPark or garden · 0.1 ha
DirectionsClose to home
8 in 10 Preston 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 (80%)Further (20%)
Preston80%
Towns its size87%
Lancashire towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 19,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 113 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 836 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Forest Of Bowland National Landscape is 3.6 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
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Preston scores 0% on it even though the Forest Of Bowland National Landscape is 3.6 mi away.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Preston
226 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Preston and the kilometre around it, 4.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Preston Guild Wheel32.4 km
Ribble Way19.5 km
Close to home, the Preston Guild Wheel has 32 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Ribble Way.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
7 historic parks, and what stands in them
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Preston’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade II*
Avenham Park
19 ha. A registered historic park (Grade II*). 5 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge.
IIBelvedere at Junction of Walks at East End of ParkIIStreet Lamp at South End of East Side of Avenham WalkIIStreet Lamp on East Side of Avenham Walk Approximately 75 Metres South of Avenham LaneIIThe RectoryIITower House and Avenham Tower, With Attached Railings
Registered · Grade II*Miller Park0.6 ha
Registered · Grade II*Moor Park4.0 ha
Registered · Grade IIAvenham Walk0.1 ha
Registered · Grade IIHaslam Park2.7 haInside: Canal Aqueduct, Numbered 13, Approximately 300 Metres South of Canal Bridge No 14 and 3 more
Registered · Grade IIPreston Cemetery18 ha
Registered · Grade IIThe Willows0.8 ha
Listed buildings insideWinckley SquareStatue of Sir Robert Peel Opposite Cross Street, 18,18A, Ribblesdale Place and 20,21, Winckley Square and 2 more
Listed buildings insideAshton ParkAshton House and Ha-Ha Approximately 25 Metres South and West of Ashton House
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 Preston: 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) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.1 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.4 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 92 | 79 | 64 | 56 | 62 | 76 | 86 | 97 | 97 | 115 | 103 | 118 |
April is the driest month (56 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 118 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 38 nights a year. The climate in Preston →
Things to do
113 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
Preston is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Creek Beach North18 mi from Preston’s edge
DirectionsCar Park Beach18 mi from Preston’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South18 mi from Preston’s edge
DirectionsWader Point19 mi from Preston’s edge
DirectionsStone Beach19 mi from Preston’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
Nature reserves 5
Fishwick Bottoms Nature Reserve26 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsHaslam Park Nature Reserve15 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsBrockholes Nature Reserve98 ha · 0.6 mi from town
DirectionsGrimsargh Wetlands11 ha · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 113
Exercise yardsin town
DirectionsGranny Parkin town
DirectionsInfants Playgroundin town
DirectionsJunior's Playgroundin town
DirectionsQuiet Yardin town
DirectionsScience Yardin town
DirectionsRascals Party and Play Centre0.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 106 playgrounds 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.
FulwoodPenworthamHigher WaltonCottamBroughtonBamber BridgePreston
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston | B | 3.0 | 80% | 0% |
| Fulwood 1.4 mi | B+ | 3.5 | 87% | 0% |
| Penwortham 2.2 mi | B | 2.9 | 91% | 0% |
| Higher Walton 2.9 mi | C− | 2.2 | 61% | 0% |
| Cottam 3.0 mi | B+ | 6.4 | 92% | 0% |
| Broughton 3.2 mi | D | 1.7 | 45% | 0% |
| Bamber Bridge 3.2 mi | A− | 6.4 | 88% | 0% |
Bamber Bridge, 3.2 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 88% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Cottam and Bamber Bridge have at least twice Preston’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Preston
What is the biggest park in Preston?
Moor Park, 40 ha (98 acres), with 5.5 km of path. Ashton Park (32 ha) is second. 17 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Preston near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Forest Of Bowland National Landscape, 3.6 mi north of the town’s edge. It covers 806 km² and was designated in 1964.
What are the best walks near Preston?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Preston Guild Wheel and Ribble Way. Moor Park alone has 5.5 km of path.
What is the nearest beach to Preston?
Creek Beach North, 18 mi from the edge of the town, then Car Park Beach (18 mi). Preston itself is inland.
How many people in Preston live near a park?
80% 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 Preston?
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 Preston are historic?
Avenham Walk (Grade II), Haslam Park (Grade II), Preston Cemetery (Grade II) and The Willows (Grade II) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Preston good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 82% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 70% (3.0 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 Preston’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Preston’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.