Photo: Geographer · CC BY-SA 2.0Cringleford has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
82 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 7.4 for every square kilometre. The Broads National Park begins 2.4 mi from the town’s edge. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 94% of residents. Cringleford grades A− for the outdoors: #6 of 51 in Norfolk. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Cringleford?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Cringleford’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by the Broads National Park close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Cringleford grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Cringleford, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
100
100
100
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.
Cringleford is 10th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 4,500 to 4,900 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, Cringleford stands out most for path per km²: none of the other 59 has more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 44 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamble-le-Rice Hampshire | A+ | 12.7 | 67% | 3.6 | 7% |
| 2 | Rownhams and Nursling Hampshire | A+ | 4.9 | 86% | 6.7 | 12% |
| 3 | Marple Bridge Greater Manchester | A | 9.9 | 80% | 4.4 | 13% |
| 4 | Monkton Heathfield Somerset | A | 2.4 | 100% | 4.4 | 8% |
| 5 | Huntington Staffordshire | A | 3.7 | 74% | 4.6 | 27% |
| 6 | Carleton Lancashire | A | 3 | 86% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 7 | Rudheath Cheshire | A | 5.5 | 100% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 8 | Writtle Essex | A− | 5.8 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 9 | Stanton Hill and Skegby Nottinghamshire | A− | 16.1 | 83% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Cringleford Norfolk | A− | 1.7 | 94% | 7.4 | 0% |
| 11 | Dersingham Norfolk | A− | 3.1 | 76% | 1.9 | 39% |
| 12 | Brampton South Yorkshire | A− | 4.4 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 13 | Liss Hampshire | A− | 2.3 | 87% | 2.6 | 98% |
| 14 | Saxmundham Suffolk | B+ | 3.3 | 100% | 1.9 | 3% |
| 15 | Hugglescote Leicestershire | B+ | 4.2 | 91% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 16 | Borough Green Kent | B+ | 2.5 | 93% | 1.9 | 50% |
| 17 | Winscombe and Sandford Somerset | B+ | 3.5 | 52% | 3.6 | 38% |
| 18 | Bodicote Oxfordshire | B+ | 10.2 | 86% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 19 | Kings Worthy Hampshire | B+ | 3.9 | 66% | 3 | 23% |
| 20 | Blackhall Colliery County Durham | B | 1.1 | 95% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Callington Cornwall | B | 2.1 | 100% | 1.1 | 21% |
| 22 | Whaley Bridge Derbyshire | B | 1.6 | 44% | 4.3 | 53% |
| 23 | Coedpoeth Clwyd | B | 1.4 | 100% | 1.9 | 24% |
| 24 | Lyneham Wiltshire | B− | 1.5 | 94% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 25 | Lenham and Harrietsham Kent | B− | 1.4 | 88% | 2.4 | 47% |
| 26 | High Lane Greater Manchester | B− | 1.5 | 67% | 4.6 | 12% |
| 27 | Chalfont St Giles Buckinghamshire | B− | 1.8 | 57% | 3.5 | 37% |
| 28 | Kelvedon and Feering Essex | B− | 3.5 | 94% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 29 | Astley Greater Manchester | B− | 3.5 | 78% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 30 | Bromham Bedfordshire | B− | 3.8 | 87% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 31 | Llay Clwyd | B− | 10.6 | 85% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Cleadon Tyne and Wear | B− | 2.1 | 63% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 33 | Dudley Tyne and Wear | C+ | 2.6 | 69% | 4 | 0% |
| 34 | Bramley Hampshire | C+ | 2.8 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 35 | Dickens Heath West Midlands | C+ | 3.2 | 82% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Loughor West Glamorgan | C+ | 2.1 | 70% | 1.2 | 6% |
| 37 | Kennington Oxfordshire | C+ | 2.1 | 58% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Howden East Riding of Yorkshire | C+ | 3.6 | 94% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Ripponden West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.1 | 75% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 40 | Edwalton Nottinghamshire | C+ | 2.1 | 58% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Datchet Berkshire | C | 8.4 | 72% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 42 | Minster (Thanet) Kent | C | 2.3 | 64% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 43 | Makeney Derbyshire | C | 2.1 | 56% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Mynydd Isa Clwyd | C | 0.9 | 87% | 2 | 3% |
| 45 | Winterton Lincolnshire | C | 1.6 | 82% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Kinver Staffordshire | C | 3.1 | 60% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 47 | Woodhall Spa Lincolnshire | C− | 1.9 | 61% | 3 | 0% |
| 48 | Barton-under-Needwood Staffordshire | C− | 2.3 | 70% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Preesall and Knott End-on-Sea Lancashire | C− | 0.7 | 69% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 50 | Bricket Wood Hertfordshire | C− | 1.7 | 43% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 51 | Middleton St George County Durham | C− | 1.8 | 94% | 1 | 0% |
| 52 | Sowerby North Yorkshire | C− | 1.5 | 77% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Bailrigg Lancashire | C− | 0 | 0% | 3.4 | 18% |
| 54 | Stretton Staffordshire | C− | 3.7 | 49% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 55 | Crowland Lincolnshire | C− | 2.8 | 70% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 56 | Markfield Leicestershire | D | 0.8 | 63% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Welton Lincolnshire | D | 2 | 57% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 58 | Ynysybwl Mid Glamorgan | D | 2.3 | 60% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Lakenheath Suffolk | D | 1.1 | 57% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Chilton County Durham | D− | 1.1 | 68% | 1 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Cringleford’s built-up area.
9 in 10 Cringleford 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; 28 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 167 residents.
The Broads National Park is 2.4 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.
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Cringleford scores 0% on it even though the Broads National Park is 2.4 mi away. The Broads National Park covers 302 km² and has been a National Park since 1989.
15 waymarked walks pass through or near Cringleford
82 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Cringleford and the kilometre around it, 7.4 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Close to home, the Cringleford, Keswick and Eaton Parish Walks has 17 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 2 regional routes pass through, including the Tas Valley Way and Kett's Country Walk.
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 Cringleford: May to July and 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 | 15.7 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.6 | 7.7 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 55 | 49 | 48 | 41 | 47 | 62 | 58 | 67 | 58 | 72 | 71 | 62 |
April is the driest month (41 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 72 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 39 nights a year. The climate in Cringleford →
28 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
Cringleford 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
Viewpoints 1
Nature reserves 3
Picnic sites 4
Plus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 28
Plus 20 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cringleford | A− | 1.7 | 94% | 0% |
| Little Melton 2.1 mi | C | 4.2 | 72% | 0% |
| Hethersett 2.5 mi | C | 2.1 | 65% | 0% |
| Norwich 3.2 mi | B+ | 1.9 | 77% | 4% |
| Mulbarton 3.5 mi | A− | 7.0 | 100% | 0% |
| Costessey 3.8 mi | C− | 1.8 | 12% | 0% |
| Stoke Holy Cross 3.8 mi | B | 2.2 | 100% | 0% |
Mulbarton, 3.5 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Little Melton and Mulbarton have at least twice Cringleford’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Cringleford
Is Cringleford near a National Park?
Yes. the Broads National Park begins 2.4 mi north-east of the town’s edge. It covers 302 km² and has been a National Park since 1989.
What are the best walks near Cringleford?
15 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Cringleford, Keswick and Eaton Parish Walks, Yare Valley Walk and Edith Cavell Pilgrimage.
What is the nearest beach to Cringleford?
Corton Sands, 22 mi from the edge of the town, then Corton Beach (22 mi). Cringleford itself is inland.
How many people in Cringleford live near a park?
94% 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 Cringleford?
May to July and September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Cringleford good for walking?
For paths, yes: 7.4 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 99% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 36% (1.7 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 Cringleford’s overall grade.
Where Cringleford’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.