Photo: Stephen Craven · CC BY-SA 2.045% of the land within 5 km of High Bentham is National Park or National Landscape
The Forest Of Bowland National Landscape begins 0.6 mi from the village’s edge. Parks and playing fields in High Bentham add up to 0.1 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 28 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 2.9 for every square kilometre. High Bentham grades C− for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors village is High Bentham?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
High Bentham’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
High Bentham grades C− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is High Bentham, 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.
High Bentham is 46th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,600 to 1,800 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against villages its size, High Bentham stands out most for path per km²: only 12 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 56 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pease Pottage West Sussex | A+ | 4.1 | 100% | 7.4 | 65% |
| 2 | Manningtree Essex | A+ | 5.6 | 100% | 2.5 | 43% |
| 3 | Guston Kent | A+ | 5.8 | 100% | 2.5 | 25% |
| 4 | Trimley St Martin Suffolk | A+ | 1.7 | 100% | 2.9 | 43% |
| 5 | Penwithick Cornwall | A | 15 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 6 | Wroxall Isle of Wight | A | 1.2 | 84% | 4.6 | 33% |
| 7 | Eccles Kent | A | 3.7 | 100% | 2.4 | 30% |
| 8 | Hutton Somerset | A | 1.8 | 100% | 2.2 | 22% |
| 9 | Flimby Cumbria | A | 1.7 | 100% | 2.3 | 2% |
| 10 | Grain Kent | A | 13 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 11 | Southwell Dorset | A | 0.7 | 100% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 12 | Upchurch Kent | A | 4 | 76% | 2.3 | 7% |
| 13 | Wickwar Gloucestershire | A− | 2 | 100% | 3.5 | 15% |
| 14 | Lynemouth Northumberland | A− | 3.5 | 100% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 15 | Hemyock Devon | A− | 3.2 | 100% | 1.3 | 82% |
| 16 | Seascale Cumbria | A− | 2.1 | 81% | 2.2 | 27% |
| 17 | Clayhanger West Midlands | A− | 17.4 | 100% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 18 | Bathampton Somerset | A− | 1 | 85% | 5.5 | 62% |
| 19 | Ripley Surrey | A− | 15 | 64% | 3.6 | 2% |
| 20 | Harthill South Yorkshire | B+ | 3.6 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 21 | Appledore Devon | B+ | 1.2 | 100% | 1.6 | 16% |
| 22 | Starcross Devon | B+ | 1.9 | 100% | 0.9 | 1% |
| 23 | Aldbourne Wiltshire | B+ | 3.2 | 84% | 1.8 | 100% |
| 24 | Kingsdown Kent | B+ | 1.1 | 67% | 3.4 | 12% |
| 25 | Blewbury Oxfordshire | B | 3.1 | 54% | 2.7 | 79% |
| 26 | Silkstone South Yorkshire | B | 1 | 100% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 27 | Bryn Dyfed | B− | 2.9 | 67% | 1.4 | 1% |
| 28 | Streethouse West Yorkshire | B− | 2.2 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 29 | Shaldon Devon | B− | 1.7 | 85% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 30 | Eynsford Kent | B− | 2.1 | 81% | 1.9 | 46% |
| 31 | Woodsetts South Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 100% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 32 | Allhallows Kent | B− | 3.2 | 76% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Summit Greater Manchester | B− | 1.9 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 34 | Trethomas Gwent | B− | 6.9 | 48% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 35 | Feniton Devon | C+ | 1.3 | 100% | 1.4 | 17% |
| 36 | Langho Lancashire | C+ | 1.6 | 74% | 3 | 7% |
| 37 | Pilling Lancashire | C+ | 4.2 | 46% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 38 | Seahouses and North Sunderland Northumberland | C+ | 1.6 | 17% | 1.7 | 21% |
| 39 | Chipperfield Hertfordshire | C+ | 2.4 | 37% | 2.8 | 17% |
| 40 | Rocester Staffordshire | C+ | 15.2 | 58% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Harvington Worcestershire | C+ | 2.6 | 100% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Minsterley Shropshire | C+ | 1.1 | 77% | 2.4 | 38% |
| 43 | Leeming North Yorkshire | C− | 5 | 76% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 44 | West Thorney West Sussex | C− | 0.4 | 0% | 0.9 | 55% |
| 45 | Embsay North Yorkshire | C− | 0.9 | 38% | 2.5 | 47% |
| 46 | High Bentham North Yorkshire | C− | 0.1 | 0% | 2.9 | 45% |
| 47 | Lower Quinton Warwickshire | C− | 2 | 49% | 1.3 | 18% |
| 48 | Modbury Devon | C− | 1.7 | 39% | 1.2 | 41% |
| 49 | Whitehill County Durham | C− | 0.3 | 0% | 7.7 | 0% |
| 50 | Holt Wiltshire | D | 1.1 | 45% | 2.1 | 2% |
| 51 | Shrewton Wiltshire | D | 1.4 | 42% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Leverington Cambridgeshire | D | 2.8 | 59% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 53 | Dobwalls Cornwall | D | 1.4 | 28% | 1.5 | 15% |
| 54 | Tiddington Warwickshire | D | 0.2 | 79% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 55 | Point Clear Essex | D | 0.1 | 0% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Soughton Clwyd | D | 0.4 | 67% | 1.3 | 3% |
| 57 | Monk Fryston and Hillam North Yorkshire | D | 2.7 | 40% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Welford-on-Avon Warwickshire | D− | 0.4 | 48% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Swffryd Gwent | D− | 1.4 | 17% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Hambleton North Yorkshire | D− | 0.1 | 52% | 1.1 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is High Bentham’s built-up area.
Few High Bentham 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 1,700 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 5 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 340 residents.
National Parks and National Landscapes around High Bentham
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.
Forest Of Bowland
45% of the land within 5 km of High Bentham is National Park or National Landscape, more than 90% of UK towns. Yorkshire Dales National Park covers 2,185 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
3 waymarked walks pass through or near High Bentham
28 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in High Bentham and the kilometre around it, 2.9 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
Close to home, the Bentham Heritage Trail C has 8 km of local walk within 2 km of the village.
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 High Bentham: May to September
The village’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 | 14.0 | 16.0 | 17.1 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 124 | 95 | 77 | 62 | 71 | 76 | 87 | 106 | 99 | 121 | 119 | 126 |
April is the driest month (62 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 126 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 46 nights a year. The climate in High Bentham →
5 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
Mapped within 2 km of the village in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK village its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
The nearest beaches
High Bentham is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
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 3
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Bentham | C− | 0.1 | 0% | 45% |
| Ingleton 2.8 mi | B+ | 1.5 | 100% | 54% |
| Kirkby Lonsdale 6.9 mi | B+ | 9.2 | 74% | 40% |
| Caton 8.7 mi | C+ | 1.2 | 72% | 67% |
| Giggleswick 9.5 mi | A+ | 14.2 | 100% | 75% |
| Burton-in-Kendal 9.7 mi | B− | 0.6 | 100% | 23% |
| Settle 10.0 mi | A+ | 6.4 | 100% | 73% |
Giggleswick, 9.5 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Ingleton, Kirkby Lonsdale and Caton have at least twice High Bentham’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in High Bentham
Is High Bentham near a National Park?
Yes. Yorkshire Dales National Park begins 2.3 mi north of the village’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, 0.6 mi away.
What are the best walks near High Bentham?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Bentham Heritage Trail C, Bentham Heritage Trail B and Bentham Heritage Trail A.
What is the nearest beach to High Bentham?
Mallows Bay, 14 mi from the edge of the village, then Half Moon Bay (16 mi). High Bentham itself is inland.
How many people in High Bentham live near a park?
0% 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 High Bentham?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is High Bentham good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 56% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 1% (0.1 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 High Bentham’s overall grade.
Where High Bentham’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.