Halifax’s biggest
Shibden Park
Park or garden · 90 m outside town
27 ha (66 acres)3.3 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.3 km of path
37 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.6 mi eastfrom the centre
Nature reserve
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Mr Barndoor · CC BY 3.0B−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Halifax · parks, paths & countryside
Halifax has more footpath per square kilometre than 8 in 10 UK towns
244 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 4.1 for every square kilometre. 86% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Parks and playing fields in Halifax add up to 2.0 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Halifax grades B− for the outdoors: #52 of 91 in West Yorkshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
86%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
244 km
4.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Peak District National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Halifax?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths4.1 km of path per km², more than 82% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Historic parks4 registered historic parks and gardens, including Lister Lane Cemetery.
Halifax’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by its historic parks.
Outdoors grade
Halifax grades B− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Halifax, 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 52% of UK towns#52 of 91 in West Yorkshire · 43rd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
44out of
100
100
A park within a walk86%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
58out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths4.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
82out 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.
Towns its size
Halifax is 43rd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 70,700 to 110,700 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
Halifax4.1
Towns its size3.9
West Yorkshire towns3.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Halifax2.0
Towns its size2.5
West Yorkshire towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Halifax86%
Towns its size86%
West Yorkshire towns87%
All UK towns83%
Halifax falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 40 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hastings East Sussex | A+ | 3.1 | 76% | 4.3 | 42% |
| 2 | Burnley Lancashire | A+ | 3.4 | 95% | 5.7 | 7% |
| 3 | Gillingham Kent | A | 1.6 | 86% | 5.3 | 23% |
| 4 | Ashford Kent | A | 2.7 | 94% | 5.2 | 23% |
| 5 | Guildford Surrey | A | 2.8 | 86% | 6.1 | 31% |
| 6 | Eastbourne East Sussex | A | 2 | 75% | 4.3 | 23% |
| 7 | Chatham Kent | A | 1.6 | 78% | 6.4 | 26% |
| 8 | Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire | A | 3 | 95% | 3.6 | 18% |
| 9 | Bath Somerset | A | 1.8 | 89% | 5.6 | 50% |
| 10 | Harlow Essex | A | 3.7 | 99% | 8.2 | 0% |
| 11 | Barnsley South Yorkshire | A | 4.3 | 95% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 12 | Bracknell Berkshire | A | 3.7 | 97% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 13 | South Shields Tyne and Wear | A | 2.4 | 80% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 14 | Weston-super-Mare Somerset | A− | 1.2 | 87% | 3.7 | 8% |
| 15 | Chesterfield Derbyshire | A− | 2.7 | 86% | 4.4 | 4% |
| 16 | Stevenage Hertfordshire | A− | 3 | 98% | 7.3 | 0% |
| 17 | Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire | A− | 5.2 | 94% | 4 | 0% |
| 18 | Lowestoft Suffolk | A− | 1.8 | 79% | 3 | 17% |
| 19 | Aylesbury Buckinghamshire | A− | 1.8 | 88% | 9.5 | 5% |
| 20 | Carlisle Cumbria | A− | 3.2 | 91% | 3.1 | 4% |
| 21 | St Albans Hertfordshire | A− | 3.7 | 95% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 22 | Harrogate North Yorkshire | A− | 2.9 | 86% | 3.6 | 6% |
| 23 | Maidstone Kent | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 3.5 | 20% |
| 24 | Redditch Worcestershire | A− | 4.1 | 84% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 25 | Bedford Bedfordshire | B+ | 4.2 | 88% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 26 | Wakefield West Yorkshire | B+ | 3.9 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 27 | High Wycombe Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.6 | 68% | 5.4 | 67% |
| 28 | Birkenhead Merseyside | B+ | 3.1 | 71% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 29 | Salford Greater Manchester | B | 2 | 91% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 30 | Chelmsford Essex | B | 2.4 | 87% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 31 | Wythenshawe Greater Manchester | B | 2.5 | 84% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 32 | St Helens Merseyside | B | 3.4 | 91% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 33 | Wallasey Merseyside | B | 1.9 | 90% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 34 | Preston Lancashire | B | 3 | 80% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 35 | Rotherham South Yorkshire | B | 3.1 | 73% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 36 | Wigan Greater Manchester | B | 2.7 | 81% | 4 | 0% |
| 37 | Hartlepool County Durham | B− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 38 | Nuneaton Warwickshire | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Rugby Warwickshire | B− | 2.8 | 92% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 40 | Tamworth Staffordshire | B− | 2.7 | 89% | 3 | 0% |
| 41 | West Bromwich West Midlands | B− | 2.7 | 83% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 42 | Grimsby Lincolnshire | B− | 1.3 | 75% | 2.4 | 3% |
| 43 | Halifax West Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 86% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 44 | Bury Greater Manchester | B− | 2.4 | 82% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 45 | Stafford Staffordshire | B− | 1.9 | 70% | 3.1 | 11% |
| 46 | Royal Sutton Coldfield West Midlands | B− | 6.1 | 64% | 3 | 0% |
| 47 | Lincoln Lincolnshire | B− | 2.5 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 48 | Stockton-on-Tees County Durham | C+ | 2 | 83% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Woking Surrey | C+ | 1.7 | 67% | 6.5 | 0% |
| 50 | Shrewsbury Shropshire | C+ | 1.6 | 87% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 51 | Walsall West Midlands | C+ | 2.5 | 75% | 3 | 0% |
| 52 | Darlington County Durham | C+ | 2.2 | 87% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 53 | Worcester Worcestershire | C | 1.5 | 77% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Doncaster South Yorkshire | C | 1.8 | 72% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Solihull West Midlands | C | 2.9 | 54% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 56 | Scunthorpe Lincolnshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Chester Cheshire | C | 1.6 | 86% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Crewe Cheshire | C | 1.6 | 88% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 59 | Southport Merseyside | C− | 1.4 | 60% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 60 | Burton upon Trent Staffordshire | C− | 1.9 | 74% | 2.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Halifax’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 Halifax
The biggest is Shibden Park, 27 ha (66 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 21 named parks by size: 138 ha (341 acres) and 25 km of path
Parks & gardens 126 haPlaying fields 12 haPlay spaces 0.6 ha
The biggest is Shibden Park, 27 ha (66 acres); no single park dominates. 8 of the 21 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Roils Head Playing Fields
Park or garden
24 ha (59 acres)3.8 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.8 km of path
33 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.1 mi north-westfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Savile Park
Park or garden
22 ha (54 acres)3.0 km of path
40 minto walk all 3 km of path
30 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi southfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II
Shroggs Park
Park or garden
11 ha (28 acres)3.2 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.2 km of path
16 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.4 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Beechwood Park
Park or garden
13 ha (32 acres)1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
18 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.7 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Manor Heath
Park or garden
5.9 ha (15 acres)1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
8 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.3 mi south-eastfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Crow Wood Park
Park or garden
5.6 ha (14 acres)1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
8 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.1 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Historic park · Grade II*
People's Park
Park or garden
4.9 ha (12 acres)1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Fountain and basin in People's Park Grade II* Northern Bridge in People's Park Grade II* +14 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 21 named parks and green spaces
Shibden ParkPark or garden · 27 ha · 3.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRoils Head Playing FieldsPark or garden · 24 ha · 3.8 km of path
DirectionsSavile ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 3.0 km of path
DirectionsShroggs ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 3.2 km of path
DirectionsBeechwood ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsManor HeathPark or garden · 5.9 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsCrow Wood ParkPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsPeople's ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsMilner Royd Nature ReservePark or garden · 4.8 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsWest View ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsClayhouse ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAllan ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsOvenden ParkPlaying field · 3.6 ha
DirectionsLing Bob Adventure PlaygroundPlaying field · 3.6 ha
DirectionsBeech Recreation GroundPlaying field · 1.3 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsSowerby Bridge Church Institute Cricket ClubPlaying field · 1.9 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSt Paul's Rest GardenPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsTetley Memorial Park Sports FieldsPlaying field · 1.6 ha · just outside town
DirectionsAlbert ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMixenden ParkPlay space · 0.5 ha
DirectionsManor Heath Play AreaPlay space · 0.1 ha
DirectionsClose to home
9 in 10 Halifax 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 (86%)Further (15%)
Halifax86%
Towns its size86%
West Yorkshire towns87%
All UK towns83%
About 13,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 81 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,088 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Peak District National Park is 6.7 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
Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
4 waymarked walks pass through or near Halifax
244 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Halifax and the kilometre around it, 4.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Calderdale Way26.2 km
Brighouse Boundary Walk9.2 km
Hebble Trail3.3 km
Calderdale Way Link2.2 km
Close to home, the Brighouse Boundary Walk has 9 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Calderdale 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
4 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 Halifax’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade II*
People's Park
4.9 ha. Part of Peoples Park, Halifax, a registered historic park (Grade II*). 16 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge.
II*Fountain and basin in People's ParkII*Northern Bridge in People's ParkII*Pavilion in People's Park with Screen Walls and Fountain PoolsII*Platform at north end of terrace in People's Park with urnII*Platform at south end of terrace in People's Park with urnII*Southern Bridge in People's ParkII*Steps to Centre of Terrace in Peoples ParkIIBandstand in People's ParkIIDrinking Fountain in People's ParkIIPair of Entrance Piers to South East Entrance of People's ParkIIPair of Piers to North East Entrance of People's ParkIIPair of Piers to South Entrance of People's ParkIISundial in People's Park
Registered · Grade IILister Lane Cemetery1.2 ha
Registered · Grade IIShrogg's Park3.4 ha
Registered · Grade IIWest View Park3.1 ha
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 Halifax: 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) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.0 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 96 | 89 | 77 | 65 | 62 | 75 | 79 | 84 | 84 | 100 | 106 | 119 |
May 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 119 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 44 nights a year. The climate in Halifax →
Things to do
81 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
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.
3Hills and peaks2.6× towns its size8Nature reserves2.3× towns its size1Picnic sites81Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size2Campsites
The nearest beaches
Halifax is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Treasure Beach12 mi from Halifax’s edge
DirectionsCar Park Beach18 mi from Halifax’s edge
DirectionsStone Beach18 mi from Halifax’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach North18 mi from Halifax’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South18 mi from Halifax’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. Bare Head, at 287 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Halifax.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 3
Bare Head287 m (942 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsSoil Hill1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 8
Long Wood and Scarr Wood Local Nature Reserve13 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsMilner Royd Local Nature Reserve4.2 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsCunnery Wood Local Nature Reserve3.6 ha · 0.2 mi from town
DirectionsShibden Park28 ha · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsCromwell Bottom Local Nature Reserve30 ha · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsJerusalem Farm Local Nature Reserve14 ha · 1.0 mi from town
DirectionsNorland Moor Local Nature Reserve108 ha · 1.0 mi from town
DirectionsOgden Water Local Nature Reserve63 ha · 1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 81
Royls Head Playgroundin town
DirectionsBradshaw Park Playground0.3 mi from town
DirectionsPlay Park0.8 mi from town
DirectionsJohn Murgatroyd Recreation Ground1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 77 playgrounds 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.
Sowerby BridgeLuddenden FootShelf and NorthowramQueensburyEllandHolywell Green and StainlandHalifax
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax | B− | 2.0 | 86% | 0% |
| Sowerby Bridge 2.2 mi | B | 4.5 | 72% | 0% |
| Luddenden Foot 2.3 mi | C+ | 2.2 | 68% | 0% |
| Shelf and Northowram 3.0 mi | A− | 5.3 | 88% | 0% |
| Queensbury 3.1 mi | B | 2.6 | 91% | 0% |
| Elland 3.2 mi | C+ | 2.0 | 69% | 0% |
| Holywell Green and Stainland 3.6 mi | A− | 4.0 | 89% | 0% |
Shelf and Northowram, 3 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 88% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Sowerby Bridge, Shelf and Northowram and Holywell Green and Stainland have at least twice Halifax’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Halifax
What is the biggest park in Halifax?
Shibden Park, 27 ha (66 acres), with 3.3 km of path, just outside the built-up area. Roils Head Playing Fields (24 ha) is second. 21 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Halifax near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 6.7 mi south of the town’s edge. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Halifax?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Calderdale Way, Brighouse Boundary Walk and Hebble Trail. Shibden Park alone has 3.3 km of path.
What is the nearest beach to Halifax?
Treasure Beach, 12 mi from the edge of the town, then Car Park Beach (18 mi). Halifax itself is inland.
How many people in Halifax live near a park?
86% 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 Halifax?
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 Halifax are historic?
Lister Lane Cemetery (Grade II), Shrogg's Park (Grade II), West View Park (Grade II) and Peoples Park (Grade II*) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Halifax good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 82% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 44% (2.0 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 Halifax’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Halifax’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.