Photo: David Martin · CC BY-SA 2.0Parks and walks in Cricklade
The Cotswolds National Landscape begins 5.9 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Cricklade add up to 0.3 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 9% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Cricklade grades D for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Cricklade?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Cricklade’s strongest suit is the Cotswolds National Landscape close by, followed by the Thames Path. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Cricklade grades D for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Cricklade, 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.
How Cricklade compares with UK towns of 3,900 to 4,200
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,900 to 4,200 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, Cricklade stands out most for path per km²: only 24 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 57 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hextable Kent | A+ | 6.7 | 100% | 5.1 | 9% |
| 2 | Darley Dale Derbyshire | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 3.4 | 51% |
| 3 | Southbourne West Sussex | A | 1.3 | 92% | 3.3 | 64% |
| 4 | Pitstone Buckinghamshire | A | 1.6 | 100% | 4.2 | 40% |
| 5 | Cranbrook Kent | A | 5.8 | 82% | 2.9 | 65% |
| 6 | Tenby Dyfed | A | 2.1 | 88% | 2.5 | 21% |
| 7 | Chickerell Dorset | A | 1.5 | 88% | 3 | 27% |
| 8 | Bisley Surrey | A | 8 | 92% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 9 | Milton Cambridgeshire | A | 10.4 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 10 | Holt Norfolk | A | 8.5 | 84% | 2.4 | 40% |
| 11 | Old Sarum Wiltshire | A | 4.6 | 100% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 12 | Bowerhill Wiltshire | A− | 7.4 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 13 | Prestbury Gloucestershire | A− | 1.6 | 80% | 5.3 | 51% |
| 14 | Bearwood Dorset | B+ | 2.5 | 100% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 15 | Carbis Bay Cornwall | B+ | 0.5 | 88% | 2.8 | 20% |
| 16 | Cheddleton Staffordshire | B+ | 3.5 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 17 | Chirk Clwyd | B+ | 1.8 | 100% | 2.3 | 15% |
| 18 | Queenborough Kent | B | 1.6 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 19 | Tangmere West Sussex | B | 2.1 | 100% | 1.2 | 36% |
| 20 | Stoke Poges Buckinghamshire | B | 7.7 | 76% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 21 | Pirbright Surrey | B | 2 | 84% | 5.7 | 0% |
| 22 | Grange-over-Sands Cumbria | B | 1.5 | 46% | 2.6 | 40% |
| 23 | Calverley West Yorkshire | B | 1.5 | 92% | 6 | 0% |
| 24 | Saltford Somerset | B | 1.6 | 75% | 3.6 | 24% |
| 25 | Little Paxton Cambridgeshire | B− | 2.8 | 87% | 3 | 0% |
| 26 | Tumble Dyfed | B− | 19.5 | 93% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 27 | Stoney Stanton Leicestershire | B− | 2.5 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 28 | Martock Somerset | B− | 2.9 | 85% | 3 | 0% |
| 29 | South Cerney Gloucestershire | B− | 2.5 | 77% | 2.4 | 7% |
| 30 | Lower Stondon Bedfordshire | B− | 2.7 | 73% | 2.2 | 5% |
| 31 | Ystradgynlais Powys | C+ | 2.5 | 78% | 1.2 | 36% |
| 32 | Send Surrey | C+ | 2.6 | 28% | 3.3 | 5% |
| 33 | Chipping Ongar Essex | C+ | 2.5 | 83% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Heacham Norfolk | C+ | 1.5 | 53% | 1.1 | 29% |
| 35 | Holmfield West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.8 | 74% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 36 | Shirland and Stonebroom Derbyshire | C | 3.7 | 43% | 3 | 0% |
| 37 | Kirkburton West Yorkshire | C | 1.4 | 86% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 38 | South Darenth and Sutton at Hone Kent | C | 1.8 | 43% | 2.7 | 10% |
| 39 | Silver End Essex | C | 2 | 88% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Brayton North Yorkshire | C | 0.8 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Langley Park County Durham | C | 0.8 | 84% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Tenbury Wells Worcestershire | C | 2.3 | 51% | 2.1 | 3% |
| 43 | Deanshanger Northamptonshire | C | 1.5 | 93% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 44 | Oaklands Hertfordshire | C | 2 | 7% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 45 | Wynyard County Durham | C | 10.7 | 64% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 46 | Beck Row Suffolk | C | 5.3 | 76% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 47 | Great Glen Leicestershire | C | 1.4 | 91% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 48 | Whiston South Yorkshire | C− | 1 | 75% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 49 | Brookmans Park Hertfordshire | C− | 2.5 | 43% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 50 | Swanland East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 1.1 | 75% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 51 | Glyn-neath West Glamorgan | D | 1.3 | 57% | 1.1 | 22% |
| 52 | Crowle Lincolnshire | D | 1.3 | 91% | 1 | 0% |
| 53 | Doddinghurst Essex | D | 1.6 | 60% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 54 | Middleton Cheney Northamptonshire | D | 0.9 | 70% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Sutton Bridge Lincolnshire | D | 1.3 | 79% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 56 | North Ferriby East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 0.6 | 33% | 1 | 0% |
| 57 | Gnosall Staffordshire | D | 1.2 | 42% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Cricklade Wiltshire | D | 0.3 | 9% | 3 | 0% |
| 59 | Willingham Cambridgeshire | D | 1.4 | 73% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Little Eriswell Suffolk | D− | 0.1 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Cricklade’s built-up area.
1 in 10 Cricklade 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 3,700 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 5 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 806 residents.
The Cotswolds National Landscape is 5.9 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 Cricklade scores 0% on it even though the Cotswolds National Landscape is 5.9 mi away.
Cricklade is on the Thames Path
29 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Cricklade and the kilometre around it, 3.0 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 Thames Path, a national route, passes Cricklade. 2 regional routes pass through, including the The Roman Way and Thames & Severn 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 Cricklade: 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) | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 72 | 51 | 48 | 50 | 58 | 53 | 57 | 63 | 53 | 74 | 77 | 77 |
March is the driest month (48 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 77 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 44 nights a year. The climate in Cricklade →
5 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
Cricklade 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.
Up high. Common Hill, at 115 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Cricklade.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Hills and peaks 2
Nature reserves 1
Playgrounds 5
Plus 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cricklade | D | 0.3 | 9% | 0% |
| Ashton Keynes 3.2 mi | C+ | 1.7 | 100% | 0% |
| Broad Blunsdon 3.5 mi | A− | 5.2 | 93% | 0% |
| South Cerney 3.6 mi | B− | 2.5 | 77% | 7% |
| Purton 3.8 mi | C− | 0.8 | 60% | 0% |
| Swindon 5.6 mi | A+ | 3.1 | 96% | 21% |
| Fairford 5.7 mi | A− | 3.4 | 100% | 17% |
Swindon, 5.6 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 96% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Ashton Keynes, Broad Blunsdon and South Cerney have at least twice Cricklade’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Cricklade
Is Cricklade near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Cotswolds National Landscape, 5.9 mi north of the town’s edge. It covers 2,041 km² and was designated in 1966.
What are the best walks near Cricklade?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Thames Path, The Roman Way and The Latton Loop.
What is the nearest beach to Cricklade?
The Leys Park, 18 mi from the edge of the town. Cricklade itself is inland.
How many people in Cricklade live near a park?
9% 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 Cricklade?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Cricklade good for walking?
About average for paths: 3.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 58% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 2% (0.3 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 Cricklade’s overall grade.
Where Cricklade’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.