Ipswich’s biggest
Orwell Country Park
Park or garden
95 ha (235 acres)15.6 km of path
3 h 30 minto walk all 15.6 km of path
133 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.7 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Gainsborough Lane
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Gareth James · CC BY-SA 2.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Ipswich · parks, paths & countryside
79% of Ipswich’s residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park
The Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape reaches the edge of Ipswich. 318 km of footpaths run through the city and the kilometre around it, 3.9 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Ipswich add up to 2.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Ipswich grades A− for the outdoors: #9 of 34 in Suffolk. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.6 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
79%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
318 km
3.9 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
12%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors city is Ipswich?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Countryside both waysSuffolk Coast & Heaths starts 0.0 mi south, Dedham Vale 4.9 mi south-west.A city of footpaths3.9 km of path per km², more than 78% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.On a National TrailThe King Charles III England Coast Path passes through.Historic parks3 registered historic parks and gardens, including Chantry Park.
Ipswich’s strongest suit is two protected landscapes close by, followed by dense footpaths.
Outdoors grade
Ipswich grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Ipswich, 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 75% of UK towns#9 of 34 in Suffolk · 23rd of 49 UK cities its size
Public green space2.6 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
62out of
100
100
A park within a walk79%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
45out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape12%of the land within 5 km
72out of
100
100
Footpaths3.9 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
78out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 3.3% sea, under the 5% that counts
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
Ipswich is 23rd of 49 UK cities its size for the outdoors
The 49 UK towns and cities of 106,000 to 205,000 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
Ipswich3.9
Cities its size4.4
Suffolk towns2.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Ipswich2.6
Cities its size2.5
Suffolk towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Ipswich79%
Cities its size86%
Suffolk towns80%
All UK towns83%
Ipswich falls furthest behind on path per km², where 30 of the 48 others do better.
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 | Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire | A | 8 | 99% | 6.3 | 0% |
| 7 | Stockport Greater Manchester | A | 4 | 93% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 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 | Richmond upon Thames London | A− | 5.7 | 83% | 7.6 | 0% |
| 18 | Bournemouth Dorset | A− | 1.9 | 81% | 3.2 | 1% |
| 19 | Westminster London | A− | 2.6 | 98% | 8.2 | 0% |
| 20 | Maidstone Kent | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 3.5 | 20% |
| 21 | Cheltenham Gloucestershire | A− | 1.4 | 87% | 4.5 | 44% |
| 22 | Worthing West Sussex | A− | 1.2 | 78% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 23 | Ipswich Suffolk | A− | 2.6 | 79% | 3.9 | 12% |
| 24 | Newport Gwent | A− | 2.8 | 85% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 25 | Peterborough Cambridgeshire | B+ | 3.7 | 96% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 26 | Oldham Greater Manchester | B+ | 1.7 | 87% | 5 | 0% |
| 27 | Warrington Cheshire | B+ | 3.5 | 93% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 28 | Oxford Oxfordshire | B+ | 2.4 | 90% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 29 | Huddersfield West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.4 | 94% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 30 | Norwich Norfolk | B+ | 1.9 | 77% | 5.4 | 4% |
| 31 | Reading Berkshire | B+ | 1.7 | 73% | 4.6 | 26% |
| 32 | Birkenhead Merseyside | B+ | 3.1 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 33 | York North Yorkshire | B | 2.3 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Salford Greater Manchester | B | 2 | 91% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 35 | Kensington and Chelsea London | B | 1.5 | 99% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Chelmsford Essex | B | 2.4 | 87% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 37 | Kingston upon Thames London | B | 3.3 | 71% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 38 | St Helens Merseyside | B | 3.4 | 91% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 39 | Cambridge Cambridgeshire | B | 2.3 | 79% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 40 | Bolton Greater Manchester | B | 2.2 | 85% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 41 | Sunderland Tyne and Wear | B− | 1.5 | 76% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 42 | Hammersmith and Fulham London | B− | 1 | 93% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 43 | Blackburn Lancashire | B− | 2.2 | 71% | 3.1 | 1% |
| 44 | Exeter Devon | B− | 1.8 | 81% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 45 | Rochdale Greater Manchester | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 46 | Blackpool Lancashire | C+ | 1.6 | 75% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 47 | Southend-on-Sea Essex | C+ | 1.5 | 62% | 3 | 0% |
| 48 | Solihull West Midlands | C | 2.9 | 54% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 49 | 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 Ipswich’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 Ipswich
The biggest is Orwell Country Park, 95 ha (235 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 23 named parks by size: 351 ha (867 acres) and 66 km of path
Parks & gardens 289 haPlaying fields 62 haPlay spaces 0.2 ha
The biggest is Orwell Country Park, 95 ha (235 acres); no single park dominates. 6 of the 23 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Chantry Park
Park or garden
44 ha (109 acres)11.5 km of path
2 h 35 minto walk all 11.5 km of path
62 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.5 mi westfrom the centre
3 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II
Christchurch Park
Park or garden
34 ha (84 acres)7.2 km of path
1 h 35 minto walk all 7.2 km of path
48 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Ipswich
Christchurch Mansion Grade I Cafe Blanchfleur Grade II* +14 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Landseer Park
Park or garden
26 ha (64 acres)6.3 km of path
1 h 25 minto walk all 6.3 km of path
36 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Ipswich Garden Suburb Country Park
Park or garden · 260 m outside town
27 ha (66 acres)4.5 km of path
1 hto walk all 4.5 km of path
37 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.9 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Gippeswyk Park
Park or garden
18 ha (45 acres)6.2 km of path
1 h 20 minto walk all 6.2 km of path
26 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Bourne Park
Playing field
26 ha (63 acres)4.9 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.9 km of path
36 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.4 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Holywells Park
Park or garden
18 ha (44 acres)3.3 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.3 km of path
25 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi south-eastfrom the centre
2 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 23 named parks and green spaces
Orwell Country ParkPark or garden · 95 ha · 15.6 km of path
DirectionsChantry ParkPark or garden · 44 ha · 11.5 km of path
DirectionsChristchurch ParkPark or garden · 34 ha · 7.2 km of path
DirectionsLandseer ParkPark or garden · 26 ha · 6.3 km of path
DirectionsIpswich Garden Suburb Country ParkPark or garden · 27 ha · 4.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGippeswyk ParkPark or garden · 18 ha · 6.2 km of path
DirectionsBourne ParkPlaying field · 26 ha · 4.9 km of path
DirectionsHolywells ParkPark or garden · 18 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsBroom Hill ParkPark or garden · 8.5 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsIpswich Town Training CentrePlaying field · 13 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsAlexandra ParkPark or garden · 5.0 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsIpswich Rugby Football ClubPlaying field · 7.9 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsEllenbrook Open SpacePark or garden · 4.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsBramford Lane Open SpacePark or garden · 4.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsStonelodge ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsKing George V Playing FieldPlaying field · 6.6 ha
DirectionsWhitehouse Recreation GroundPlaying field · 3.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsSherrington Road ParkPlaying field · 1.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsSproughton Millennium GreenPlaying field · 1.8 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWarren HeathPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSproughton Playing FieldPlaying field · 1.6 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBosmere GreenPark or garden · 0.2 ha
DirectionsMaple Park Play AreaPlay space · 0.2 ha
DirectionsClose to home
How close Ipswich’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 (79%)Further (21%)
Ipswich79%
Cities its size86%
Suffolk towns80%
All UK towns83%
About 32,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 131 playgrounds are mapped in and around the city, about one for every 1,157 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
Suffolk Coast & Heaths and Dedham Vale both start about 5 miles from Ipswich
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
National Landscape
Suffolk Coast & Heaths
At the edge south443 km²since 197012% of the land within 5 km
Official site12% of the land within 5 km of Ipswich is National Park or National Landscape, more than 72% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Ipswich is on the King Charles III England Coast Path
318 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Ipswich and the kilometre around it, 3.9 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the city.
NationalRegionalLocalOther waymarked
Stour & Orwell Walk24.4 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: Shotley Gate to Felixstowe Ferry11.8 km
Gipping Valley River Path11.6 km
The Fonnereau Way6.8 km
Fynn Valley Walk6.8 km
Sandlings Walk (St Augustine's route)5.5 km
Sandlings Walk3.6 km
Sandlings Walk (Heath Road route)1.0 km
The King Charles III England Coast Path, a national route, passes Ipswich. Close to home, the The Fonnereau Way has 7 km of local walk within 2 km of the city. 4 regional routes pass through, including the Stour & Orwell Walk, Sandlings Walk (St Augustine's route), Sandlings Walk and Sandlings Walk (Heath Road route).
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
3 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 Ipswich’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade II
Christchurch Park
34 ha. Part of Christchurch Mansion, a registered historic park (Grade II). 16 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge, including Christchurch Mansion (Grade I).
IChristchurch MansionII*Cafe BlanchfleurIIBethesda Baptist ChurchIIBoer War MemorialIIBrick Wall to Christchurch MansionIIDrinking FountainIIEntrance Wall and Gates to Christchurch ParkIIFormer Cabmen's Shelter West of Bolton Lane Entrance to ParkIIIce House About 200 Metres North of Christchurch MansionIILodge to Christchurch MansionIIMartyrs MemorialIISt Mary le Tower VicarageIIWorld War I and II Memorial
Registered · Grade II*Old and New Cemetery25 ha
Registered · Grade IIChantry Park8.2 haInside: Gate House and Entrance Gatepiers to Chantry Park and 2 more
Listed buildings insideHolywells ParkHolywells Park Orangery and Holywells Park Stable Block and Tower
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 Ipswich: May to 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) | 8.2 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.7 | 16.7 | 16.3 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 53 | 45 | 38 | 37 | 43 | 50 | 53 | 54 | 52 | 62 | 63 | 60 |
April is the driest month (37 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 63 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 34 nights a year. The climate in Ipswich →
Things to do
3 viewpoints, 131 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
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.
3Viewpointsabout the same as cities its size1Hills and peaks3Nature reserves0.4× cities its size8Picnic sites2× cities its size131Playgroundsabout the same as cities its size2Campsites2Slipways
The nearest beaches
Ipswich is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the city.
Trimley Shores3.2 mi from Ipswich’s edge
DirectionsHonolulu Beach5.4 mi from Ipswich’s edge
DirectionsBorrow Pit Bay14 mi from Ipswich’s edge
DirectionsBiana Bay15 mi from Ipswich’s edge
DirectionsSmugglers Bay15 mi from Ipswich’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.
Up high. Constitution Hill, at 56 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Ipswich.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Plus 3 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Constitution Hill56 m (184 ft) · in town
DirectionsNature reserves 3
Bobbits Lane Nature Reserve3.4 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 nature reserves without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 8
Plus 8 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 131
Cherry Lane Playgroundin town
DirectionsPolly's Parkin town
DirectionsKWMCC Play Area0.6 mi from town
DirectionsNock Gardens0.6 mi from town
DirectionsOaks Meadow Play Area1.0 mi from town
DirectionsGrange Meadow playground1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 125 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
Hallowtree Scout Activity Centre0.0 mi from town
DirectionsToad Hall Caravan Site0.0 mi from town
DirectionsSlipways 2
Plus 2 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.
BramfordKesgraveClaydonGreat BlakenhamMartlesham HeathHolbrookIpswich
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich | A− | 2.6 | 79% | 12% |
| Bramford 3.0 mi | C+ | 3.2 | 76% | 0% |
| Kesgrave 3.6 mi | A | 3.3 | 97% | 14% |
| Claydon 4.1 mi | C− | 2.8 | 72% | 0% |
| Great Blakenham 4.7 mi | C− | 3.6 | 70% | 0% |
| Martlesham Heath 5.0 mi | A− | 3.5 | 68% | 25% |
| Holbrook 5.0 mi | B+ | 1.1 | 74% | 52% |
Kesgrave, 3.6 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 97% of its residents live within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Ipswich
What is the biggest park in Ipswich?
Orwell Country Park, 95 ha (235 acres), with 15.6 km of path. Chantry Park (44 ha) is second. 23 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the city or within 400 m of it.
Is Ipswich near a National Park?
It covers 443 km² and was designated in 1970.
What are the best walks near Ipswich?
8 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the city, including the Stour & Orwell Walk, King Charles III England Coast Path: Shotley Gate to Felixstowe Ferry and Gipping Valley River Path. Orwell Country Park alone has 15.6 km of path.
What is the nearest beach to Ipswich?
Trimley Shores, 3.2 mi from the edge of the city, then Honolulu Beach (5.4 mi). Ipswich itself is inland.
How many people in Ipswich live near a park?
79% 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 Ipswich?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Ipswich are historic?
Chantry Park (Grade II), Christchurch Mansion (Grade II) and Old and New Cemetery (Grade II*) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Ipswich good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 78% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 62% (2.6 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 Ipswich’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Ipswich’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.