Bridport’s biggest
Riverside Gardens
Park or garden
1.4 ha (3 acres)0.2 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Bridport
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: David Martin · CC BY-SA 2.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Bridport · parks, paths & countryside
Bridport is inside the Dorset National Landscape
The sea makes up 29% of the area within 5 km. 83 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 3.7 for every square kilometre. Bridport grades A− for the outdoors: #13 of 30 in Dorset. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
0.9 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
75%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
83 km
3.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
71%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Dorset National Landscape
The sea
29%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Bridport?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Inside the Dorset National LandscapeBridport sits inside it: 1,129 km² of protected landscape.On the coast29% of the area within 5 km is sea; 9 beaches mapped.A town of footpaths3.7 km of path per km², more than 75% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Less park per person0.9 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Bridport’s strongest suit is a protected landscape all round, followed by the sea. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Bridport grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Bridport, 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#13 of 30 in Dorset · 18th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space0.9 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
9out of
100
100
A park within a walk75%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
38out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape71%of the land within 5 km
96out of
100
100
Footpaths3.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
76out of
100
100
The sea29%of the area within 5 km
92out 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
Bridport is 18th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 11,700 to 12,900 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
Bridport3.7
Towns its size2.9
Dorset towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Bridport0.9
Towns its size2.3
Dorset towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Bridport75%
Towns its size85%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Bridport stands out most for path per km²: only 19 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 56 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitby North Yorkshire | A+ | 4 | 100% | 2.9 | 53% |
| 2 | Tring Hertfordshire | A+ | 5.7 | 95% | 4.8 | 57% |
| 3 | Snodland Kent | A+ | 7.7 | 97% | 4.4 | 44% |
| 4 | Chepstow Gwent | A+ | 1.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 30% |
| 5 | Minehead Somerset | A+ | 1.4 | 95% | 4.3 | 47% |
| 6 | Brockworth Gloucestershire | A+ | 2.5 | 95% | 5.1 | 46% |
| 7 | Waltham Cross Hertfordshire | A | 10.6 | 100% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 8 | Holyhead Gwynedd | A | 3.4 | 78% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 9 | Newhaven East Sussex | A | 1.9 | 84% | 2.9 | 50% |
| 10 | Rhosllannerchrugog Clwyd | A | 3.5 | 98% | 2.8 | 31% |
| 11 | Southwick West Sussex | A | 1.1 | 100% | 2.6 | 34% |
| 12 | Houghton-le-Spring Tyne and Wear | A | 4.8 | 100% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 13 | Killingworth Tyne and Wear | A | 4.7 | 97% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 14 | Little Lever Greater Manchester | A | 4.5 | 97% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 15 | Dawlish Devon | A | 2.1 | 93% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Matlock Derbyshire | A− | 2.9 | 76% | 4.7 | 20% |
| 17 | Blackwood Gwent | A− | 3.6 | 97% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 18 | Bridport Dorset | A− | 0.9 | 75% | 3.7 | 71% |
| 19 | Flackwell Heath and Wooburn Green Buckinghamshire | A− | 1.7 | 90% | 3.9 | 30% |
| 20 | Guiseley West Yorkshire | A− | 2.5 | 75% | 5.7 | 6% |
| 21 | Lees Greater Manchester | A− | 2.5 | 80% | 4.4 | 4% |
| 22 | Barton-upon-Humber Lincolnshire | A− | 5.9 | 97% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 23 | Tavistock Devon | A− | 5.9 | 83% | 1.6 | 72% |
| 24 | New Milton Hampshire | B+ | 2.3 | 75% | 1.9 | 38% |
| 25 | Ivybridge Devon | B+ | 1.8 | 86% | 3.4 | 38% |
| 26 | Blandford Forum Dorset | B+ | 2.1 | 90% | 2.2 | 72% |
| 27 | Ringwood Hampshire | B+ | 2.3 | 78% | 3.2 | 43% |
| 28 | Chorleywood Hertfordshire | B+ | 2.7 | 37% | 5.7 | 22% |
| 29 | Haslemere Surrey | B+ | 1 | 78% | 5.1 | 80% |
| 30 | Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire | B+ | 3.6 | 85% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 31 | Bentley South Yorkshire | B+ | 3.4 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Worsley Greater Manchester | B+ | 4.7 | 86% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 33 | Cudworth and Shafton South Yorkshire | B | 3.1 | 88% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 34 | Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire | B | 2.4 | 70% | 2.9 | 53% |
| 35 | Buckhurst Hill Essex | B | 4.5 | 64% | 6.3 | 0% |
| 36 | Littleborough Greater Manchester | B | 5 | 85% | 3 | 0% |
| 37 | Stotfold Bedfordshire | B | 2.1 | 96% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Rushall and Shelfield West Midlands | B | 4.3 | 88% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Ystrad Mynach Gwent | B− | 5.4 | 85% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 40 | Honiton Devon | B− | 1.3 | 90% | 2 | 73% |
| 41 | Chigwell Essex | B− | 2.9 | 64% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 42 | Wells Somerset | B− | 1.7 | 65% | 3.4 | 26% |
| 43 | Ince-in-Makerfield Greater Manchester | B− | 2 | 74% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 44 | Rochford Essex | B− | 2 | 71% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 45 | Kingsteignton Devon | B− | 1.9 | 95% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Huntington North Yorkshire | C+ | 2 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 47 | Street Somerset | C+ | 0.7 | 96% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 48 | Hersham Surrey | C | 2.5 | 73% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Bridgnorth Shropshire | C− | 2.4 | 66% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Haverfordwest Dyfed | C− | 1 | 85% | 1.4 | 8% |
| 51 | Oakham Rutland | C− | 1.8 | 86% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 52 | North Walsham Norfolk | C− | 1.3 | 69% | 2 | 10% |
| 53 | Market Drayton Shropshire | C− | 1.5 | 88% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 54 | Codsall Staffordshire | C− | 1.4 | 84% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 55 | Sarn Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.8 | 75% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 56 | Amesbury Wiltshire | D | 1.8 | 73% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 57 | Flint Clwyd | D | 1 | 56% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 58 | Desborough Northamptonshire | D | 0.6 | 69% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Wombourne Staffordshire | D | 0.8 | 78% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Thorne South Yorkshire | D− | 1.6 | 65% | 0.6 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Bridport’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 Bridport
The biggest is Riverside Gardens, 1.4 ha (3 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
St Marys Playing Field
Playing field
2.1 ha (5 acres)0.2 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Bridport
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Flaxhayes Playing Field
Park or garden
0.7 ha (2 acres)
0.5 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
7 in 10 Bridport 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 (75%)Further (25%)
Bridport75%
Towns its size85%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
About 3,100 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 17 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 723 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Bridport
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
Dorset
Bridport is inside it1,129 km²since 195971% of the land within 5 km
Official site71% of the land within 5 km of Bridport is National Park or National Landscape, more than 96% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Bridport is on the South West Coast Path
83 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Bridport and the kilometre around it, 3.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalRegional
Monarch's Way13.3 km
South West Coast Path (Section 47: Seatown to Abbotsbury)6.7 km
The South West Coast Path, a national route, passes Bridport. The regional route here is the Monarch's Way.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
A registered historic park in Bridport
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Bridport’s named parks.
Registered · Grade IIDowne Hall6.2 ha
A listed building or monument counts when it sits inside the park’s OS Open Greenspace outline (to about 15 m), so a few at the boundary are included. Historic England, National Heritage List for England.
When to get out
The best walking months in Bridport: 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 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| Rain (mm) | 93 | 56 | 54 | 55 | 50 | 42 | 47 | 62 | 56 | 98 | 98 | 96 |
June is the driest month (42 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 21 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 98 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 25 nights a year. The climate in Bridport →
The coast
Bridport is a coastal town
29% of the area within 5 km of Bridport is sea. 9 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 3 with a name.
East Beach0.0 mi from town
DirectionsHive Beach1.8 mi from town
DirectionsSeatown Beach2.2 mi from town
DirectionsThe South West Coast Path passes the town.
Sea: the area outside the ONS coastline (mean high water). Bathing water quality is published by the Environment Agency (England) and Natural Resources Wales; check it before swimming.
Things to do
3 viewpoints and 17 playgrounds
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.
3Viewpoints3× towns its size11Hills and peaks23× towns its size1Nature reserves17Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size4Campsites
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Coast View point0.0 mi from town
DirectionsColmer’s Hill0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 11
Coneygar Hill65 m (213 ft) · in town
DirectionsWatton Hill0.1 mi from town
DirectionsBothen (Hyde) Hill0.1 mi from town
DirectionsAllington Hill75 m (246 ft) · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsEldon Hill0.7 mi from town
DirectionsBoarsbarrow Hill0.7 mi from town
DirectionsLoders Hill0.7 mi from town
DirectionsColmer's Hill101 m (331 ft) · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 3 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Bothenhampton Nature Reserve4.5 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsCampsites 4
Highlands End0.2 mi from town
DirectionsGreenacres Campsite.0.3 mi from town
DirectionsFreshwater Beach Holiday Park0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite 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.
BradpoleBeaminsterCharmouthLyme RegisUplymeMaiden NewtonBridport
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridport | A− | 0.9 | 75% | 71% |
| Bradpole 1.3 mi | A− | 0.9 | 100% | 95% |
| Beaminster 5.4 mi | A | 4.1 | 89% | 100% |
| Charmouth 6.3 mi | A | 2.5 | 82% | 63% |
| Lyme Regis 7.9 mi | B | 1.4 | 60% | 56% |
| Uplyme 8.6 mi | A+ | 2.4 | 100% | 61% |
| Maiden Newton 8.8 mi | C− | 1.1 | 27% | 100% |
Uplyme, 8.6 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Beaminster, Charmouth and Uplyme have at least twice Bridport’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Bridport
What is the biggest park in Bridport?
Riverside Gardens, 1.4 ha (3 acres). St Marys Playing Field (2.1 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
What are the best walks near Bridport?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Monarch's Way and South West Coast Path (Section 47: Seatown to Abbotsbury).
How many people in Bridport live near a park?
75% 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 Bridport?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Bridport are historic?
Downe Hall (Grade II) is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Bridport good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 76% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 9% (0.9 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 Bridport’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Bridport’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.