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Which is Britain's biggest public park – and which is the smallest?

Moel Famau Country Park is the UK's seventh largest - This content is subject to copyright.
Moel Famau Country Park is the UK's seventh largest - This content is subject to copyright.

Added together, the size of the UK’s largest 100 public parks creates a space far bigger than the size of the Isle of Wight. The nearly 400 square kilometres of designated green and pleasant land across the UK is equal to nearly 55,700 football pitches.

In a first study of its kind, Ordnance Survey, the national mapping agency, has analysed the sizes of the 100 largest parks (not including National Parks or AONBs) from Cornwall to northern Scotland. So which county boasts the largest?

10 largest parks in the UK
10 largest parks in the UK

Where is the UK's largest park?

Take a bow, Windsor Great Park, by far and away the largest public park in the UK, at 28.53 square kilometres, three times the size of the sixth largest.

Perhaps best known for the three-mile Long Walk that begins at Windsor Castle and ends at the Copper Horse, an enormous statue of George III on horseback, Windsor Great Park is also worth visiting for its 500 free-roaming red deer, Virginia Water, the Valley Gardens and Swinley Forest. It was founded by Henry III in 1240 and has been largely public since (except for a brief period under Cromwell).

Taking the silver medal is Cannock Chase Country Park in Staffordshire, significantly smaller than Windsor Great Park, but still a hefty 19.56 square kilometres.

At a glance | The UK's largest parks
At a glance | The UK's largest parks

A haven for mountain biking - there are a couple of technical cross-country trails in the area - Cannock Chase is also home to a herd of 800 fallow deer and a number of rare and endangered birds. Shugborough Hall, the ancestral pad of the Earls of Lichfield, is on its northern edge; Castle Ring, the remains of an Iron Age hill fort, is to the south. Cannock Chase also boasts the longest perimeter, at 66.5km, the same length of Belgium’s coastline.

Rutland Water, at 16.95 square kilometres, comes in third. A site of special scientific interest and designated as a European Special Protection Area, Rutland Water is said to be home to more than 25,000 waterfowl.

Rutland Water is home to thousands of waterfowl – and Normanton Church - Credit: iStock
Rutland Water is home to thousands of waterfowl – and Normanton Church Credit: iStock

Which is London’s largest park?

The capital boasts seven in the top 100 but just one in the top 10.

Richmond Park, to the south-west, is the sixth largest public park in the UK, 9.53 square kilometres of deer and cyclists. Hainault Forest (26th), Bushy Park (32nd), Hampstead Heath (39th), Wimbledon Common (49th), Hampton Court Park (63rd) and Belhus Woods (77th) complete its lot.

Richmond Park is home to one of the city’s most splendid views - of St Paul’s from King Henry’s Mound.

Richmond Park is London's largest park - Credit: iStock
Richmond Park is London's largest park Credit: iStock

Which county has the biggest parks?

According to the OS analysis, of the top 100, England has 76, Scotland 18 and Wales six.

Cornwall is the county with the most parks - 104 with a total of 98 square kilometres in size combined - and the City of London the least, with just eight, totalling 0.01 square kilometres.

Escape the crowds: 17 of the world's greatest city parks
Escape the crowds: 17 of the world's greatest city parks

Cheshire is the only county with two parks in the top 20 - Lyme Park and Delamere Forest.

The mapping agency conducted the analysis using its Open Greenspace Data to coincide with Love Parks Week, a nationwide celebration of public green spaces.

Delamere Forest is one of Cheshire's entries into the top 20 - Credit: iStock
Delamere Forest is one of Cheshire's entries into the top 20 Credit: iStock

“We are fortunate to live in a country characterised by huge public parks and green spaces to get outside in and enjoy,” said Nick Giles, OS managing director for leisure.

“There is so much on our own doorstep available to us, and a day out at the park is a fantastic British tradition to experience, particularly with the spell of hot weather we are experiencing.”

Where is the country’s smallest park?

That’d be in Hastings, where the Old Town Maritime Garden is just 32.8 square metres.