Meltham’s biggest
Meltham Hall Park
Park or garden
4.0 ha (10 acres)1.0 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi eastfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Richard Harvey · CC BY-SA 2.5B−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Meltham · parks, paths & countryside
Meltham has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
74 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 5.3 for every square kilometre. The Peak District National Park reaches the edge of Meltham. Parks and playing fields in Meltham add up to 1.0 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Meltham grades B− for the outdoors: #53 of 91 in West Yorkshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
63%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
74 km
5.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
27%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Peak District National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Meltham?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths5.3 km of path per km², more than 94% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Protected countryside27% of the land within 5 km is Peak District National Park.Less park per person1.0 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Meltham’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by protected countryside on the doorstep. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Meltham grades B− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Meltham, 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 50% of UK towns#53 of 91 in West Yorkshire · 33rd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
13out of
100
100
A park within a walk63%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
23out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape27%of the land within 5 km
82out of
100
100
Footpaths5.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
94out 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
Meltham is 33rd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 7,900 to 8,800 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
Meltham5.3
Towns its size2.9
West Yorkshire towns3.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Meltham1.0
Towns its size2.2
West Yorkshire towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Meltham63%
Towns its size86%
West Yorkshire towns87%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Meltham stands out most for path per km²: only 4 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 51 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upton Dorset | A+ | 9.1 | 84% | 4.7 | 18% |
| 2 | Hawkinge Kent | A+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.2 | 74% |
| 3 | Chipping Sodbury Gloucestershire | A+ | 5.2 | 93% | 8.2 | 29% |
| 4 | Pool and Illogan Cornwall | A+ | 3.7 | 81% | 4 | 5% |
| 5 | Ecclesfield and Grenoside South Yorkshire | A+ | 5.1 | 94% | 5.2 | 2% |
| 6 | Stakeford Northumberland | A+ | 10 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 7 | Bargod Gwent | A | 13.6 | 100% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 8 | Storrington West Sussex | A | 5.5 | 85% | 3.2 | 54% |
| 9 | Wallingford Oxfordshire | A | 3.1 | 85% | 3.7 | 61% |
| 10 | Dursley Gloucestershire | A | 1.8 | 90% | 7.2 | 52% |
| 11 | Grove Oxfordshire | A | 2.2 | 92% | 4.7 | 27% |
| 12 | Brecon Powys | A | 3.2 | 86% | 3.2 | 61% |
| 13 | East Cowes Isle of Wight | A | 1.4 | 96% | 3 | 8% |
| 14 | Ledbury Herefordshire | A | 3.3 | 89% | 3.1 | 34% |
| 15 | Penistone South Yorkshire | A | 2.6 | 97% | 3.9 | 9% |
| 16 | Bearsted Kent | A | 5.5 | 76% | 3.5 | 39% |
| 17 | Stonehouse Gloucestershire | A | 1.8 | 94% | 4.6 | 36% |
| 18 | Bursledon Hampshire | A | 2.6 | 90% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 19 | Richmond North Yorkshire | A | 2.4 | 96% | 3.9 | 7% |
| 20 | Maryport Cumbria | A− | 1.4 | 100% | 2.4 | 5% |
| 21 | Norton Canes Staffordshire | A− | 13.3 | 97% | 1.9 | 10% |
| 22 | Brightlingsea Essex | A− | 3 | 97% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 23 | Pembroke Dyfed | B+ | 2.2 | 91% | 1 | 31% |
| 24 | Coppull Lancashire | B+ | 4.6 | 85% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 25 | Hadleigh Suffolk | B+ | 2.6 | 87% | 2.7 | 10% |
| 26 | Runwell Essex | B+ | 5.1 | 92% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 27 | Pershore Worcestershire | B | 2.7 | 76% | 3.2 | 7% |
| 28 | Abergele Clwyd | B | 2.9 | 78% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 29 | Clayton-le-Moors Lancashire | B | 1.1 | 86% | 4.2 | 2% |
| 30 | Wendover Buckinghamshire | B | 1 | 58% | 5.6 | 60% |
| 31 | Alnwick Northumberland | B− | 2.2 | 67% | 3.4 | 7% |
| 32 | Twyford Berkshire | B− | 2.4 | 86% | 2.1 | 5% |
| 33 | Meltham West Yorkshire | B− | 1 | 63% | 5.3 | 27% |
| 34 | Stansted Mountfitchet Essex | B− | 0.8 | 96% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 35 | Denbigh Clwyd | B− | 1.3 | 96% | 2.3 | 5% |
| 36 | Fakenham Norfolk | C+ | 5.2 | 81% | 2 | 0% |
| 37 | Bewdley Worcestershire | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 38 | Crediton Devon | C+ | 2.4 | 89% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 39 | Seaton Delaval Northumberland | C+ | 0.5 | 66% | 4 | 0% |
| 40 | Atherstone Warwickshire | C+ | 2.7 | 88% | 2 | 0% |
| 41 | Ammanford Dyfed | C+ | 2.8 | 70% | 1.5 | 9% |
| 42 | Faringdon Oxfordshire | C | 1.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Silsden West Yorkshire | C | 0.8 | 67% | 3.5 | 1% |
| 44 | Rothwell Northamptonshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 45 | Southam Warwickshire | C | 2.3 | 86% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 46 | Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire | C | 2.1 | 38% | 2.3 | 2% |
| 47 | Hedon East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 0.9 | 74% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 48 | Sherburn in Elmet North Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 93% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Glastonbury Somerset | C− | 2 | 69% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Llanharan and Brynna Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1.7 | 97% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Hilton Derbyshire | C− | 1.1 | 89% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Radlett Hertfordshire | C− | 2.1 | 60% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 53 | East Leake Nottinghamshire | C− | 2.4 | 68% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Rainworth Nottinghamshire | C− | 0.5 | 65% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Penkridge Staffordshire | C− | 0.8 | 70% | 2.1 | 7% |
| 56 | Launceston Cornwall | C− | 2.1 | 66% | 0.9 | 1% |
| 57 | Swaffham Norfolk | D | 1 | 68% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 58 | Ashford Common Surrey | D | 0.8 | 62% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Coxheath Kent | D | 1.2 | 48% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Clydach West Glamorgan | D | 1.7 | 68% | 0.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Meltham’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 Meltham
The biggest is Meltham Hall Park, 4.0 ha (10 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Woodhead Fold Gardens
Park or garden
0.1 ha (0 acres)
Centralin the middle of Meltham
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
6 in 10 Meltham 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 (63%)Further (37%)
Meltham63%
Towns its size86%
West Yorkshire towns87%
All UK towns83%
About 3,100 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 12 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 694 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Meltham
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 Park
Peak District
At the edge south1,438 km²since 195127% of the land within 5 km
Official site27% of the land within 5 km of Meltham is National Park or National Landscape, more than 81% of UK towns. Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Meltham
74 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Meltham and the kilometre around it, 5.3 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Meltham Way14.1 km
Peak District Boundary Walk Stage 66.7 km
Close to home, the Meltham Way has 14 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Peak District Boundary Walk Stage 6.
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 Meltham: June 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) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 135 | 107 | 94 | 80 | 81 | 85 | 103 | 94 | 107 | 124 | 121 | 154 |
April is the driest month (80 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 154 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 52 nights a year. The climate in Meltham →
Things to do
12 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.
The nearest beaches
Meltham is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Stone Beach19 mi from Meltham’s edge
DirectionsCar Park Beach19 mi from Meltham’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach North19 mi from Meltham’s edge
DirectionsCreek Beach South19 mi from Meltham’s edge
DirectionsWader Point19 mi from Meltham’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
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 4
Meltham Cop0.3 mi from town
DirectionsBurned Hill0.5 mi from town
DirectionsSwinny Knoll1.0 mi from town
DirectionsWolfstones1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 12
Meltham Mills Playgroundin town
DirectionsFieldhead Play Area1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 10 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Plus 1 slipway 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.
Linthwaite and SlaithwaiteNetherton (Kirklees)UpperthongHolmbridgeHolmfirthMarsdenMeltham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meltham | B− | 1.0 | 63% | 27% |
| Linthwaite and Slaithwaite 2.1 mi | A | 2.2 | 97% | 12% |
| Netherton (Kirklees) 2.3 mi | A− | 2.0 | 88% | 6% |
| Upperthong 2.4 mi | B | 1.7 | 65% | 26% |
| Holmbridge 2.7 mi | A+ | 2.5 | 100% | 45% |
| Holmfirth 3.0 mi | A | 2.2 | 88% | 27% |
| Marsden 3.2 mi | A | 1.9 | 100% | 33% |
Holmbridge, 2.7 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Linthwaite and Slaithwaite, Holmbridge and Holmfirth have at least twice Meltham’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Meltham
What is the biggest park in Meltham?
Meltham Hall Park, 4.0 ha (10 acres), with 1 km of path. Woodhead Fold Gardens (0.1 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Meltham near a National Park?
Peak District National Park reaches the edge of Meltham. It covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Meltham?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Meltham Way and Peak District Boundary Walk Stage 6.
What is the nearest beach to Meltham?
Stone Beach, 19 mi from the edge of the town, then Car Park Beach (19 mi). Meltham itself is inland.
How many people in Meltham live near a park?
63% 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 Meltham?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Meltham good for walking?
For paths, yes: 5.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 94% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 13% (1.0 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 Meltham’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Meltham’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.