Dunstable’s biggest
Blow's Downs
Park or garden
43 ha (105 acres)18.7 km of path
4 h 10 minto walk all 18.7 km of path
60 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi eastfrom the centre
Peak Nature reserve
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: David Howard · CC BY-SA 2.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Dunstable · parks, paths & countryside
Dunstable has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 182 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 8.0 for every square kilometre. The Chilterns National Landscape reaches the edge of Dunstable. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 78% of residents. Dunstable grades A− for the outdoors: #5 of 33 in Bedfordshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
78%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
182 km
8.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
29%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Chilterns National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Dunstable?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths8.0 km of path per km², more than 99% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Protected countryside29% of the land within 5 km is Chilterns National Landscape.
Dunstable’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by protected countryside on the doorstep.
Outdoors grade
Dunstable grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Dunstable, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
A−
Better than 81% of UK towns#5 of 33 in Bedfordshire · 11th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
45out of
100
100
A park within a walk78%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
42out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape29%of the land within 5 km
83out of
100
100
Footpaths8.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
100out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland
42out of
100
100
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.
Towns its size
Dunstable is 11th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 31,500 to 37,700 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Outdoors score: the share of UK towns each one beats
Footpath, km per km²
Dunstable8.0
Towns its size3.9
Bedfordshire towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Dunstable2.0
Towns its size2.3
Bedfordshire towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Dunstable78%
Towns its size84%
Bedfordshire towns82%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Dunstable stands out most for path per km²: none of the other 59 has more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 39 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Locks Heath Hampshire | A+ | 3.5 | 91% | 3.7 | 4% |
| 2 | Great Malvern Worcestershire | A+ | 3.9 | 90% | 6 | 38% |
| 3 | Dover Kent | A+ | 3 | 86% | 2.9 | 29% |
| 4 | Hyde Greater Manchester | A | 4.3 | 91% | 3.9 | 1% |
| 5 | Epsom Surrey | A | 5.7 | 80% | 4.8 | 2% |
| 6 | Burgess Hill West Sussex | A | 2.4 | 87% | 5 | 27% |
| 7 | Skelmersdale Lancashire | A | 7.8 | 91% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 8 | Redhill Surrey | A− | 2.2 | 91% | 4.3 | 14% |
| 9 | Rustington West Sussex | A− | 2.1 | 78% | 2.7 | 25% |
| 10 | Chandler's Ford Hampshire | A− | 2.7 | 80% | 5.3 | 6% |
| 11 | Dunstable Bedfordshire | A− | 2 | 78% | 8 | 29% |
| 12 | Caversham Berkshire | A− | 2.5 | 77% | 4.3 | 32% |
| 13 | Sutton in Ashfield Nottinghamshire | A− | 4.3 | 94% | 4 | 0% |
| 14 | Accrington Lancashire | A− | 2.6 | 79% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 15 | Nelson Lancashire | A− | 1.8 | 85% | 5.2 | 15% |
| 16 | St Neots Cambridgeshire | A− | 3.5 | 91% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 17 | Didcot Oxfordshire | A− | 1.6 | 88% | 3.8 | 39% |
| 18 | Exmouth Devon | A− | 1.4 | 82% | 2.6 | 21% |
| 19 | Waterlooville Hampshire | B+ | 1 | 66% | 5.2 | 18% |
| 20 | Chippenham Wiltshire | B+ | 2.8 | 76% | 3.9 | 7% |
| 21 | Fulwood Lancashire | B+ | 3.5 | 87% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 22 | Swadlincote Derbyshire | B+ | 4.1 | 84% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 23 | Chichester West Sussex | B+ | 1.6 | 89% | 3 | 40% |
| 24 | Lichfield Staffordshire | B+ | 2.7 | 82% | 3.1 | 2% |
| 25 | Brierley Hill West Midlands | B+ | 3.1 | 82% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 26 | Pudsey West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.9 | 94% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 27 | Hucknall Nottinghamshire | B+ | 3 | 87% | 4 | 0% |
| 28 | Aberdare Mid Glamorgan | B+ | 4.6 | 84% | 1.8 | 19% |
| 29 | Hitchin Hertfordshire | B+ | 1.5 | 83% | 4.4 | 10% |
| 30 | West Bridgford Nottinghamshire | B+ | 2.2 | 86% | 7.7 | 0% |
| 31 | Windsor Berkshire | B | 5.5 | 83% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 32 | Brighouse West Yorkshire | B | 2.5 | 91% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 33 | Wigston Leicestershire | B | 2.9 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 34 | Billingham County Durham | B | 4.7 | 86% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 35 | Whitley Bay Tyne and Wear | B | 1.9 | 82% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 36 | Warwick Warwickshire | B | 3 | 85% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 37 | Denton Greater Manchester | B | 2.4 | 88% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 38 | Letchworth Hertfordshire | B | 2.2 | 85% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 39 | Loughton Essex | B | 2.9 | 74% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 40 | Abingdon-on-Thames Oxfordshire | B | 2.1 | 91% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 41 | Caerphilly Gwent | B | 2.6 | 82% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Chadderton Greater Manchester | B | 1.9 | 87% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 43 | Morecambe Lancashire | B− | 0.8 | 84% | 2.2 | 2% |
| 44 | Redcar North Yorkshire | B− | 2.6 | 79% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 45 | Tonbridge Kent | B− | 2.1 | 65% | 2.6 | 38% |
| 46 | Whitstable Kent | B− | 1.5 | 84% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 47 | Camberley Surrey | C+ | 2 | 73% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 48 | Billericay Essex | C+ | 4.1 | 70% | 3 | 0% |
| 49 | Winsford Cheshire | C+ | 1.3 | 92% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 50 | Pontefract West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.6 | 84% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 51 | New Haw, West Byfleet and Sheerwater Surrey | C+ | 2.2 | 69% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 52 | Morley West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.2 | 87% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 53 | Horndean Hampshire | C+ | 0.9 | 57% | 3.3 | 53% |
| 54 | Rayleigh Essex | C | 2 | 71% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Sedgley West Midlands | C | 1.5 | 65% | 4 | 0% |
| 56 | Bridlington East Riding of Yorkshire | C | 0.8 | 80% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 57 | Bilston West Midlands | C− | 1.5 | 76% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 58 | Rushden Northamptonshire | C− | 1.5 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 59 | Bromsgrove Worcestershire | C− | 1.4 | 75% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 60 | Pontypridd Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.5 | 70% | 1.9 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Dunstable’s built-up area.
Green space: parks, gardens, playing fields and play spaces, named or not.© OpenStreetMap contributors · Contains OS data © Crown copyright · Natural England / NRW
Places to walk
Parks to walk in, in and around Dunstable
The biggest is Blow's Downs, 43 ha (105 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 5 named parks by size: 103 ha (254 acres) and 31 km of path
Parks & gardens 100 haPlaying fields 3.3 ha
The two biggest, Blow's Downs and Dunstable Downs, are 94% of the named green space and carry 30 km of path between them.
Dunstable Downs
Park or garden
54 ha (133 acres)11.3 km of path
2 h 30 minto walk all 11.3 km of path
75 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Grove House Gardens
Park or garden
2.7 ha (7 acres)0.5 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Dunstable
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Bennett Memorial Recreation Ground
Playing field
3.3 ha (8 acres)0.3 km of path
5 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Dunstable
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Priory Gardens
Park or garden
0.7 ha (2 acres)0.4 km of path
Centralin the middle of Dunstable
Priory Gateway and attached walls Grade I Priory House Grade II*
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
8 in 10 Dunstable 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).
Within 400 m (78%)Further (22%)
Dunstable78%
Towns its size84%
Bedfordshire towns82%
All UK towns83%
About 8,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 35 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 986 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Dunstable
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.
National ParkNational LandscapeThe 5 km the grade counts
National Landscape
Chilterns
At the edge south-west838 km²since 199029% of the land within 5 km
Official site29% of the land within 5 km of Dunstable is National Park or National Landscape, more than 82% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
11 waymarked walks pass through or near Dunstable
182 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Dunstable and the kilometre around it, 8.0 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Icknield Way Path9.6 km
Dunstable Downs Countryside Walk, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate9.4 km
The Chiltern Way9.1 km
Whipsnade and Dunstable Downs Walk, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate4.3 km
Stone Age Walk, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate4.1 km
Former Chiltern Way3.3 km
Ver Valley Walk 12.9 km
Dunstable Downs Five Knolls Wildlife and Heritage All Access Route, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate2.8 km
Wildlife Walk, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate2.4 km
Tree Cathedral Walk, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate2.0 km
River Ver Trail1.7 km
Close to home, the Dunstable Downs Countryside Walk, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate has 9 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 3 regional routes pass through, including the Icknield Way Path, The Chiltern Way and River Ver Trail.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
When to get out
The best walking months in Dunstable: 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 | 16.7 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 63 | 45 | 40 | 49 | 52 | 52 | 49 | 60 | 54 | 71 | 68 | 60 |
March is the driest month (40 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 71 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 46 nights a year. The climate in Dunstable →
Things to do
35 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.
2Hills and peaks1Nature reserves3Picnic sites3× towns its size35Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size
The nearest beaches
Dunstable is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Beach8.5 mi from Dunstable’s edge
DirectionsDock Beach33 mi from Dunstable’s edge
DirectionsGood to know
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. Blow's Down, at 212 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Dunstable.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 2
Blow's Down212 m (696 ft) · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsDunstable Downs243 m (797 ft) · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Blow's Downs59 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 35
Bennett's Adventure Playin town
DirectionsDen Building1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 33 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Next door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
Houghton RegisTotternhoeKensworthEaton Bray and EdlesboroughCaddingtonLutonDunstable
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunstable | A− | 2.0 | 78% | 29% |
| Houghton Regis 1.7 mi | A | 3.5 | 81% | 20% |
| Totternhoe 1.7 mi | A+ | 9.6 | 100% | 26% |
| Kensworth 2.5 mi | B | 1.8 | 79% | 59% |
| Eaton Bray and Edlesborough 2.6 mi | C+ | 2.6 | 72% | 29% |
| Caddington 3.1 mi | B | 1.3 | 81% | 33% |
| Luton 4.0 mi | A− | 1.9 | 78% | 26% |
Totternhoe, 1.7 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Totternhoe has at least twice Dunstable’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Dunstable
What is the biggest park in Dunstable?
Blow's Downs, 43 ha (105 acres), with 18.7 km of path. Dunstable Downs (54 ha) is second. 5 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Dunstable near a National Park?
It covers 838 km² and was designated in 1990.
What are the best walks near Dunstable?
11 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Icknield Way Path, Dunstable Downs Countryside Walk, Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate and The Chiltern Way. Blow's Downs alone has 18.7 km of path.
What is the nearest beach to Dunstable?
The Beach, 8.5 mi from the edge of the town, then Dock Beach (33 mi). Dunstable itself is inland.
How many people in Dunstable live near a park?
78% 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 Dunstable?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Dunstable good for walking?
For paths, yes: 8.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 100% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 45% (2.0 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 Dunstable’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Dunstable’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.