Whitworth’s biggest
Memorial Park
Park or garden
0.9 ha (2 acres)0.2 km of path
0.5 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
The Briars · Photo: David Dixon · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Whitworth · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Whitworth lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 96% of residents. Footpaths add up to 85 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.7 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Whitworth add up to 2.5 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Whitworth grades B+ for the outdoors: #19 of 65 in Lancashire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.5 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
96%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
85 km
4.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Peak District National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Whitworth?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep96% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.A town of footpaths4.7 km of path per km², more than 90% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.
Whitworth’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by dense footpaths.
Outdoors grade
Whitworth grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Whitworth, 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 74% of UK towns#19 of 65 in Lancashire · 18th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.5 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
59out of
100
100
A park within a walk96%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
76out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
90out 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
Whitworth is 18th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 6,400 to 7,000 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
Whitworth4.7
Towns its size3.0
Lancashire towns3.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Whitworth2.5
Towns its size2.2
Lancashire towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Whitworth96%
Towns its size81%
Lancashire towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Whitworth stands out most for path per km²: only 6 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acrefair and Cefn-mawr Clwyd | A | 6.5 | 96% | 2.9 | 36% |
| 2 | Filey North Yorkshire | A | 5.9 | 89% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 3 | Bishop's Waltham Hampshire | A | 2.6 | 93% | 3.4 | 55% |
| 4 | Chalford Gloucestershire | A | 1.6 | 96% | 4.7 | 94% |
| 5 | East Boldon and West Boldon Tyne and Wear | A | 3.4 | 96% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 6 | Shotton Clwyd | A | 4.5 | 100% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 7 | Ibstock Leicestershire | A | 8.5 | 96% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 8 | Barton on Sea Hampshire | A | 4.9 | 50% | 2.8 | 22% |
| 9 | Bedwas Gwent | A | 4.4 | 100% | 4 | 0% |
| 10 | Easington County Durham | A− | 5 | 94% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 11 | Broad Blunsdon Wiltshire | A− | 5.2 | 93% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 12 | St Blazey Cornwall | A− | 2.4 | 78% | 2.8 | 17% |
| 13 | Olney Buckinghamshire | A− | 6.3 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 14 | Whitfield Kent | A− | 2.3 | 79% | 2.5 | 32% |
| 15 | Horden County Durham | A− | 2.1 | 82% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 16 | Paulton Somerset | A− | 2.1 | 96% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 17 | Shiremoor Tyne and Wear | A− | 2.5 | 76% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 18 | Whitworth Lancashire | B+ | 2.5 | 96% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 19 | Lightwater Surrey | B+ | 9.2 | 72% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 20 | Fence Houses Tyne and Wear | B+ | 3.8 | 81% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Milford and Witley Surrey | B+ | 2.6 | 54% | 3.7 | 78% |
| 22 | Cawston Warwickshire | B+ | 3.6 | 98% | 3 | 0% |
| 23 | North Anston South Yorkshire | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 24 | Cleator Moor Cumbria | B+ | 3.5 | 91% | 1.9 | 11% |
| 25 | Little Chalfont Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.5 | 83% | 3.6 | 45% |
| 26 | Groby Leicestershire | B+ | 2.1 | 96% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 27 | Peasedown St John Somerset | B+ | 1.5 | 88% | 4 | 9% |
| 28 | Skelton (Redcar and Cleveland) North Yorkshire | B+ | 1.7 | 82% | 2.2 | 9% |
| 29 | Burley in Wharfedale West Yorkshire | B | 1.6 | 81% | 3.5 | 35% |
| 30 | Braunton Devon | B | 1.6 | 78% | 2.1 | 24% |
| 31 | Hartford Cheshire | B | 2.2 | 95% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Barrow upon Soar Leicestershire | B− | 2.7 | 89% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 33 | Rishton Lancashire | B− | 2.2 | 94% | 3 | 0% |
| 34 | Wincanton Somerset | B− | 1.4 | 88% | 2.8 | 7% |
| 35 | Crigglestone and Durkar West Yorkshire | B− | 4.4 | 45% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 36 | Ushaw Moor and Bearpark County Durham | C+ | 1.6 | 82% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 37 | Blackheath West Midlands | C+ | 2.5 | 57% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 38 | Allerton Bywater West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.1 | 78% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 39 | Chiswell Green Hertfordshire | C+ | 4 | 54% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 40 | Denmead Hampshire | C+ | 1.4 | 72% | 2.8 | 35% |
| 41 | Rawdon West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.7 | 67% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 42 | Bolton-le-Sands Lancashire | C+ | 1.1 | 58% | 1.6 | 23% |
| 43 | Brampton Cambridgeshire | C | 3.2 | 61% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 44 | Market Deeping Lincolnshire | C | 1.5 | 96% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 45 | Farnham Common and Farnham Royal Buckinghamshire | C | 1 | 55% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Hattersley Greater Manchester | C | 0.9 | 52% | 3.9 | 7% |
| 47 | Waddington Lincolnshire | C | 2.3 | 87% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 48 | Rhoose South Glamorgan | C | 2 | 43% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 49 | Great Wakering Essex | C | 1.1 | 47% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 50 | Market Warsop Nottinghamshire | C | 2.1 | 67% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 51 | Lydiate Merseyside | C− | 1.5 | 90% | 2 | 0% |
| 52 | Ashingdon Essex | C− | 1.3 | 61% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Hollywood Worcestershire | C− | 2.4 | 54% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 54 | Culcheth Cheshire | C− | 1.7 | 67% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Holmes Chapel Cheshire | D | 0.8 | 72% | 2 | 0% |
| 56 | Pontarddulais West Glamorgan | D | 1.9 | 67% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Coleshill Warwickshire | D | 1.3 | 69% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Broughton Clwyd | D− | 0.8 | 80% | 1 | 0% |
| 59 | Keyworth Nottinghamshire | D− | 1.3 | 58% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 60 | Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook Staffordshire | D− | 1.6 | 49% | 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 Whitworth’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 Whitworth
The biggest is Memorial Park, 0.9 ha (2 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
The Mary Close Park
Park or garden
0.4 ha (1 acres)
1.3 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Whitworth’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 (96%)Further (4%)
Whitworth96%
Towns its size81%
Lancashire towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 12 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 559 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Peak District National Park is 9.0 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
Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
5 waymarked walks pass through or near Whitworth
85 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Whitworth 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.
RegionalLocal
Rossendale Way15.1 km
GM Ringway Stage 1111.5 km
Mary Towneley Loop10.5 km
Rochdale Way9.2 km
Todmorden Centenary Way3.1 km
4 regional routes pass through, including the Rossendale Way, GM Ringway Stage 11, Mary Towneley Loop and Rochdale 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 Whitworth: 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) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.0 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 154 | 129 | 113 | 86 | 83 | 101 | 113 | 125 | 122 | 149 | 158 | 181 |
May is the driest month (83 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 181 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 57 nights a year. The climate in Whitworth →
Things to do
12 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
Whitworth is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Car Park Beach6.9 mi from Whitworth’s edge
DirectionsStone Beach7.0 mi from Whitworth’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach North7.1 mi from Whitworth’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South7.1 mi from Whitworth’s edge
DirectionsWader Point7.3 mi from Whitworth’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
Hills and peaks 9
Rushy Hill0.3 mi from town
DirectionsBrown Wardle Hill0.5 mi from town
DirectionsHades Hill0.6 mi from town
DirectionsHigher Hogshead445 m (1,460 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsLousy Hillock0.8 mi from town
DirectionsCiss Hill1.0 mi from town
DirectionsFreeholds Top454 m (1,490 ft) · 1.0 mi from town
DirectionsRough Hill1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Hamer Pasture Reservoir3.9 ha · 0.6 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 12
Higher Playground0.7 mi from town
DirectionsLower Playground0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 10 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.
WardleBacupRochdaleLittleboroughSummitMilnrowWhitworth
ABCDOutdoors Grade
Bacup, 2.8 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 94% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Littleborough has at least twice Whitworth’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Whitworth
What is the biggest park in Whitworth?
Memorial Park, 0.9 ha (2 acres). The Mary Close Park (0.4 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Whitworth near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 9.0 mi south-east of the town’s edge. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Whitworth?
5 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Rossendale Way, GM Ringway Stage 11 and Mary Towneley Loop.
What is the nearest beach to Whitworth?
Car Park Beach, 6.9 mi from the edge of the town, then Stone Beach (7.0 mi). Whitworth itself is inland.
How many people in Whitworth live near a park?
96% 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 Whitworth?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Whitworth good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 90% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 59% (2.5 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 Whitworth’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Whitworth’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.