York’s biggest
The Kavesmire
Park or garden
105 ha (261 acres)6.8 km of path
1 h 30 minto walk all 6.8 km of path
148 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Derek Voller · CC BY-SA 2.0BOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in York · parks, paths & countryside
York has more footpath per square kilometre than nearly 9 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 321 km in the city and the kilometre around it, 4.4 for every square kilometre. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 89% of residents. Parks and playing fields in York add up to 2.3 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. York grades B for the outdoors: #18 of 54 in North Yorkshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
89%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
321 km
4.4 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Howardian Hills National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors city is York?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A city of footpaths4.4 km of path per km², more than 86% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Historic parks5 registered historic parks and gardens, including Museum Gardens, York.
York’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by its historic parks.
Outdoors grade
York grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is York, 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 65% of UK towns#18 of 54 in North Yorkshire · 28th of 47 UK cities its size
Public green space2.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
55out of
100
100
A park within a walk89%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
66out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.4 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
87out 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.
Cities its size
York is 28th of 47 UK cities its size for the outdoors
The 47 UK towns and cities of 99,000 to 191,000 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
York4.4
Cities its size4.3
North Yorkshire towns2.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
York2.3
Cities its size2.5
North Yorkshire towns1.7
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
York89%
Cities its size86%
North Yorkshire towns80%
All UK towns83%
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swindon Wiltshire | A+ | 3.1 | 96% | 5.9 | 21% |
| 2 | Gloucester Gloucestershire | A | 2.7 | 93% | 6 | 22% |
| 3 | Gillingham Kent | A | 1.6 | 86% | 5.3 | 23% |
| 4 | Poole Dorset | A | 2.5 | 81% | 3.4 | 20% |
| 5 | Crawley West Sussex | A | 2.6 | 85% | 10.5 | 33% |
| 6 | Stockport Greater Manchester | A | 4 | 93% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 7 | Eastbourne East Sussex | A | 2 | 75% | 4.3 | 23% |
| 8 | Telford Shropshire | A | 3.2 | 96% | 4 | 6% |
| 9 | Basingstoke Hampshire | A | 2.5 | 94% | 5.8 | 6% |
| 10 | Colchester Essex | A | 3.2 | 86% | 5.4 | 10% |
| 11 | Kingswood and Fishponds Gloucestershire | A | 3.1 | 85% | 6.1 | 10% |
| 12 | Middlesbrough North Yorkshire | A | 2.6 | 85% | 2.9 | 3% |
| 13 | Swansea West Glamorgan | A | 3.2 | 86% | 2.1 | 9% |
| 14 | Watford Hertfordshire | A | 2.8 | 88% | 4.5 | 1% |
| 15 | Gateshead Tyne and Wear | A− | 3.3 | 95% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 16 | Basildon Essex | A− | 3 | 95% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 17 | Maidstone Kent | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 3.5 | 20% |
| 18 | Cheltenham Gloucestershire | A− | 1.4 | 87% | 4.5 | 44% |
| 19 | Worthing West Sussex | A− | 1.2 | 78% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 20 | Ipswich Suffolk | A− | 2.6 | 79% | 3.9 | 12% |
| 21 | Newport Gwent | A− | 2.8 | 85% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 22 | Peterborough Cambridgeshire | B+ | 3.7 | 96% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 23 | Oldham Greater Manchester | B+ | 1.7 | 87% | 5 | 0% |
| 24 | Warrington Cheshire | B+ | 3.5 | 93% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 25 | Oxford Oxfordshire | B+ | 2.4 | 90% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 26 | Huddersfield West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.4 | 94% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 27 | Birkenhead Merseyside | B+ | 3.1 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 28 | York North Yorkshire | B | 2.3 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 29 | Salford Greater Manchester | B | 2 | 91% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 30 | Kensington and Chelsea London | B | 1.5 | 99% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 31 | Chelmsford Essex | B | 2.4 | 87% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Kingston upon Thames London | B | 3.3 | 71% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 33 | St Helens Merseyside | B | 3.4 | 91% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Cambridge Cambridgeshire | B | 2.3 | 79% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 35 | Bolton Greater Manchester | B | 2.2 | 85% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 36 | West Bromwich West Midlands | B− | 2.7 | 83% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 37 | Sunderland Tyne and Wear | B− | 1.5 | 76% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 38 | Hammersmith and Fulham London | B− | 1 | 93% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 39 | Blackburn Lancashire | B− | 2.2 | 71% | 3.1 | 1% |
| 40 | Exeter Devon | B− | 1.8 | 81% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 41 | Lincoln Lincolnshire | B− | 2.5 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 42 | Rochdale Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 43 | Blackpool Lancashire | C+ | 1.6 | 75% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 44 | Southend-on-Sea Essex | C+ | 1.5 | 62% | 3 | 0% |
| 45 | Worcester Worcestershire | C | 1.5 | 77% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Solihull West Midlands | C | 2.9 | 54% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Slough Berkshire | C | 1.9 | 82% | 2.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is York’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 York
The biggest is The Kavesmire, 105 ha (261 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 25 named parks by size: 227 ha (561 acres) and 39 km of path
Parks & gardens 216 haPlaying fields 11 ha
The two biggest, The Kavesmire and Hob Moor, are 62% of the named green space and carry 17 km of path between them. 14 of the 25 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Hob Moor
Park or garden
36 ha (89 acres)10.0 km of path
2 h 15 minto walk all 10 km of path
51 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Low Moor
Park or garden
24 ha (59 acres)8.2 km of path
1 h 50 minto walk all 8.2 km of path
34 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.2 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II
Rowntree Park
Park or garden
9.7 ha (24 acres)3.9 km of path
55 minto walk all 3.9 km of path
14 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Rowntree Park Memorial Gates Grade II*
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Rawcliffe Country Park
Park or garden
12 ha (30 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
17 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
2.3 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Hull Road Park
Park or garden
4.2 ha (10 acres)1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.2 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
West Bank Park
Park or garden
5.0 ha (12 acres)1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi westfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II
Museum Gardens
Park or garden
4.0 ha (10 acres)1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of York
City Wall from Lendall Hill House to the Lodge, Museum Gardens Grade I City Wall from Multangular Tower to Rear of Number 8 St Leonards Place Grade I +13 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 25 named parks and green spaces
The KavesmirePark or garden · 105 ha · 6.8 km of path
DirectionsHob MoorPark or garden · 36 ha · 10.0 km of path
DirectionsLow MoorPark or garden · 24 ha · 8.2 km of path
DirectionsRowntree ParkPark or garden · 9.7 ha · 3.9 km of path
DirectionsRawcliffe Country ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsHull Road ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsWest Bank ParkPark or garden · 5.0 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsMuseum GardensPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsHomestead ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsWhite Rose ParkPlaying field · 6.1 ha · just outside town
DirectionsGlen GardensPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsDean's ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsClarence GardensPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsKing George's FieldPlaying field · 1.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsAcomb GreenPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsWar Memorial GardenPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsAcomb CricketPlaying field · 2.0 ha
DirectionsFoxwood ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsSt George's FieldPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsAshton ParkPlaying field · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsClifton GreenPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsRest GardenPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsFulford Community OrchardPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsCollege GreenPark or garden · 0.1 ha
DirectionsMoorlands FieldPark or garden · 0.1 ha
DirectionsClose to home
9 in 10 York 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 (89%)Further (11%)
York89%
Cities its size86%
North Yorkshire towns80%
All UK towns83%
About 15,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 125 playgrounds are mapped in and around the city, about one for every 1,134 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Howardian Hills National Landscape is 7.7 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
North York Moors National Park covers 1,441 km² and has been a National Park since 1952.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
11 waymarked walks pass through or near York
321 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in York and the kilometre around it, 4.4 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the city.
RegionalLocal
Millennium Way38.3 km
Ebor Way17.8 km
Camino Ingles to Santiago13.0 km
Jorvic Way11.9 km
Wilberforce Way10.1 km
Trans-Pennine Trail (Selby to York)9.3 km
Minster Way8.4 km
Foss Walk7.9 km
Centenary Way6.4 km
YorActive Trail5.0 km
Campus Tree Trail4.0 km
Close to home, the Millennium Way has 38 km of local walk within 2 km of the city. 8 regional routes pass through, including the Ebor Way, Camino Ingles to Santiago, Jorvic Way and Wilberforce 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
5 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 York’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade II
Museum Gardens
4.0 ha. Part of Museum Gardens, York, a registered historic park (Grade II). 15 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge, including City Wall from Lendall Hill House to the Lodge, Museum Gardens (Grade I).
ICity Wall from Lendall Hill House to the Lodge, Museum GardensICity Wall from Multangular Tower to Rear of Number 8 St Leonards PlaceISt Leonards Hospital RemainsISt Marys Abbey Remains ChurchISt Marys Lodge and Attached Railings, Gates and Gate PiersIThe Kings ManorIYorkshire Museum, Tempest Anderson Hall and St Marys Abbey RemainsSMSt Mary's AbbeySMSt Mary's Abbey precinct wallsII*Number 29 and Walls Attached to South WestIICurators HouseIIDrinking FountainIIEttys Tomb Approximately 25 Metres South East of St Olaves ChurchIIFormer Waterworks Engine House at Rear of Lendal Hill HouseIIThe Lodge and Attached Gates and Gate Piers
Registered · Grade II*Grounds associated with the Retreat4.3 ha
Registered · Grade II*York Cemetery0.7 ha
Registered · Grade IIRowntree Park3.1 ha
Registered · Grade IIUniversity of York Campus West designed landscape27 ha
Listed buildings insideDean's ParkArcade of Former Archbishops Palace and Attached Railings and Gates, Bootham Bar City Wall from Bootham Bar to Layerthorpe Monk Bar Robin Hoods Tower and Old Palace, York and 6 more
Listed buildings insideRest GardenMerchant Adventurers Hall, Merchant's Hall, Fossgate and Foss Bridge and 3 more
Listed buildings insideSt George's FieldCity Walls Attached to Tower Place, 9, Tower Place and Postern House and 1 more
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 York: May to July and September
The city’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 | 15.9 | 17.1 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 51 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 45 | 63 | 54 | 67 | 55 | 64 | 61 | 58 |
March is the driest month (42 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 67 mm of rain falls in August, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 40 nights a year. The climate in York →
The coast
Beaches near York
0% of the area within 5 km of York is sea, so the Outdoors Grade counts it as inland. 2 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 1 with a name.
York BeachIn town
DirectionsSea: the area outside the ONS coastline (mean high water). Bathing water quality is published by the Environment Agency (England) and Natural Resources Wales; check it before swimming.
Things to do
125 playgrounds
Mapped within 2 km of the city in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK city its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
1Viewpoints2Hills and peaks9Nature reserves1.5× cities its size9Picnic sites3.1× cities its size125Playgroundsabout the same as cities its size4Dog parks2Campsites9Slipways6.6× cities its size
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 2
Howe Hillin town
DirectionsKimberlow Hill0.1 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 9
Fishponds Wood Nature Reserve1.6 ha · in town
DirectionsFoss Islands Nature Reserve0.2 ha · in town
DirectionsHempland Lane Wildlife Area0.3 ha · in town
DirectionsMayfield Grove Nature Reserve1.6 ha · in town
DirectionsFulford Cross Nature Reserve0.8 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsClifton Backies Local Nature Reserve20 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsNew Earswick Nature Reserve1.7 ha · 0.2 mi from town
DirectionsAskham Bog45 ha · 0.4 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 9
Plus 9 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 125
Bell Farm Playgroundin town
DirectionsBray Road Play Areain town
DirectionsCemetery Road Playgroundin town
DirectionsSiddings Gardensin town
DirectionsSovereign Park play areain town
DirectionsVictoria Park play areain town
DirectionsMillenium Green0.0 mi from town
DirectionsOutgang Lane Play Area0.3 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 117 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
Willow House Caravan Park0.6 mi from town
DirectionsMoor Farm Campsite0.7 mi from town
DirectionsSlipways 9
Blue Bridge Slipwayin town
DirectionsMarygate Landingin town
DirectionsPlus 7 slipways 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.
HeslingtonOsbaldwickHuntingtonBishopthorpeUpper PoppletonSkelton (York)York
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York | B | 2.3 | 89% | 0% |
| Heslington 1.9 mi | A− | 6.3 | 80% | 0% |
| Osbaldwick 2.3 mi | C+ | 1.9 | 70% | 0% |
| Huntington 2.4 mi | C+ | 2.0 | 72% | 0% |
| Bishopthorpe 2.7 mi | C− | 3.2 | 51% | 0% |
| Upper Poppleton 2.9 mi | C | 2.9 | 82% | 0% |
| Skelton (York) 3.3 mi | D | 1.4 | 77% | 0% |
Heslington, 1.9 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 80% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Heslington has at least twice York’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in York
What is the biggest park in York?
The Kavesmire, 105 ha (261 acres), with 6.8 km of path. Hob Moor (36 ha) is second. 25 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the city or within 400 m of it.
Is York near a National Park?
Yes. North York Moors National Park begins 13 mi north of the city’s edge. It covers 1,441 km² and has been a National Park since 1952. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Howardian Hills National Landscape, 7.7 mi away.
What are the best walks near York?
11 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the city, including the Millennium Way, Ebor Way and Camino Ingles to Santiago. The Kavesmire alone has 6.8 km of path.
How many people in York live near a park?
89% 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 York?
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.
Which parks in York are historic?
Museum Gardens (Grade II), Rowntree Park (Grade II), University of York Campus West designed landscape (Grade II) and Grounds associated with the Retreat (Grade II*) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is York good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.4 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 87% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 55% (2.3 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 York’s overall grade.
Sources
Where York’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.