Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.035% of the land within 5 km of Leiston is National Park or National Landscape
The Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape reaches the edge of Leiston. The sea makes up 24% of the area within 5 km. 95% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Leiston grades A for the outdoors: #3 of 34 in Suffolk. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Leiston?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Leiston’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep, followed by the King Charles III England Coast Path. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Leiston grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Leiston, 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.
Leiston is 6th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 5,700 to 6,200 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, Leiston stands out most for homes near a park: only 13 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 36 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackfield and Langley Hampshire | A+ | 28.1 | 95% | 4.2 | 48% |
| 2 | Saltburn-by-the-Sea North Yorkshire | A | 4.7 | 92% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 3 | Bagshot Surrey | A | 10.5 | 100% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 4 | Barrowford Lancashire | A | 4.2 | 82% | 5 | 22% |
| 5 | Wareham Dorset | A | 1.9 | 83% | 3.4 | 56% |
| 6 | Leiston Suffolk | A | 1.7 | 95% | 2.7 | 35% |
| 7 | Amble Northumberland | A | 2 | 100% | 2.2 | 5% |
| 8 | West Hallam Derbyshire | A | 4.8 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 9 | Boldon Colliery Tyne and Wear | A | 5.3 | 95% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 10 | Menston West Yorkshire | A | 2.4 | 90% | 4.1 | 18% |
| 11 | Shepperton Surrey | A | 8.7 | 89% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 12 | Carnforth Lancashire | A− | 1.2 | 89% | 3 | 39% |
| 13 | Barnard Castle County Durham | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 3.4 | 1% |
| 14 | Botley Hampshire | A− | 14.6 | 70% | 3.6 | 2% |
| 15 | East Horsley Surrey | A− | 3.5 | 55% | 4.5 | 33% |
| 16 | Dodworth South Yorkshire | A− | 2.3 | 97% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 17 | Marchwood Hampshire | B+ | 2 | 87% | 1.3 | 38% |
| 18 | Moor Park Hertfordshire | B+ | 4.5 | 46% | 4.5 | 1% |
| 19 | Creswell Derbyshire | B+ | 2.7 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 20 | Thrybergh and Dalton South Yorkshire | B+ | 2.6 | 95% | 4 | 0% |
| 21 | Axminster Devon | B | 0.9 | 100% | 2.4 | 66% |
| 22 | Garstang Lancashire | B | 2.4 | 89% | 2.3 | 15% |
| 23 | East Tilbury Essex | B | 2.3 | 92% | 2 | 0% |
| 24 | Wixams Bedfordshire | B | 5.3 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 25 | Shipston-on-Stour Warwickshire | B | 2.3 | 94% | 1.6 | 20% |
| 26 | Brixworth Northamptonshire | B | 3.8 | 94% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 27 | Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Northumberland | B | 2.2 | 77% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 28 | East Wittering West Sussex | B | 1.1 | 78% | 1.9 | 27% |
| 29 | Hemsby Norfolk | B | 2.5 | 51% | 1.4 | 22% |
| 30 | Bidford-on-Avon Warwickshire | B | 3.4 | 100% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 31 | Cheddar Somerset | B− | 2.3 | 41% | 3 | 56% |
| 32 | Thirsk North Yorkshire | B− | 1.8 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 33 | Great Torrington Devon | B− | 2.6 | 88% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 34 | Kirby Cross Essex | C+ | 2.4 | 44% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 35 | Aylesham Kent | C+ | 0.3 | 76% | 3.4 | 33% |
| 36 | Bagillt Clwyd | C+ | 1.3 | 87% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 37 | Crawley Down West Sussex | C+ | 1.2 | 80% | 2.2 | 40% |
| 38 | Strensall North Yorkshire | C | 1.3 | 89% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Pontyclun Mid Glamorgan | C | 2.4 | 79% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 40 | Bowdon Greater Manchester | C | 1.8 | 81% | 3 | 0% |
| 41 | Egremont Cumbria | C | 1.1 | 63% | 1.8 | 11% |
| 42 | Bracebridge Heath Lincolnshire | C | 1.1 | 81% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 43 | Undy and Magor Gwent | C | 0.9 | 86% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Red Lodge Suffolk | C | 1.5 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 45 | Ramsey Cambridgeshire | C | 2.5 | 72% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 46 | Ilminster Somerset | C− | 2.3 | 61% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 47 | Ottery St Mary Devon | C− | 1.2 | 71% | 1.7 | 34% |
| 48 | Studley Warwickshire | C− | 1.6 | 63% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 49 | Pembury Kent | C− | 1.1 | 45% | 2 | 58% |
| 50 | Stainforth South Yorkshire | C− | 2.2 | 80% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 51 | Purfleet-on-Thames Essex | C− | 0.9 | 64% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 52 | Cuddington Cheshire | C− | 1.5 | 66% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 53 | Withernsea East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 0.9 | 60% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Arlesey Bedfordshire | D | 0.9 | 51% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 55 | Finningley South Yorkshire | D | 2 | 65% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 56 | Werrington Staffordshire | D | 1.1 | 42% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 57 | Earls Barton Northamptonshire | D | 1.5 | 71% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 58 | Sawtry Cambridgeshire | D | 1.3 | 40% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 59 | Burwell Cambridgeshire | D− | 1.5 | 44% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Thurcroft South Yorkshire | D− | 0.5 | 56% | 2 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Leiston’s built-up area.
9 in 10 Leiston 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; 6 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 987 residents.
National Parks and National Landscapes around Leiston
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.
Suffolk Coast & Heaths
35% of the land within 5 km of Leiston is National Park or National Landscape, more than 85% of UK towns. The Broads National Park covers 302 km² and has been a National Park since 1989.
Leiston is on the King Charles III England Coast Path
44 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Leiston and the kilometre around it, 2.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
The King Charles III England Coast Path, a national route, passes Leiston. 2 regional routes pass through, including the Sandlings Walk and Suffolk Coast Path.
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 Leiston: 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) | 8.2 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.7 | 16.7 | 16.3 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.7 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 51 | 45 | 41 | 38 | 51 | 50 | 58 | 57 | 53 | 67 | 62 | 61 |
April is the driest month (38 mm) and August the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 67 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 27 nights a year. The climate in Leiston →
Leiston is near the sea
24% of the area within 5 km of Leiston is sea. 4 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 0 with a name.
The King Charles III England 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.
6 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.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 6
Plus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leiston | A | 1.7 | 95% | 35% |
| Aldeburgh 3.3 mi | A | 2.3 | 88% | 41% |
| Saxmundham 4.0 mi | B+ | 3.3 | 100% | 3% |
| Rendlesham 8.6 mi | C− | 0.8 | 52% | 59% |
| Wickham Market 9.7 mi | C | 2.5 | 64% | 7% |
| Halesworth 10.0 mi | C− | 1.4 | 55% | 5% |
| Framlingham 10.0 mi | B | 3.7 | 73% | 0% |
Aldeburgh, 3.3 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 88% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Framlingham has at least twice Leiston’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Leiston
Is Leiston near a National Park?
Yes. the Broads National Park begins 16 mi north of the town’s edge. It covers 302 km² and has been a National Park since 1989. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape, at the edge of the town.
What are the best walks near Leiston?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Sandlings Walk, Suffolk Coast Path and King Charles III England Coast Path: Aldeburgh to Southwold.
How many people in Leiston 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 Leiston?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Leiston good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 50% 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 Leiston’s overall grade.
Where Leiston’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.