Cliffe House · Photo: Dave Pickersgill · CC BY-SA 2.087% of Shepley’s residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park
The Peak District National Park begins 3.6 mi from the town’s edge. 32 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 3.5 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Shepley add up to 1.6 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Shepley grades C+ for the outdoors: #66 of 91 in West Yorkshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Shepley?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Shepley’s strongest suit is the Peak District National Park close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Shepley grades C+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Shepley, 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.
Shepley is 30th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,400 to 2,600 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, Shepley stands out most for path per km²: only 10 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 37 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rawnsley Staffordshire | A+ | 17.7 | 100% | 3.7 | 36% |
| 2 | Shalford Surrey | A+ | 14.9 | 89% | 4.8 | 47% |
| 3 | Silloth Cumbria | A+ | 7.3 | 100% | 1.4 | 17% |
| 4 | Eton Berkshire | A | 22.9 | 100% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 5 | Lyndhurst Hampshire | A | 3.6 | 73% | 4.3 | 100% |
| 6 | Binley Woods Warwickshire | A | 5.5 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 7 | Rowhedge Essex | A | 1.6 | 100% | 6.4 | 0% |
| 8 | Chopwell Tyne and Wear | A | 7.5 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 9 | Longford Gloucestershire | A | 11.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Drybrook Gloucestershire | A− | 3.9 | 83% | 3.4 | 10% |
| 11 | South Anston South Yorkshire | A− | 3.5 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 12 | Stewartby Bedfordshire | A− | 21 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 13 | Saundersfoot Dyfed | A− | 10.2 | 69% | 0.9 | 19% |
| 14 | Thornley County Durham | B+ | 3.2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 15 | Witton Gilbert County Durham | B+ | 2.1 | 100% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 16 | Craven Arms Shropshire | B | 1.3 | 87% | 2.9 | 59% |
| 17 | Barlestone Leicestershire | B | 3 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 18 | Farndon Nottinghamshire | B | 3.8 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 19 | Oakley Bedfordshire | B | 3.2 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 20 | Alresford Essex | B− | 1.3 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 21 | Pannal North Yorkshire | B− | 3.7 | 77% | 3 | 0% |
| 22 | Coundon and Leeholme County Durham | B− | 4.4 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 23 | Brewood Staffordshire | B− | 3 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 24 | Kelvedon Hatch Essex | B− | 7.3 | 77% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 25 | Ash Green Warwickshire | B− | 3.4 | 67% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 26 | Timsbury Somerset | B− | 2.7 | 68% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 27 | Bishop's Itchington Warwickshire | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 28 | Llanrwst Clwyd | C+ | 2.2 | 75% | 1.6 | 45% |
| 29 | Crossways Dorset | C+ | 0.5 | 100% | 1.8 | 22% |
| 30 | Shepley West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.6 | 87% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 31 | Widdrington Station Northumberland | C+ | 1 | 88% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Caton Lancashire | C+ | 1.2 | 72% | 2.2 | 67% |
| 33 | Steeple Claydon Buckinghamshire | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 34 | Whittington Staffordshire | C | 7.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 35 | Stratton Gloucestershire | C | 0.7 | 46% | 3.3 | 70% |
| 36 | Great Houghton South Yorkshire | C | 1.8 | 100% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 37 | Tycroes Dyfed | C | 3.5 | 80% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Llandybie Dyfed | C | 2.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 13% |
| 39 | Laleham Surrey | C | 9.8 | 34% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Ash (Dover) Kent | C | 2.3 | 72% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Willaston (Cheshire West and Chester) Cheshire | C− | 4.2 | 60% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 42 | Upper Heyford Oxfordshire | C− | 1.1 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 43 | Hatton Derbyshire | C− | 3.3 | 61% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 44 | Loggerheads Staffordshire | C− | 1.2 | 86% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 45 | Cwm Gwent | C− | 2 | 12% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 46 | Cliffe Kent | C− | 1.1 | 55% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 47 | Probus Cornwall | C− | 0.6 | 75% | 1.5 | 15% |
| 48 | Maulden Bedfordshire | D | 0.9 | 55% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 49 | East Harling Norfolk | D | 1.7 | 85% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 50 | Lampeter Dyfed | D | 1.5 | 88% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Long Crendon Buckinghamshire | D | 1.4 | 86% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Mawsley Village Northamptonshire | D | 1.5 | 71% | 2 | 0% |
| 53 | Fordham Cambridgeshire | D | 2.3 | 35% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 54 | Broughton Lancashire | D | 1.7 | 45% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 55 | Long Itchington Warwickshire | D | 2.1 | 45% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Clophill Bedfordshire | D | 0.7 | 41% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 57 | Silverstone Northamptonshire | D | 1.1 | 0% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 58 | Nafferton East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.3 | 56% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Holme upon Spalding Moor East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.5 | 41% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Rhos West Glamorgan | D− | 1 | 58% | 0.8 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Shepley’s built-up area.
How close Shepley’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).
About 300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 10 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 252 residents.
The Peak District National Park is 3.6 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.
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Shepley scores 0% on it even though the Peak District National Park is 3.6 mi away. Peak District National Park covers 1,438 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
5 waymarked walks pass through or near Shepley
32 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Shepley and the kilometre around it, 3.5 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
2 regional routes pass through, including the Kirklees Way and Dearne Way.
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 Shepley: 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 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 92 | 102 | 85 | 76 | 76 | 91 | 85 | 85 | 88 | 103 | 122 | 130 |
May is the driest month (76 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 130 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 42 nights a year. The climate in Shepley →
2 viewpoints, 10 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
Shepley is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
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 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Waterfalls 5
Plus 5 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 10
Plus 9 playgrounds without a name on the map.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shepley | C+ | 1.6 | 87% | 0% |
| Shelley 1.0 mi | C− | 1.2 | 81% | 0% |
| Kirkburton 2.1 mi | C | 1.4 | 86% | 0% |
| Denby Dale 2.4 mi | B− | 0.7 | 100% | 0% |
| Scholes (near Hade Edge) 2.6 mi | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 16% |
| Skelmanthorpe 2.6 mi | C | 1.0 | 88% | 0% |
| Honley 2.7 mi | A− | 2.1 | 87% | 8% |
Scholes (near Hade Edge), 2.6 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Scholes (near Hade Edge) has at least twice Shepley’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Shepley
Is Shepley near a National Park?
Yes. Peak District National Park begins 3.6 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 Shepley?
5 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Kirklees Way, Holme Valley Circular Walk and Dearne Way.
What is the nearest beach to Shepley?
Stone Beach, 24 mi from the edge of the town, then Car Park Beach (25 mi). Shepley itself is inland.
How many people in Shepley 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 Shepley?
June to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Shepley good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.5 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 71% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 32% (1.6 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 Shepley’s overall grade.
Where Shepley’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.