Minehead’s biggest
Blenheim Gardens
Park or garden
2.4 ha (6 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Minehead
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Ian S · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Minehead · parks, paths & countryside
Minehead is on the coast, on the South West Coast Path
The sea makes up 42% of the area within 5 km. Exmoor National Park reaches the edge of Minehead. Footpaths add up to 88 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.3 for every square kilometre. Minehead grades A+ for the outdoors: #1 of 49 in Somerset. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
95%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
88 km
4.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
47%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Exmoor National Park
The sea
42%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Minehead?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast42% of the area within 5 km is sea; 5 beaches mapped.A park on every doorstep95% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Protected countryside47% of the land within 5 km is Exmoor National Park.Less park per person1.4 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Minehead’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by parks close to every home. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Minehead grades A+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Minehead, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
A+
Better than 97% of UK towns#1 of 49 in Somerset · 4th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
26out of
100
100
A park within a walk95%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
76out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape47%of the land within 5 km
91out of
100
100
Footpaths4.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
85out of
100
100
The sea42%of the area within 5 km
97out 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
Minehead is 4th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 11,200 to 12,400 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
Minehead4.3
Towns its size2.9
Somerset towns3.0
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Minehead1.4
Towns its size1.9
Somerset towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Minehead95%
Towns its size84%
Somerset towns83%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Minehead stands out most for path per km²: only 15 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 43 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tring Hertfordshire | A+ | 5.7 | 95% | 4.8 | 57% |
| 2 | Snodland Kent | A+ | 7.7 | 97% | 4.4 | 44% |
| 3 | Chepstow Gwent | A+ | 1.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 30% |
| 4 | Minehead Somerset | A+ | 1.4 | 95% | 4.3 | 47% |
| 5 | Weybourne Surrey | A+ | 7.1 | 86% | 6.1 | 14% |
| 6 | Brockworth Gloucestershire | A+ | 2.5 | 95% | 5.1 | 46% |
| 7 | Waltham Cross Hertfordshire | A | 10.6 | 100% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 8 | Holyhead Gwynedd | A | 3.4 | 78% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 9 | Southwick West Sussex | A | 1.1 | 100% | 2.6 | 34% |
| 10 | Emsworth Hampshire | A | 2.3 | 56% | 3.7 | 51% |
| 11 | Sandown Isle of Wight | A | 1.4 | 74% | 4.5 | 28% |
| 12 | Killingworth Tyne and Wear | A | 4.7 | 97% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 13 | Dawlish Devon | A | 2.1 | 93% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Bradwell Norfolk | A− | 2 | 80% | 2.7 | 31% |
| 15 | Matlock Derbyshire | A− | 2.9 | 76% | 4.7 | 20% |
| 16 | Conisbrough South Yorkshire | A− | 5.3 | 99% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 17 | Bridport Dorset | A− | 0.9 | 75% | 3.7 | 71% |
| 18 | Barton-upon-Humber Lincolnshire | A− | 5.9 | 97% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Cleckheaton West Yorkshire | B+ | 3.3 | 98% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 20 | New Milton Hampshire | B+ | 2.3 | 75% | 1.9 | 38% |
| 21 | Blandford Forum Dorset | B+ | 2.1 | 90% | 2.2 | 72% |
| 22 | Haslemere Surrey | B+ | 1 | 78% | 5.1 | 80% |
| 23 | Bentley South Yorkshire | B+ | 3.4 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 24 | Worsley Greater Manchester | B+ | 4.7 | 86% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 25 | Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire | B | 2.4 | 70% | 2.9 | 53% |
| 26 | Oxted Surrey | B | 2.1 | 84% | 2.8 | 28% |
| 27 | Buckhurst Hill Essex | B | 4.5 | 64% | 6.3 | 0% |
| 28 | Littleborough Greater Manchester | B | 5 | 85% | 3 | 0% |
| 29 | Warmsworth South Yorkshire | B | 2.7 | 79% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 30 | Shirebrook Derbyshire | B | 1.8 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 31 | Sandbach Cheshire | B− | 2.5 | 87% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Helston Cornwall | B− | 1.3 | 61% | 2.7 | 21% |
| 33 | Ystrad Mynach Gwent | B− | 5.4 | 85% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 34 | Honiton Devon | B− | 1.3 | 90% | 2 | 73% |
| 35 | Chigwell Essex | B− | 2.9 | 64% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Mossley Greater Manchester | B− | 0.9 | 74% | 4.5 | 14% |
| 37 | Wells Somerset | B− | 1.7 | 65% | 3.4 | 26% |
| 38 | Lymm Cheshire | B− | 3.6 | 89% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Leatherhead Surrey | B− | 1 | 72% | 3.9 | 24% |
| 40 | Ince-in-Makerfield Greater Manchester | B− | 2 | 74% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Kingsteignton Devon | B− | 1.9 | 95% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Bolsover Derbyshire | C+ | 1.9 | 85% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 43 | Stanwell Surrey | C+ | 1.4 | 93% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 44 | Sandy Bedfordshire | C | 0.9 | 76% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 45 | Towcester Northamptonshire | C | 1.3 | 77% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 46 | Featherstone West Yorkshire | C | 2 | 77% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Bridgnorth Shropshire | C− | 2.4 | 66% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 48 | Attleborough Norfolk | C− | 1.8 | 93% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Haverfordwest Dyfed | C− | 1 | 85% | 1.4 | 8% |
| 50 | Oakham Rutland | C− | 1.8 | 86% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 51 | Downham Market Norfolk | C− | 1.5 | 77% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 52 | Cheadle Staffordshire | C− | 1.7 | 90% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 53 | Market Drayton Shropshire | C− | 1.5 | 88% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 54 | Codsall Staffordshire | C− | 1.4 | 84% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 55 | Sarn Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.8 | 75% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Desborough Northamptonshire | D | 0.6 | 69% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Wetherby West Yorkshire | D | 0.5 | 14% | 3 | 0% |
| 58 | Thorne South Yorkshire | D− | 1.6 | 65% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Tonyrefail Mid Glamorgan | D− | 0.7 | 48% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 60 | Watton Norfolk | D− | 0.5 | 28% | 1.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Minehead’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 Minehead
The biggest is Blenheim Gardens, 2.4 ha (6 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Minehead Barbarians
Playing field
2.5 ha (6 acres)
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
Almost everyone in Minehead lives 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 (95%)Further (5%)
Minehead95%
Towns its size84%
Somerset towns83%
All UK towns83%
About 500 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 15 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 783 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Minehead
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
47% of the land within 5 km of Minehead is National Park or National Landscape, more than 90% of UK towns. Exmoor National Park covers 693 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Minehead is on the South West Coast Path
88 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Minehead and the kilometre around it, 4.3 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalRegional
Macmillan Way West7.4 km
South West Coast Path (Section 1: Minehead to Porlock Weir)6.4 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: Minehead to Combe Martin5.3 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: Brean Down to Minehead4.7 km
The South West Coast Path, a national route, passes Minehead. The regional route here is the Macmillan Way West.
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 Minehead: 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 98 | 89 | 80 | 70 | 61 | 73 | 74 | 85 | 82 | 119 | 132 | 130 |
May is the driest month (61 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 132 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 14 nights a year. The climate in Minehead →
The coast
The coast and beaches near Minehead
42% of the area within 5 km of Minehead is sea. 5 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 1 with a name.
Dunster Beach0.8 mi from town
DirectionsThe South West Coast Path passes the town.
Sea: 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
7 viewpoints and 15 playgrounds
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.
7Viewpoints7.1× towns its size2Hills and peaks3Picnic sites3.1× towns its size15Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size1Dog parks3Campsites3Slipways
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 7
Memorial seat0.3 mi from town
DirectionsBlack Ball1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 2
North Hill279 m (915 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPeriton Hill297 m (974 ft) · 1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 15
Little Stars Soft Playin town
DirectionsSkyparkin town
DirectionsPlus 13 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Woofin' It Outdoorsin town
DirectionsCampsites 3
Minehead Caravan and Motorhome Clubin town
DirectionsMoor Wood Campsite0.3 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 3
Plus 3 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.
PorlockWatchetWillitonMinehead
ABCDOutdoors Grade
Porlock, 5.2 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 75% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Porlock has at least twice Minehead’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Minehead
What is the biggest park in Minehead?
Blenheim Gardens, 2.4 ha (6 acres), with 0.9 km of path. Minehead Barbarians (2.5 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Minehead near a National Park?
It covers 693 km² and has been a National Park since 1954.
What are the best walks near Minehead?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Macmillan Way West, South West Coast Path (Section 1: Minehead to Porlock Weir) and King Charles III England Coast Path: Minehead to Combe Martin.
How many people in Minehead live near a park?
95% 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 Minehead?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Minehead good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 85% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 26% (1.4 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 Minehead’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Minehead’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.