Ambleside’s biggest
Rothay Park
Park or garden
5.8 ha (14 acres)1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
8 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Ambleside
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Lewis Clarke · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Ambleside · parks, paths & countryside
Ambleside is inside the Lake District National Park
Parks and playing fields in Ambleside add up to 6.9 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 52 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.6 for every square kilometre. Ambleside grades A+ for the outdoors: #2 of 23 in Cumbria. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
6.9 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
92%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
52 km
4.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
100%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Lake District National Park
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Ambleside?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Inside the Lake District National ParkAmbleside sits inside it: 2,362 km² of protected landscape.Room to roam6.9 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 92% of UK towns.A town of footpaths4.6 km of path per km², more than 89% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.
Ambleside’s strongest suit is a protected landscape all round, followed by plenty of park space.
Outdoors grade
Ambleside grades A+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Ambleside, 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 almost every UK town#2 of 23 in Cumbria · 2nd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space6.9 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
92out of
100
100
A park within a walk92%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
70out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape100%of the land within 5 km
100out of
100
100
Footpaths4.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
90out 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
Ambleside is 2nd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,500 to 2,700 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
Ambleside4.6
Towns its size2.3
Cumbria towns2.1
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Ambleside6.9
Towns its size2.4
Cumbria towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Ambleside92%
Towns its size83%
Cumbria towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Ambleside stands out most for park space per resident: only 4 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petworth West Sussex | A+ | 29.6 | 100% | 4.1 | 93% |
| 2 | Ambleside Cumbria | A+ | 6.9 | 92% | 4.6 | 100% |
| 3 | Tywardreath Cornwall | A+ | 4.6 | 100% | 2.5 | 26% |
| 4 | Downley Buckinghamshire | A+ | 9.5 | 76% | 7.6 | 71% |
| 5 | Hopton on Sea Norfolk | A+ | 6.7 | 100% | 1.6 | 2% |
| 6 | Yorkley and Whitecroft Gloucestershire | A | 3.3 | 74% | 6.4 | 1% |
| 7 | Hellingly East Sussex | A | 6.9 | 90% | 3.7 | 11% |
| 8 | Dolgellau Gwynedd | A | 3.6 | 100% | 1.9 | 100% |
| 9 | Binley Woods Warwickshire | A | 5.5 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Hawley Hampshire | A | 6.9 | 92% | 5.8 | 0% |
| 11 | Maple Cross Hertfordshire | A | 3.1 | 100% | 2.9 | 14% |
| 12 | Darenth Kent | A− | 1.8 | 100% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 13 | Drybrook Gloucestershire | A− | 3.9 | 83% | 3.4 | 10% |
| 14 | Avonmouth Bristol | B+ | 2.5 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 15 | Langold Nottinghamshire | B+ | 13 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 16 | Porthmadog Gwynedd | B+ | 0.9 | 94% | 2 | 41% |
| 17 | Blofield Norfolk | B+ | 2.9 | 100% | 1.5 | 17% |
| 18 | Dipton County Durham | B | 3.2 | 87% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 19 | Craven Arms Shropshire | B | 1.3 | 87% | 2.9 | 59% |
| 20 | Prestbury Cheshire | B | 5.6 | 42% | 3.2 | 6% |
| 21 | Barlestone Leicestershire | B | 3 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 22 | Builth Wells Powys | B | 4.9 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 23 | Brynamman Dyfed | B | 1.7 | 100% | 1 | 51% |
| 24 | Mancetter and Witherley Warwickshire | B− | 3.1 | 88% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 25 | Cliffe Woods Kent | B− | 1.7 | 62% | 2.5 | 1% |
| 26 | Halton Lancashire | B− | 0.9 | 100% | 1.7 | 35% |
| 27 | Seer Green Buckinghamshire | B− | 1.7 | 38% | 3.8 | 35% |
| 28 | Grimsargh Lancashire | B− | 2.6 | 67% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 29 | Ash Green Warwickshire | B− | 3.4 | 67% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 30 | Godstone Surrey | C+ | 1.7 | 52% | 3.7 | 18% |
| 31 | Ashington West Sussex | C+ | 1.3 | 86% | 2.3 | 21% |
| 32 | Hurworth-on-Tees County Durham | C+ | 4.5 | 93% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 33 | Endon Staffordshire | C+ | 3 | 89% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Little Dunmow Essex | C+ | 1.1 | 89% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 35 | Dunchurch Warwickshire | C+ | 7.8 | 68% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 36 | Heage Derbyshire | C | 1.9 | 78% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 37 | Watlington Norfolk | C | 2.3 | 100% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 38 | South Brent Devon | C | 1.5 | 79% | 0.8 | 64% |
| 39 | Smallfield Surrey | C | 1.6 | 70% | 2.4 | 1% |
| 40 | Llandybie Dyfed | C | 2.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 13% |
| 41 | Marham Norfolk | C | 3.5 | 85% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 42 | Wittering Cambridgeshire | C− | 3.1 | 83% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 43 | South Wonston Hampshire | C− | 1.6 | 42% | 2.6 | 7% |
| 44 | Higham Kent | C− | 0.5 | 0% | 1.8 | 18% |
| 45 | Codicote Hertfordshire | C− | 0.4 | 90% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 46 | Newick East Sussex | C− | 1.7 | 35% | 2.1 | 16% |
| 47 | Hardwick Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.5 | 82% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 48 | Hatton Derbyshire | C− | 3.3 | 61% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 49 | Costessey Norfolk | C− | 1.8 | 12% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 50 | West Clyst Devon | C− | 0.6 | 59% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Probus Cornwall | C− | 0.6 | 75% | 1.5 | 15% |
| 52 | Saughall Cheshire | D | 2.5 | 27% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 53 | Christleton and Waverton Cheshire | D | 2.4 | 55% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 54 | Tonna West Glamorgan | D | 2.1 | 36% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 55 | Keele Staffordshire | D | 1.1 | 0% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Fordham Cambridgeshire | D | 2.3 | 35% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Watton at Stone Hertfordshire | D | 0.8 | 61% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Swineshead Lincolnshire | D− | 1.2 | 73% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Manea Cambridgeshire | D− | 1.3 | 63% | 1 | 0% |
| 60 | Cranwell Lincolnshire | D− | 0.5 | 57% | 1.1 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Ambleside’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 Ambleside
The biggest is Rothay Park, 5.8 ha (14 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 4 named parks by size: 14 ha (36 acres) and 3 km of path
Parks & gardens 13 haPlaying fields 1.8 ha
The two biggest, Rothay Park and Stock Ghyll Park, are 74% of the named green space and carry 2 km of path between them.
Stock Ghyll Park
Park or garden
4.9 ha (12 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Ambleside
Waterfall
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Borrans Park
Park or garden
1.9 ha (5 acres)0.6 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Ambleside Cricket Ground
Playing field · 230 m outside town
1.8 ha (4 acres)
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
9 in 10 Ambleside 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 (92%)Further (9%)
Ambleside92%
Towns its size83%
Cumbria towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 200 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 8 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 328 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Ambleside
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 Park
Lake District
Ambleside is inside it2,362 km²since 1951100% of the land within 5 km
Official site100% of the land within 5 km of Ambleside is National Park or National Landscape, more than 99% of UK towns. Lake District National Park covers 2,362 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
13 waymarked walks pass through or near Ambleside
52 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Ambleside and the kilometre around it, 4.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Local
Ambleside to Troutbeck Walk, Windermere7.0 km
Explore from Waterhead Walk, Windermere3.7 km
Wansfell from Troutbeck Walk, Windermere3.4 km
Ambleside Champion Tree Trail, Windermere1.4 km
Watbarrow Wood Waymarked Walk, Wray Castle1.1 km
Wray to Blelham Tarn Circular Walk, Wray Castle1.1 km
Windermere West Shore Walk, Claife Viewing Station0.9 km
Calf Parrock Waymarked Walk, Wray Castle0.7 km
Epley Head Waymarked Walk, Wray Castle0.6 km
Miles without Stiles: Wray Castle to Loanthwaite0.6 km
Ash Landing and Claife Heights Windermere Walk, Claife Viewing Station0.4 km
Wray Specimen Tree Trail, Wray Castle0.4 km
The Wray Castle to Latterbarrow Walk, Wray Castle0.4 km
Close to home, the Ambleside to Troutbeck Walk, Windermere has 7 km of local walk within 2 km of the town.
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 Ambleside: 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) | 7.8 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 14.0 | 16.0 | 17.2 | 16.7 | 14.9 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.3 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 243 | 211 | 179 | 112 | 113 | 118 | 140 | 161 | 167 | 231 | 248 | 285 |
April is the driest month (112 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 285 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 46 nights a year. The climate in Ambleside →
Things to do
8 viewpoints, 8 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.
8Viewpoints5Hills and peaks4Waterfalls2Picnic sites8Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size4Campsites5Slipways
The nearest beaches
Ambleside is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Beach18 mi from Ambleside’s edge
DirectionsDouble Mills Beach22 mi from Ambleside’s edge
DirectionsMallows Bay24 mi from Ambleside’s edge
DirectionsNorth Beach26 mi from Ambleside’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. Todd Crag, at 224 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Ambleside.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 5
Todd Crag224 m (733 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsLanty Scar230 m (755 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsWansfell Pike484 m (1,589 ft) · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsFox How246 m (807 ft) · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 4
Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall0.1 mi from town
DirectionsHigh Fall1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 8
Plus 8 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 4
Rydal Hall Campsite0.8 mi from town
DirectionsLow Wray campsite0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 5
Plus 5 slipways 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.
WindermereBowness-on-WindermereStaveleyKendalAmbleside
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambleside | A+ | 6.9 | 92% | 100% |
| Windermere 4.5 mi | A+ | 3.0 | 94% | 100% |
| Bowness-on-Windermere 5.0 mi | B | 1.7 | 76% | 100% |
| Staveley 7.0 mi | B | 1.7 | 85% | 89% |
| Kendal 11.5 mi | C+ | 0.9 | 67% | 33% |
Ambleside grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table.
Questions about the outdoors in Ambleside
What is the biggest park in Ambleside?
Rothay Park, 5.8 ha (14 acres), with 1.4 km of path. Stock Ghyll Park (4.9 ha) is second. 4 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
What are the best walks near Ambleside?
13 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Ambleside to Troutbeck Walk, Windermere, Explore from Waterhead Walk, Windermere and Wansfell from Troutbeck Walk, Windermere.
What is the nearest beach to Ambleside?
The Beach, 18 mi from the edge of the town, then Double Mills Beach (22 mi). Ambleside itself is inland.
How many people in Ambleside live near a park?
92% 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 Ambleside?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Ambleside good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.6 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 90% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 92% (6.9 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 Ambleside’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Ambleside’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.