Windermere’s biggest
Queen's Park
Playing field
4.6 ha (11 acres)0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Windermere
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Graham Robson · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Windermere · parks, paths & countryside
Windermere is inside the Lake District National Park
A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 94% of residents. Footpaths add up to 63 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.6 for every square kilometre. Windermere grades A+ for the outdoors: #4 of 23 in Cumbria. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
94%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
63 km
3.6 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
Outdoors grade
Windermere grades A+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Windermere, 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 96% of UK towns#4 of 23 in Cumbria · 3rd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space3.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
70out of
100
100
A park within a walk94%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
74out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape100%of the land within 5 km
100out of
100
100
Footpaths3.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
74out 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
Windermere is 3rd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 4,700 to 5,000 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
Windermere3.6
Towns its size2.7
Cumbria towns2.1
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Windermere3.0
Towns its size2.3
Cumbria towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Windermere94%
Towns its size82%
Cumbria towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Windermere stands out most for path per km²: only 12 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rye East Sussex | A+ | 3.5 | 89% | 3.5 | 46% |
| 2 | Frinton-on-Sea Essex | A+ | 7.5 | 100% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 3 | Windermere Cumbria | A+ | 3 | 94% | 3.6 | 100% |
| 4 | Rownhams and Nursling Hampshire | A+ | 4.9 | 86% | 6.7 | 12% |
| 5 | Marple Bridge Greater Manchester | A | 9.9 | 80% | 4.4 | 13% |
| 6 | Wilford Nottinghamshire | A | 7.7 | 93% | 9.6 | 0% |
| 7 | Wirksworth Derbyshire | A | 2 | 100% | 4.6 | 8% |
| 8 | Huntington Staffordshire | A | 3.7 | 74% | 4.6 | 27% |
| 9 | Carleton Lancashire | A | 3 | 86% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 10 | Rudheath Cheshire | A | 5.5 | 100% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 11 | Joyden's Wood Kent | A− | 2.7 | 82% | 5.6 | 4% |
| 12 | Writtle Essex | A− | 5.8 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 13 | Fordingbridge Hampshire | A− | 3.6 | 92% | 2 | 56% |
| 14 | Dersingham Norfolk | A− | 3.1 | 76% | 1.9 | 39% |
| 15 | Elvetham Heath Hampshire | A− | 8.7 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 16 | Liss Hampshire | A− | 2.3 | 87% | 2.6 | 98% |
| 17 | Binfield Berkshire | A− | 8.5 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 18 | Saxmundham Suffolk | B+ | 3.3 | 100% | 1.9 | 3% |
| 19 | Borough Green Kent | B+ | 2.5 | 93% | 1.9 | 50% |
| 20 | Bodicote Oxfordshire | B+ | 10.2 | 86% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 21 | Cranbrook Devon | B+ | 6.4 | 87% | 1.9 | 1% |
| 22 | Hildenborough Kent | B+ | 6.5 | 40% | 2.8 | 46% |
| 23 | Sturry Kent | B+ | 2.7 | 80% | 3.4 | 1% |
| 24 | Aspull Greater Manchester | B | 7.6 | 92% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 25 | Headley Down and Headley Hampshire | B | 2.1 | 55% | 3.4 | 44% |
| 26 | Coedpoeth Clwyd | B | 1.4 | 100% | 1.9 | 24% |
| 27 | Lenham and Harrietsham Kent | B− | 1.4 | 88% | 2.4 | 47% |
| 28 | Chalfont St Giles Buckinghamshire | B− | 1.8 | 57% | 3.5 | 37% |
| 29 | Kelvedon and Feering Essex | B− | 3.5 | 94% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 30 | Astley Greater Manchester | B− | 3.5 | 78% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 31 | Handsacre and Armitage Staffordshire | B− | 1.8 | 89% | 2.1 | 12% |
| 32 | Dudley Tyne and Wear | C+ | 2.6 | 69% | 4 | 0% |
| 33 | Bramley Hampshire | C+ | 2.8 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Dickens Heath West Midlands | C+ | 3.2 | 82% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 35 | Stokesley North Yorkshire | C+ | 0.9 | 100% | 1.7 | 16% |
| 36 | Cross Hills North Yorkshire | C+ | 1.9 | 86% | 3 | 0% |
| 37 | Ripponden West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.1 | 75% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 38 | Edwalton Nottinghamshire | C+ | 2.1 | 58% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Barton-le-Clay Bedfordshire | C+ | 1.3 | 43% | 3.2 | 38% |
| 40 | Shortstown Bedfordshire | C | 2.4 | 82% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Datchet Berkshire | C | 8.4 | 72% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 42 | Copthorne West Sussex | C | 1.2 | 62% | 2.9 | 13% |
| 43 | Bowburn County Durham | C | 1.5 | 71% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 44 | Minster (Thanet) Kent | C | 2.3 | 64% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 45 | Mynydd Isa Clwyd | C | 0.9 | 87% | 2 | 3% |
| 46 | Northway Gloucestershire | C | 0.9 | 58% | 3.1 | 13% |
| 47 | Winterton Lincolnshire | C | 1.6 | 82% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 48 | Barton-under-Needwood Staffordshire | C− | 2.3 | 70% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Middleton St George County Durham | C− | 1.8 | 94% | 1 | 0% |
| 50 | Sowerby North Yorkshire | C− | 1.5 | 77% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Bailrigg Lancashire | C− | 0 | 0% | 3.4 | 18% |
| 52 | Melbourne Derbyshire | C− | 1.5 | 67% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Halesworth Suffolk | C− | 1.4 | 55% | 1.9 | 5% |
| 54 | Tickhill South Yorkshire | D | 1.7 | 69% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 55 | South Cave East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 1.5 | 43% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 56 | Markfield Leicestershire | D | 0.8 | 63% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Melbourn Cambridgeshire | D | 1.2 | 45% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Fleckney Leicestershire | D | 0.8 | 63% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 59 | Bulford Wiltshire | D− | 0.9 | 51% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 60 | Shotton Colliery County Durham | D− | 0.9 | 40% | 1.5 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Windermere’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 Windermere
The biggest is Queen's Park, 4.6 ha (11 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
9 in 10 Windermere 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 (94%)Further (6%)
Windermere94%
Towns its size82%
Cumbria towns84%
All UK towns83%
About 300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 14 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 344 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Windermere
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
Windermere is inside it2,362 km²since 1951100% of the land within 5 km
Official site100% of the land within 5 km of Windermere 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
16 waymarked walks pass through or near Windermere
63 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Windermere and the kilometre around it, 3.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Windermere to Townend walk, Windermere10.9 km
Ash Landing and Claife Heights Windermere Walk, Claife Viewing Station7.6 km
Westmorland and Furness Way: Stage 4 (The Lake District Link)7.4 km
Townend and Troutbeck Valley Walk, Windermere5.9 km
Windermere West Shore Walk, Claife Viewing Station5.8 km
Dales Way5.1 km
Post Knott, Windermere Views Walk, Windermere3.1 km
Ambleside to Troutbeck Walk, Windermere2.5 km
Wansfell from Troutbeck Walk, Windermere2.3 km
The Wray Castle to Latterbarrow Walk, Wray Castle1.9 km
Wray to Blelham Tarn Circular Walk, Wray Castle1.9 km
Epley Head Waymarked Walk, Wray Castle1.7 km
Watbarrow Wood Waymarked Walk, Wray Castle1.1 km
Calf Parrock Waymarked Walk, Wray Castle0.6 km
Church Waymarked Walk, Wray Castle0.5 km
Wray Specimen Tree Trail, Wray Castle0.4 km
Close to home, the Windermere to Townend walk, Windermere has 11 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 2 regional routes pass through, including the Westmorland and Furness Way: Stage 4 (The Lake District Link) and Dales Way.
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 Windermere: 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) | 7.9 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 14.0 | 16.0 | 17.2 | 16.7 | 14.9 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.3 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain (mm) | 204 | 169 | 143 | 96 | 96 | 100 | 118 | 150 | 142 | 195 | 203 | 233 |
May is the driest month (96 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 19 °C). Winter days are short, about 7 hours of daylight in December, and 233 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 50 nights a year. The climate in Windermere →
Things to do
8 viewpoints, 14 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.
8Viewpoints12Hills and peaks2Waterfalls4Picnic sites14Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size1Campsites4Slipways
The nearest beaches
Windermere is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Beach19 mi from Windermere’s edge
DirectionsMallows Bay20 mi from Windermere’s edge
DirectionsHalf Moon Bay23 mi from Windermere’s edge
DirectionsDouble Mills Beach25 mi from Windermere’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. Queen Adelaide's Hill, at 82 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Windermere.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 8
Orrest Head0.2 mi from town
DirectionsBiskey Howe0.3 mi from town
DirectionsPost Knott0.6 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 12
Queen Adelaide's Hill82 m (269 ft) · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsHeathwaite Hill195 m (640 ft) · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsSchool Knott232 m (760 ft) · 0.3 mi from town
DirectionsAllen Knott225 m (738 ft) · 0.5 mi from town
DirectionsBrant Fell192 m (629 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsCleabarrow Hill248 m (814 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsGrandsire251 m (823 ft) · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsBanner Rigg265 m (869 ft) · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 4 hills and peaks more.
Waterfalls 2
Plus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 4
Plus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 14
Langrigge Playground0.4 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 13 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
YHA Windermere Campsite0.5 mi from town
DirectionsNext door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
Bowness-on-WindermereStaveleyAmblesideKendalLevensMilnthorpeWindermere
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windermere | A+ | 3.0 | 94% | 100% |
| Bowness-on-Windermere 0.9 mi | B | 1.7 | 76% | 100% |
| Staveley 3.4 mi | B | 1.7 | 85% | 89% |
| Ambleside 4.5 mi | A+ | 6.9 | 92% | 100% |
| Kendal 7.4 mi | C+ | 0.9 | 67% | 33% |
| Levens 8.8 mi | B | 0.8 | 100% | 53% |
| Milnthorpe 11.6 mi | C | 2.2 | 49% | 39% |
Ambleside, 4.5 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 92% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Ambleside has at least twice Windermere’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Windermere
What is the biggest park in Windermere?
Queen's Park, 4.6 ha (11 acres), with 0.8 km of path. 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
What are the best walks near Windermere?
16 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Windermere to Townend walk, Windermere, Ash Landing and Claife Heights Windermere Walk, Claife Viewing Station and Westmorland and Furness Way: Stage 4 (The Lake District Link).
What is the nearest beach to Windermere?
The Beach, 19 mi from the edge of the town, then Mallows Bay (20 mi). Windermere itself is inland.
How many people in Windermere live near a park?
94% 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 Windermere?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Windermere good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.6 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 74% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 70% (3.0 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 Windermere’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Windermere’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.