Honley’s biggest
Sands Recreation Area
Playing field
5.6 ha (14 acres)0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
8 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.3 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Velella · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Honley · parks, paths & countryside
Honley has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 140 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 5.1 for every square kilometre. The Peak District National Park begins 2.0 mi from the town’s edge. 87% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Honley grades A− for the outdoors: #11 of 91 in West Yorkshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.1 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
87%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
140 km
5.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
8%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Peak District National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Honley?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths5.1 km of path per km², more than 93% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Hills with a view7 mapped viewpoints, about 7× as many per resident as the typical town its size.Countryside close byThe Peak District National Park starts 2.0 mi west.
Honley’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by its views.
Outdoors grade
Honley grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Honley, 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 82% of UK towns#11 of 91 in West Yorkshire · 14th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.1 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
49out of
100
100
A park within a walk87%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
61out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape8%of the land within 5 km
70out of
100
100
Footpaths5.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
93out 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
Honley is 14th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 13,800 to 15,100 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
Honley5.1
Towns its size3.3
West Yorkshire towns3.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Honley2.1
Towns its size2.4
West Yorkshire towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Honley87%
Towns its size81%
West Yorkshire towns87%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Honley stands out most for path per km²: only 2 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 34 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lymington Hampshire | A+ | 2.8 | 89% | 3.3 | 56% |
| 2 | Hythe Kent | A+ | 3.7 | 76% | 4 | 31% |
| 3 | Otley West Yorkshire | A+ | 5.8 | 93% | 4.4 | 26% |
| 4 | Tadley Hampshire | A+ | 11.4 | 96% | 4.2 | 9% |
| 5 | Llandudno Clwyd | A+ | 2.1 | 83% | 4.9 | 3% |
| 6 | Kesgrave Suffolk | A | 3.3 | 97% | 4.7 | 14% |
| 7 | Petersfield Hampshire | A | 3.2 | 93% | 3.2 | 100% |
| 8 | Yeadon West Yorkshire | A | 3.5 | 94% | 4.6 | 2% |
| 9 | Cheadle Greater Manchester | A | 6.5 | 96% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Penzance Cornwall | A | 1.6 | 96% | 2.3 | 34% |
| 11 | Wellington Somerset | A | 2.2 | 99% | 3.5 | 24% |
| 12 | Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint West Sussex | A− | 1.9 | 84% | 4.7 | 42% |
| 13 | Yateley Hampshire | A− | 14.9 | 85% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 14 | Honley West Yorkshire | A− | 2.1 | 87% | 5.1 | 8% |
| 15 | Blaydon Tyne and Wear | A− | 7.9 | 88% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 16 | Tredegar Gwent | A− | 6.9 | 78% | 2.8 | 20% |
| 17 | Thornbury Gloucestershire | A− | 2.5 | 97% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 18 | Chertsey Surrey | A− | 6.2 | 84% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 19 | Birstall Leicestershire | A− | 6 | 80% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 20 | Tewkesbury Gloucestershire | B+ | 2.2 | 84% | 4 | 6% |
| 21 | Ilkley West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.6 | 76% | 5.7 | 37% |
| 22 | Buckingham Buckinghamshire | B+ | 3.4 | 96% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 23 | Neston Cheshire | B+ | 2.7 | 91% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 24 | Marlow Buckinghamshire | B+ | 1.9 | 73% | 4 | 39% |
| 25 | Ashtead Surrey | B+ | 2.7 | 62% | 4.3 | 13% |
| 26 | Armthorpe South Yorkshire | B+ | 6.4 | 92% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 27 | Humberston and New Waltham Lincolnshire | B+ | 4.1 | 44% | 2.2 | 1% |
| 28 | Tilbury Essex | B | 1.4 | 98% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 29 | Morpeth Northumberland | B | 3.7 | 80% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 30 | Gomersal and Birkenshaw West Yorkshire | B | 3.2 | 83% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 31 | Blaby and Whetstone Leicestershire | B | 3 | 79% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire | B− | 4.9 | 78% | 1.8 | 6% |
| 33 | Newport Shropshire | B− | 3.3 | 95% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 34 | Chard Somerset | B− | 1.6 | 94% | 1.9 | 34% |
| 35 | Hawarden Clwyd | B− | 3.7 | 81% | 3 | 0% |
| 36 | Gorseinon West Glamorgan | B− | 3.7 | 83% | 1.3 | 2% |
| 37 | Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe Leicestershire | B− | 3.4 | 73% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 38 | Davenham Cheshire | B− | 1.3 | 88% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Aberystwyth Dyfed | B− | 1.8 | 51% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 40 | Cowes Isle of Wight | C+ | 1.1 | 50% | 2.2 | 15% |
| 41 | Herne Kent | C+ | 1.2 | 54% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne Gloucestershire | C+ | 2.2 | 78% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire | C+ | 1.9 | 57% | 2.6 | 31% |
| 44 | Darton South Yorkshire | C+ | 2.5 | 86% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 45 | Byfleet Surrey | C+ | 3.1 | 59% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Dunscroft and Hatfield South Yorkshire | C+ | 4 | 91% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Kidlington Oxfordshire | C+ | 0.9 | 81% | 3 | 2% |
| 48 | Milford Haven Dyfed | C | 0.8 | 70% | 0.9 | 30% |
| 49 | Birtley Tyne and Wear | C | 1.4 | 71% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Swallownest and Aston South Yorkshire | C− | 1.2 | 73% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 51 | Taverham and Drayton Norfolk | C− | 1.9 | 67% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Pyle Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1 | 78% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Uttoxeter Staffordshire | C− | 1.1 | 79% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 54 | Cottingham East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 2.1 | 73% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 55 | Middlewich Cheshire | D | 1.4 | 81% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Halstead Essex | D | 0.6 | 73% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 57 | New Rossington and Rossington South Yorkshire | D | 0.8 | 50% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Whittlesey Cambridgeshire | D | 1.7 | 73% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Shepshed Leicestershire | D | 1.1 | 69% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 60 | Church Village Mid Glamorgan | D | 0.7 | 72% | 1.7 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Honley’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 Honley
The biggest is Sands Recreation Area, 5.6 ha (14 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 6 named parks by size: 10 ha (25 acres) and 1 km of path
Parks & gardens 0.5 haPlaying fields 9.4 haPlay spaces 0.3 ha
The two biggest, Sands Recreation Area and Coronation Field, are 76% of the named green space. 4 of the 6 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Coronation Field
Playing field · 390 m outside town
2.2 ha (5 acres)0.2 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.7 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Old People's Park
Park or garden
0.5 ha (1 acres)0.1 km of path
0.9 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Wooldale Wanderers Athletic Football Club
Playing field
1.1 ha (3 acres)
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.6 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Victoria Recreation Ground
Playing field
0.5 ha (1 acres)
Centralin the middle of Honley
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Stoney Bank Chase Play Area
Play space
0.3 ha (1 acres)
0.8 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
9 in 10 Honley 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 (87%)Further (13%)
Honley87%
Towns its size81%
West Yorkshire towns87%
All UK towns83%
About 1,900 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 38 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 379 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Peak District National Park is 2.0 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
8% of the land within 5 km of Honley is National Park or National Landscape, more than 69% of UK towns. Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
5 waymarked walks pass through or near Honley
140 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Honley and the kilometre around it, 5.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
Holme Valley Circular Walk23.1 km
Kirklees Way7.9 km
Meltham Way4.4 km
Holme Valley Riverside Way1.3 km
Higgler Hike0.6 km
Close to home, the Holme Valley Circular Walk has 23 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Kirklees Way.
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 Honley: 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 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 95 | 103 | 86 | 76 | 77 | 82 | 90 | 86 | 94 | 109 | 127 | 153 |
April is the driest month (76 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 153 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 39 nights a year. The climate in Honley →
Things to do
7 viewpoints, 38 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.
7Viewpoints7.1× towns its size4Hills and peaks1Waterfalls2Nature reserves38Playgrounds1.6× towns its size1Campsites
The nearest beaches
Honley is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Stone Beach21 mi from Honley’s edge
DirectionsCar Park Beach21 mi from Honley’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach North21 mi from Honley’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South21 mi from Honley’s edge
DirectionsWader Point21 mi from Honley’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.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 4
Horn Hill0.0 mi from town
DirectionsSwinny Knoll0.6 mi from town
DirectionsWolfstones0.7 mi from town
DirectionsCheese Gate Nab1.2 mi from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Upper Park Wood Nature Reserve4.8 ha · 0.2 mi from town
DirectionsBeaumont Park21 ha · 1.1 mi from town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Holme Valley Camping & Caravan Park0.1 mi from town
DirectionsNext door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
Netherton (Kirklees)HolmfirthUpperthongScholes (near Hade Edge)ShepleyHolmbridgeHonley
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honley | A− | 2.1 | 87% | 8% |
| Netherton (Kirklees) 2.0 mi | A− | 2.0 | 88% | 6% |
| Holmfirth 2.0 mi | A | 2.2 | 88% | 27% |
| Upperthong 2.2 mi | B | 1.7 | 65% | 26% |
| Scholes (near Hade Edge) 2.3 mi | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 16% |
| Shepley 2.7 mi | C+ | 1.6 | 87% | 0% |
| Holmbridge 3.1 mi | A+ | 2.5 | 100% | 45% |
Scholes (near Hade Edge), 2.3 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Honley
What is the biggest park in Honley?
Sands Recreation Area, 5.6 ha (14 acres), with 0.7 km of path. Coronation Field (2.2 ha) is second. 6 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Honley near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 2.0 mi west of the town’s edge. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Honley?
5 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Holme Valley Circular Walk, Kirklees Way and Meltham Way.
What is the nearest beach to Honley?
Stone Beach, 21 mi from the edge of the town, then Car Park Beach (21 mi). Honley itself is inland.
How many people in Honley live near a park?
87% 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 Honley?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Honley good for walking?
For paths, yes: 5.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 93% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 49% (2.1 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 Honley’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Honley’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.