Bow’s biggest
Burston Meadows
Playing field · 330 m outside town
4.6 ha (11 acres)
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Martin Bodman · CC BY-SA 2.0COutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Bow · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Bow lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Dartmoor National Park begins 5.2 mi from the village’s edge. 8 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 1.1 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Bow add up to 1.9 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Bow grades C for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.9 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
8 km
1.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Dartmoor starts 5.2 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors village is Bow?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Countryside close byDartmoor National Park starts 5.2 mi south.Few mapped footpaths1.1 km of path per km²; the typical UK town has 3.0.
Bow’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by Dartmoor National Park close by. Where it falls short is footpaths.
Outdoors grade
Bow grades C for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Bow, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
C
Better than 30% of UK towns38th of 60 UK villages its size
Public green space1.9 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
43out of
100
100
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
89out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · Dartmoor begins just past 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths1.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
8out 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.
Villages its size
Bow is 38th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,100 to 1,200 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
Bow1.1
Villages its size2.4
Devon towns1.8
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Bow1.9
Villages its size2.4
Devon towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Bow100%
Villages its size72%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
Against villages its size, Bow stands out most for homes near a park: none of the other 59 has more. It falls furthest behind on path per km², where 48 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corton Suffolk | A+ | 4.4 | 100% | 3 | 5% |
| 2 | Upton St Leonards Gloucestershire | A+ | 5.2 | 80% | 7.5 | 43% |
| 3 | Fairlands Surrey | A+ | 2.8 | 100% | 5 | 11% |
| 4 | Chagford Devon | A+ | 4.7 | 100% | 2.5 | 98% |
| 5 | Masham North Yorkshire | A+ | 3.7 | 100% | 3 | 44% |
| 6 | Ditchling East Sussex | A | 7.4 | 77% | 4 | 57% |
| 7 | Tolvaddon Cornwall | A | 11.9 | 24% | 4.5 | 9% |
| 8 | Leigh Kent | A | 3 | 100% | 2.6 | 49% |
| 9 | Barns Green West Sussex | A | 6.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 10 | Horsted Keynes West Sussex | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 2.3 | 83% |
| 11 | Wenvoe South Glamorgan | A− | 5.9 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 12 | Chatburn Lancashire | A− | 1.7 | 100% | 2.6 | 59% |
| 13 | Boosbeck North Yorkshire | A− | 2.9 | 100% | 1.9 | 22% |
| 14 | Camber East Sussex | A− | 0.9 | 100% | 2.4 | 5% |
| 15 | Grange Moor West Yorkshire | A− | 4.3 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 16 | St Erth Cornwall | B+ | 0.9 | 100% | 2.5 | 4% |
| 17 | Gotherington Gloucestershire | B+ | 2.7 | 72% | 3.7 | 33% |
| 18 | Grassington North Yorkshire | B+ | 1.3 | 79% | 4.1 | 100% |
| 19 | South Bents Tyne and Wear | B+ | 4.9 | 62% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 20 | Borth Dyfed | B | 3.1 | 74% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 21 | Oakley Buckinghamshire | B | 2.9 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 22 | Cropston Leicestershire | B | 3.1 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 23 | Jacobs Well Surrey | B | 1.4 | 77% | 4.7 | 8% |
| 24 | Bishop Middleham County Durham | B− | 2.6 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 25 | Shipham Somerset | B− | 1.2 | 63% | 4 | 55% |
| 26 | Plaxtol Kent | B− | 2.6 | 57% | 2.5 | 40% |
| 27 | Harpur Hill Derbyshire | B− | 3.1 | 31% | 2.3 | 60% |
| 28 | Kelly Bray Cornwall | B− | 1.2 | 100% | 1.8 | 22% |
| 29 | Roydon (South Norfolk) Norfolk | B− | 4.3 | 50% | 4 | 0% |
| 30 | Beaumaris Gwynedd | B− | 2.7 | 30% | 0.8 | 18% |
| 31 | Latchingdon Essex | B− | 1.7 | 100% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 32 | Castlethorpe Buckinghamshire | C+ | 3.5 | 72% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 33 | Gainford County Durham | C+ | 2.6 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Lacey Green and Loosley Row Buckinghamshire | C+ | 2.1 | 27% | 2.4 | 82% |
| 35 | Whimple Devon | C+ | 5.2 | 70% | 0.9 | 1% |
| 36 | Brinklow Warwickshire | C+ | 1.7 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 37 | Three Legged Cross Dorset | C | 1.5 | 77% | 2.6 | 1% |
| 38 | Bow Devon | C | 1.9 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Swindon Staffordshire | C | 2.5 | 67% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 40 | Mannings Heath West Sussex | C | 1 | 71% | 1.9 | 44% |
| 41 | Baldwin's Gate Staffordshire | C− | 1.3 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 42 | North Newbald East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 1.7 | 100% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 43 | Milverton Somerset | C− | 2.1 | 70% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Maiden Newton Dorset | C− | 1.1 | 27% | 2 | 100% |
| 45 | Wetheral Cumbria | C− | 3.8 | 51% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 46 | Crowle Worcestershire | C− | 2.4 | 34% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 47 | Beachley Gloucestershire | C− | 0.3 | 0% | 1.2 | 14% |
| 48 | Farmborough Somerset | C− | 2 | 38% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 49 | Cawston Norfolk | D | 2.7 | 71% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 50 | Ramsey Island Essex | D | 1.4 | 39% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 51 | Chawley Oxfordshire | D | 0.3 | 0% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Wattstown Mid Glamorgan | D | 3.1 | 26% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 53 | Reawla Cornwall | D | 0.2 | 0% | 2 | 3% |
| 54 | Stickney Lincolnshire | D | 2.4 | 0% | 1 | 0% |
| 55 | Pilton Somerset | D− | 1.2 | 28% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 56 | Moulton Chapel Lincolnshire | D− | 1.5 | 60% | 0 | 0% |
| 57 | Kentford Suffolk | D− | 1.9 | 0% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Austrey Warwickshire | D− | 1.7 | 0% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Llanfyllin Powys | D− | 0 | 0% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 60 | Whaplode Lincolnshire | D− | 0.4 | 0% | 0.2 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Bow’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 Bow
The biggest is Burston Meadows, 4.6 ha (11 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
How close Bow’s homes are to 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 (100%)Further (0%)
Bow100%
Villages its size72%
Devon towns84%
All UK towns83%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 5 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 224 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
Dartmoor National Park is 5.2 mi away
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
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Bow scores 0% on it even though Dartmoor National Park is 5.2 mi away. Dartmoor National Park covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Bow
8 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Bow and the kilometre around it, 1.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
Regional
Devonshire Heartland Way5.2 km
Two Moors Way2.5 km
2 regional routes pass through, including the Devonshire Heartland Way and Two Moors 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 Bow: May to September
The village’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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 115 | 76 | 73 | 61 | 57 | 60 | 60 | 78 | 65 | 96 | 105 | 112 |
May is the driest month (57 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 115 mm of rain falls in January, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 29 nights a year. The climate in Bow →
Things to do
5 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
Mapped within 2 km of the village in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK village its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
The nearest beaches
Bow is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
Pirate Cove21 mi from Bow’s edge
DirectionsDawlish Town Beach21 mi from Bow’s edge
DirectionsRed Rock Beach21 mi from Bow’s edge
DirectionsExmouth Beach21 mi from Bow’s edge
DirectionsCoryton's Cove Beach21 mi from Bow’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.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 5
Plus 5 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.
CopplestoneNorth TawtonMorchard BishopWinkleighCreditonChulmleighBow
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow | C | 1.9 | 100% | 0% |
| Copplestone 3.2 mi | D | 1.1 | 88% | 0% |
| North Tawton 3.5 mi | B− | 2.9 | 100% | 0% |
| Morchard Bishop 4.8 mi | B | 2.6 | 100% | 0% |
| Winkleigh 6.9 mi | C | 1.9 | 100% | 0% |
| Crediton 7.0 mi | C+ | 2.4 | 89% | 0% |
| Chulmleigh 8.3 mi | C+ | 3.5 | 100% | 0% |
Morchard Bishop, 4.8 miles away, grades B, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Bow
What is the biggest park in Bow?
Burston Meadows, 4.6 ha (11 acres), just outside the built-up area. 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the village or within 400 m of it.
Is Bow near a National Park?
Yes. Dartmoor National Park begins 5.2 mi south of the village’s edge. It covers 956 km² and has been a National Park since 1951.
What are the best walks near Bow?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Devonshire Heartland Way and Two Moors Way.
What is the nearest beach to Bow?
Pirate Cove, 21 mi from the edge of the village, then Dawlish Town Beach (21 mi). Bow itself is inland.
How many people in Bow live near a park?
100% 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 Bow?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Bow good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 1.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 8% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 43% (1.9 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 Bow’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Bow’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.