Parks and green public spaces are an essential part of any city or town, for both inhabitants and visitors alike. A place to get some all important fresh air, a bit of exercise, and soak up the beauty of being outdoors. With this in mind, a recent study by Holidu, the search engine for holiday rentals, has identified the British cities and towns with the largest area of parks per person. Looking at how some of the main UK cities rank, here are the top 5.
1. Milton Keynes, England
The large town of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, about 50 miles north-west of London, takes first place with an average of 15.42m² of parks per ten inhabitants. The town’s most popular park, Willen Lake, attracts more than 750,000 visitors annually and features two lakes surrounded by 180 acres of lush landscaped parkland. Campbell Park, another of Milton Keynes’ green spaces, has picnic areas, water features, woodland and a cricket pitch.
2. Warrington, England
The north western English town of Warrington, nearby Liverpool and Manchester, places second with 6.36m² of parks per ten inhabitants. Sankey Valley Park covers over 1.5 miles and is ideal for walking and cycling, whilst Birchwood Forest Park offers 500 acres of green space. The town is also not far from wilder outdoor areas such as the Peak District and Lake District National Parks.
3. Peterborough, England
The Cambridgeshire cathedral city of Peterborough has 6.30m² of parks per ten inhabitants, placing it third in the rankings. The city offers Nene Park, a country park opened in 1978 stretching 3.5 miles long and one of the largest country parks in the region. It features the beautiful Gunwade Lake with plenty of paths to explore.
4. Northampton, England
East Midlands town of Northampton comes in fourth place, scoring 5.51m² of green areas per ten inhabitants. Beckets Park, located close to the city centre, is a lovely green area with paths along the River Nene, a tennis court and a skate park. Upton Country Park is also a great location for a bit of exercise and fresh air.
5. Stoke-on-Trent, England
The city of Stoke-on-Trent in central England takes fifth place with an average of 5.44m² of parks per ten inhabitants. Hanley Park is a beautiful Victorian park, with colourful flower beds and grassy lawns surrounding the elegant bandstand, and a cafe for refreshments. You can also enjoy spotting some wild animals here if you pay attention.
