Alderholt’s biggest
Oakwood Grove Play Area
Play space
0.1 ha (0 acres)
Centralin the middle of Alderholt
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Clive Perrin · CC BY-SA 2.0COutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Alderholt · parks, paths & countryside
31% of the land within 5 km of Alderholt is National Park or National Landscape
The Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape begins 0.8 mi from the town’s edge. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 43% of residents. 25 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 2.3 for every square kilometre. Alderholt grades C for the outdoors: #25 of 30 in Dorset. 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
43%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
25 km
2.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
31%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Alderholt?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Protected countryside31% of the land within 5 km is Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape.Parks can be a walk away57% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Alderholt’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Outdoors grade
Alderholt grades C for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Alderholt, 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 32% of UK towns#25 of 30 in Dorset · 33rd of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.9 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
43out of
100
100
A park within a walk43%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
10out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape31%of the land within 5 km
84out of
100
100
Footpaths2.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
40out 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
Alderholt is 33rd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,700 to 3,000 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
Alderholt2.3
Towns its size2.2
Dorset towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Alderholt1.9
Towns its size2.0
Dorset towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Alderholt43%
Towns its size80%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
Alderholt falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 48 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halling Kent | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 4.6 | 54% |
| 2 | Rudloe Wiltshire | A+ | 7.3 | 91% | 4 | 45% |
| 3 | Downton Wiltshire | A | 4.3 | 100% | 2 | 59% |
| 4 | Bruton Somerset | A | 9.3 | 100% | 2.5 | 1% |
| 5 | Hartshill Warwickshire | A | 19 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 6 | Mortimer Berkshire | A | 2.4 | 100% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 7 | Stoke Mandeville Buckinghamshire | A− | 5.5 | 37% | 6.8 | 29% |
| 8 | Kingsclere Hampshire | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 2.5 | 50% |
| 9 | Wargrave Berkshire | A− | 4 | 100% | 2 | 11% |
| 10 | Threemilestone Cornwall | A− | 3.1 | 100% | 2.6 | 1% |
| 11 | Knighton Powys | A− | 2.7 | 81% | 3.4 | 34% |
| 12 | East Saltdean East Sussex | A− | 1.6 | 0% | 4.9 | 44% |
| 13 | Congresbury Somerset | A− | 8.5 | 67% | 3.5 | 10% |
| 14 | Holywell Green and Stainland West Yorkshire | A− | 4 | 89% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 15 | Seaton Sluice Northumberland | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 16 | Milton-under-Wychwood and Shipton-under-Wychwood Oxfordshire | B+ | 4.1 | 87% | 1.3 | 100% |
| 17 | Charfield Gloucestershire | B+ | 1.3 | 100% | 3 | 22% |
| 18 | Almondsbury Gloucestershire | B+ | 7.9 | 77% | 4 | 0% |
| 19 | South Hetton County Durham | B+ | 3.4 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 20 | Hertford Heath Hertfordshire | B+ | 1.6 | 100% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 21 | Charlbury Oxfordshire | B | 3.1 | 66% | 2.4 | 65% |
| 22 | Barlborough Derbyshire | B | 4.4 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 23 | Newport Essex | B | 2.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 24 | Rockwell Green Somerset | B | 1 | 90% | 3.2 | 24% |
| 25 | Scholes (near Cleckheaton) West Yorkshire | B | 4 | 89% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 26 | Tollesbury Essex | B− | 2 | 85% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 27 | Chalgrove Oxfordshire | B− | 4.1 | 85% | 1.2 | 4% |
| 28 | Aston Clwyd | B− | 4.4 | 37% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 29 | Waltham Chase Hampshire | B− | 2 | 75% | 2.2 | 39% |
| 30 | Over Cambridgeshire | C+ | 1.3 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 31 | Bluntisham and Colne Cambridgeshire | C+ | 2.3 | 88% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 32 | Rolleston on Dove Staffordshire | C+ | 3.8 | 84% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Alderholt Dorset | C | 1.9 | 43% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 34 | Collingham Nottinghamshire | C | 2.4 | 78% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 35 | Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll Gwynedd | C | 0.8 | 71% | 1.6 | 8% |
| 36 | Barrow upon Humber Lincolnshire | C | 1.5 | 88% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 37 | Trimdon County Durham | C | 1 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 38 | East Goscote Leicestershire | C | 2.9 | 75% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 39 | Corbridge Northumberland | C | 2.2 | 79% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 40 | Maerdy Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1.1 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 41 | Alrewas Staffordshire | C− | 1.5 | 66% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 42 | Tuxford Nottinghamshire | C− | 1.4 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 43 | Mere Wiltshire | C− | 1.6 | 34% | 1.5 | 54% |
| 44 | Weedon Bec Northamptonshire | C− | 1.1 | 87% | 2 | 0% |
| 45 | Thorngumbald East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 1.3 | 69% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 46 | Catterall Lancashire | D | 1 | 47% | 1.9 | 9% |
| 47 | Croston Lancashire | D | 0.6 | 78% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 48 | Gamlingay Cambridgeshire | D | 2.1 | 32% | 2 | 0% |
| 49 | Sherburn County Durham | D | 0.2 | 0% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 50 | Scotter Lincolnshire | D | 2.6 | 61% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 51 | Terrington St Clement Norfolk | D | 1.5 | 53% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Seghill Northumberland | D | 0.2 | 41% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 53 | Pevensey Bay East Sussex | D | 0.5 | 0% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 54 | East Ayton and West Ayton North Yorkshire | D | 0.1 | 0% | 1.2 | 33% |
| 55 | West Winch Norfolk | D | 1.5 | 73% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Hunmanby North Yorkshire | D | 0.3 | 33% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 57 | Pickmere Cheshire | D− | 0.4 | 71% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 58 | Langstone Gwent | D− | 0.1 | 46% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 59 | Feltwell Norfolk | D− | 1.1 | 63% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Greetham Rutland | D− | 0.9 | 30% | 0.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Alderholt’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 Alderholt
The biggest is Oakwood Grove Play Area, 0.1 ha (0 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
4 in 10 Alderholt 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 (43%)Further (57%)
Alderholt43%
Towns its size80%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
About 1,600 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 3 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 956 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Alderholt
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
Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs
0.8 mi north986 km²since 198320% of the land within 5 km
Official site31% of the land within 5 km of Alderholt is National Park or National Landscape, more than 84% of UK towns. New Forest National Park covers 567 km² and has been a National Park since 2006.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Alderholt
25 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Alderholt and the kilometre around it, 2.3 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Regional
Avon Valley Path4.6 km
The regional route here is the Avon Valley Path.
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 Alderholt: 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 104 | 73 | 67 | 64 | 56 | 59 | 55 | 67 | 68 | 106 | 117 | 110 |
July is the driest month (55 mm) and the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 117 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 56 nights a year. The climate in Alderholt →
Things to do
3 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.
The nearest beaches
Alderholt is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Brockenhurst Beach12 mi from Alderholt’s edge
DirectionsFisherman's Walk Beach13 mi from Alderholt’s edge
DirectionsAvon Beach13 mi from Alderholt’s edge
DirectionsSouthbourne Beach13 mi from Alderholt’s edge
DirectionsBournemouth East Beach13 mi from Alderholt’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. Bonfire Hill, at 48 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Alderholt.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 3
Bonfire Hill48 m (157 ft) · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsKing Barrow90 m (295 ft) · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPistle Hill96 m (315 ft) · 1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 3
Flaxfields End Play Area1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 2 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.
SandleheathFordingbridgeVerwoodThree Legged CrossRingwoodAshley HeathAlderholt
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alderholt | C | 1.9 | 43% | 31% |
| Sandleheath 1.6 mi | C− | 0.1 | 0% | 52% |
| Fordingbridge 2.2 mi | A− | 3.6 | 92% | 56% |
| Verwood 3.1 mi | B+ | 5.7 | 41% | 13% |
| Three Legged Cross 4.7 mi | C | 1.5 | 77% | 1% |
| Ringwood 4.9 mi | B+ | 2.3 | 78% | 43% |
| Ashley Heath 5.3 mi | A | 24.2 | 68% | 15% |
Ashley Heath, 5.3 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 68% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Verwood and Ashley Heath have at least twice Alderholt’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Alderholt
What is the biggest park in Alderholt?
Oakwood Grove Play Area, 0.1 ha (0 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Alderholt near a National Park?
Yes. New Forest National Park begins 2.0 mi east of the town’s edge. It covers 567 km² and has been a National Park since 2006. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape, 0.8 mi away.
What are the best walks near Alderholt?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the Avon Valley Path.
What is the nearest beach to Alderholt?
Brockenhurst Beach, 12 mi from the edge of the town, then Fisherman's Walk Beach (13 mi). Alderholt itself is inland.
How many people in Alderholt live near a park?
43% 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 Alderholt?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Alderholt good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 2.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 40% 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 Alderholt’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Alderholt’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.