Taking the crown: Milton Keynes: 15.42m² of parks per ten inhabitants. Warrington (6.36m²/ 10 inhab) and Peterborough (6.30m²/ 10 inhab) complete the podium. London scores a poor 1.94m²/ 10 inhab, finishing in 42nd place.
Summer may be drawing to an end as September is right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean that it’s time to head indoors! Where better to enjoy the fresh air and escape from the hustle and bustle of city life than in a local park?
Holidu, the search engine for holiday rentals, has carried out a study to identify the cities with the largest area of parks per person. We used the Open Street Maps database to obtain the surface area of each park in the UK’s main towns and cities. If you love to relax in the shade of the trees, have a cool drink with your friends sitting on the lawn, or read a good book under the sun, you've got miles of parks in these cities.
1. Milton Keynes, England
Milton Keynes, with an average of 15.42m² of parks per ten inhabitants, is officially crowned the greenest city (well, town) in Britain! Willen Lake is Milton Keynes' most popular park and even attracts more than 750,000 visitors annually. The two lakes are surrounded by 180 acres of lush landscaped parkland. There are plenty of activities to do here, both on and around the water! Another must-visit green space in the city is Campbell Park, where you will find picnic areas, water features, woodland and a cricket pitch.
2. Warrington, England
Warrington places second with 6.36m² of parks per ten inhabitants. This north western English town has plenty to see and do and its close proximity to big cities like Liverpool and Manchester and outdoor areas like the Peak District and the Lake District make it an ideal location. Sankey Valley Park covers over 1½ miles and is the perfect place to go a walk with your dog or hop on your bike and cycle. Birchwood Forest Park, another favourite in the area, covers a
whopping area size of 500 acres.
3. Peterborough, England
Completing the podium is the Cambridgeshire cathedral city of Peterborough, with 6.30m² of parks per ten inhabitants. Here you will find Nene Park, a country park which opened in 1978 and stretches to three and a half miles long. This is the perfect location for a family day out as it is one of the largest country parks in the region and you can choose from many activities such as walking, cycling or even sailing on the Gunwade Lake.
4. Northampton, England
Next up is Northampton, a town located in the East Midlands, scoring 5.51 m² of green areas per ten inhabitants. Beckets Park is located close to the city centre and is the perfect place to go for walks along the River Nene. If you fancy something more sporty, there is even a tennis court and a skate park located inside the park. Upton Country Park is another popular green area, especially with dog walkers and runners.
5. Stoke-on-Trent, England
Stoke-on-Trent, with an average of 5.44m² of parks per ten inhabitants, comes in at number five. The city's beautiful parks and gardens are ideal for going out to bask in the sun and take a nap in the freshly mown grass. Hanley Park is a stunning Victorian park which boasts beautiful flower beds, many wild animals and a cafe where you can grab some refreshments. The city is also in close proximity to the wonderful Staffordshire countryside, home to a National Park.
6. Coventry, England
Coventry, with an average of 4.88m² per every ten inhabitants, is a small and cute cathedral city that sets a high standard for park lovers, with a wide and varied offer. Most impressive is The War Memorial Park, which is a large park of about 48.5 hectares in the south of the city. The park will be 100 years old in 2021 and was opened as a tribute to the 2,587 Coventrians who died between 1914 and 1918 fighting in the First World War.
7. Leeds, England
Traditionally an industrial city, Leeds might not be an obvious entry into this ranking. But Leeds boasts 4.49m² of parks for ten inhabitants, which is impressive considering this is by far the most populated city in the ranking. So, whether you fancy a walk around a nature reserve, a picnic in the park or a visit to one of the city’s impressive landscaped gardens, you won’t be disappointed. Head to Roundhay Park, which is home to 700 acres of parkland, lakes,
woodland and gardens actually holds the title of being one of the biggest city parks in Europe!
8. Wolverhampton, England
In eighth place we have Wolverhampton, with 3.95m² of parks for every ten inhabitants. This Staffordshire city is home to the Victorian-era West Park, which has been open to the public since 1881. Expect to find amazing wildlife here, such as swans and ducks swimming on the lake. In the summer months you can rent a rowing boat and admire the park from the water.
9. Exeter, England
Exeter is closely behind Wolverhampton, with 3.93m² of parks for ten inhabitants. A favourite here is Belmont Park is a public park which has a children's play area, and also Riverside Valley Park which is made up of a long stretch of waterfront green space with paths for walking, running & cycling.
10. Dundee, Scotland
Heading up to our only city in Scotland now to round up the ranking we have Dundee, with 3.76m² of parks for ten inhabitants. Dundee is a small coastal city, but still has plenty of green spaces to offer. Baxter Park and Magdalen Green are two favourites which are easily accessible by foot from the city centre.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
