Ferndown’s biggest
King George's Playing Field
Playing field
7.0 ha (17 acres)1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
10 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Ferndown
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Chris Downer · CC BY-SA 2.0COutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Ferndown · parks, paths & countryside
Ferndown has more footpath per square kilometre than nearly 9 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 100 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 4.5 for every square kilometre. The Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape and the New Forest National Park both begin about 3 miles from the town’s edge. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 13% of residents. Ferndown grades C for the outdoors: #26 of 30 in Dorset. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
0.7 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
13%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
100 km
4.5 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs starts 2.9 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Ferndown?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths4.5 km of path per km², more than 88% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Countryside both waysCranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs starts 2.9 mi north-west, New Forest 3.3 mi east.Less park per person0.7 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Ferndown’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Ferndown grades C for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Ferndown, 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 25% of UK towns#26 of 30 in Dorset · 44th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space0.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
7out of
100
100
A park within a walk13%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
4out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs begins just past 5 km
62out of
100
100
Footpaths4.5 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
88out 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
Ferndown is 44th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 12,600 to 14,000 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
Ferndown4.5
Towns its size3.1
Dorset towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Ferndown0.7
Towns its size2.2
Dorset towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Ferndown13%
Towns its size78%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Ferndown stands out most for path per km²: only 6 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 59 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farncombe Surrey | A+ | 5.7 | 92% | 3.8 | 54% |
| 2 | Sidmouth Devon | A | 2.6 | 73% | 2.9 | 60% |
| 3 | Newhaven East Sussex | A | 1.9 | 84% | 2.9 | 50% |
| 4 | Rhosllannerchrugog Clwyd | A | 3.5 | 98% | 2.8 | 31% |
| 5 | Abergavenny Gwent | A | 3.2 | 83% | 3.1 | 60% |
| 6 | Wellington Somerset | A | 2.2 | 99% | 3.5 | 24% |
| 7 | Wick West Sussex | A | 1.3 | 91% | 3 | 25% |
| 8 | Stoke Gifford Gloucestershire | A− | 5.7 | 87% | 5.9 | 0% |
| 9 | Addlestone Surrey | A− | 4.3 | 90% | 4.8 | 0% |
| 10 | Heckmondwike West Yorkshire | A− | 2.9 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 11 | Churchdown Gloucestershire | A− | 2.2 | 92% | 3.7 | 11% |
| 12 | Wantage Oxfordshire | A− | 2.5 | 71% | 3.9 | 47% |
| 13 | Lees Greater Manchester | A− | 2.5 | 80% | 4.4 | 4% |
| 14 | Tavistock Devon | A− | 5.9 | 83% | 1.6 | 72% |
| 15 | Bacup Lancashire | A− | 2.5 | 94% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 16 | Audenshaw Greater Manchester | B+ | 4.6 | 93% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 17 | Berwick-upon-Tweed Northumberland | B+ | 2.5 | 62% | 2.7 | 1% |
| 18 | Verwood Dorset | B+ | 5.7 | 41% | 3.9 | 13% |
| 19 | Ringwood Hampshire | B+ | 2.3 | 78% | 3.2 | 43% |
| 20 | Chorleywood Hertfordshire | B+ | 2.7 | 37% | 5.7 | 22% |
| 21 | Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire | B+ | 3.6 | 85% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 22 | Chalfont St Peter Buckinghamshire | B+ | 2.2 | 80% | 3.5 | 18% |
| 23 | Marple Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.4 | 64% | 3.8 | 5% |
| 24 | Poynton Cheshire | B+ | 2.2 | 79% | 3.7 | 14% |
| 25 | Royal Wootton Bassett Wiltshire | B+ | 1.6 | 98% | 3.1 | 10% |
| 26 | Enderby and Narborough Leicestershire | B | 1.9 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 27 | West Kirby Merseyside | B | 1.9 | 68% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 28 | Rushall and Shelfield West Midlands | B | 4.3 | 88% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 29 | Scawthorpe and Cusworth South Yorkshire | B− | 3.1 | 88% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 30 | Standish Greater Manchester | B− | 2.6 | 84% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 31 | Midsomer Norton Somerset | B− | 1.9 | 90% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Sheerness Kent | B− | 3 | 68% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe Leicestershire | B− | 3.4 | 73% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 34 | Davenham Cheshire | B− | 1.3 | 88% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 35 | Knutsford Cheshire | C+ | 2.6 | 83% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 36 | Thame Oxfordshire | C+ | 2.9 | 91% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 37 | Buckley Clwyd | C+ | 2.6 | 82% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Street Somerset | C+ | 0.7 | 96% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Birtley Tyne and Wear | C | 1.4 | 71% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 40 | Flitwick Bedfordshire | C | 0.8 | 59% | 3.9 | 3% |
| 41 | Todmorden West Yorkshire | C | 0.8 | 72% | 6.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Hersham Surrey | C | 2.5 | 73% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 43 | Syston Leicestershire | C | 1.4 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 44 | Ferndown Dorset | C | 0.7 | 13% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 45 | Rhondda Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1.4 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 46 | Brough East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 1.4 | 74% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 47 | North Walsham Norfolk | C− | 1.3 | 69% | 2 | 10% |
| 48 | Porth Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.8 | 63% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Kirk Sandall and Edenthorpe South Yorkshire | D | 2 | 75% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Halstead Essex | D | 0.6 | 73% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 51 | Amesbury Wiltshire | D | 1.8 | 73% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Northallerton North Yorkshire | D | 1.1 | 70% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 53 | Driffield East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 2.1 | 75% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 54 | Mountsorrel Leicestershire | D | 0.9 | 56% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 55 | New Rossington and Rossington South Yorkshire | D | 0.8 | 50% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 56 | Flint Clwyd | D | 1 | 56% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 57 | Whittlesey Cambridgeshire | D | 1.7 | 73% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Mountain Ash Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.4 | 56% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 59 | Wombourne Staffordshire | D | 0.8 | 78% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Balderton Nottinghamshire | D | 1.4 | 64% | 1.7 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Ferndown’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 Ferndown
The biggest is King George's Playing Field, 7.0 ha (17 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Knoll Gardens
Park or garden · 140 m outside town
1.7 ha (4 acres)0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Millennium Park
Park or garden
0.5 ha (1 acres)0.3 km of path
Centralin the middle of Ferndown
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
1 in 10 Ferndown 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 (13%)Further (87%)
Ferndown13%
Towns its size78%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
About 11,500 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 13 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,021 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs and New Forest both start about 3 miles from Ferndown
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
2.9 mi north-west986 km²since 1983
Official siteProtected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Ferndown scores 0% on it even though the Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape is 2.9 mi away. New Forest National Park covers 567 km² and has been a National Park since 2006.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
4 waymarked walks pass through or near Ferndown
100 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Ferndown and the kilometre around it, 4.5 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
Castleman Trailway9.8 km
Stour Valley Way8.0 km
Ferndown, Stour and Forest Trail1.7 km
Kingston Lacy walk at Holt Heath, Kingston Lacy1.1 km
Close to home, the Castleman Trailway has 10 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Stour Valley 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 Ferndown: 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 | 8.8 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 99 | 70 | 64 | 60 | 51 | 54 | 53 | 59 | 69 | 105 | 112 | 108 |
May is the driest month (51 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 112 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 51 nights a year. The climate in Ferndown →
Things to do
2 viewpoints, 13 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
Ferndown is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Bournemouth East Beach5.1 mi from Ferndown’s edge
DirectionsBournemouth West Beach5.1 mi from Ferndown’s edge
DirectionsAlum Chine Beach5.2 mi from Ferndown’s edge
DirectionsBranksome Dene Chine Beach5.4 mi from Ferndown’s edge
DirectionsFisherman's Walk Beach5.5 mi from Ferndown’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
Viewpoints 2
Site of Kinson Village Pound1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Holmwood Park SANG5.7 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsSlop Bog12 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 13
Casterbridge Road Play Areain town
DirectionsKing George Playgroundin town
DirectionsDugdell Playground0.3 mi from town
DirectionsWest Parley Playground0.6 mi from town
DirectionsTap And Railway Playarea0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 8 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.
West ParleyWest MoorsBearwoodWimborne MinsterAshley HeathMerleyFerndown
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndown | C | 0.7 | 13% | 0% |
| West Parley 1.1 mi | C− | 1.6 | 20% | 0% |
| West Moors 1.3 mi | C− | 0.9 | 33% | 0% |
| Bearwood 3.0 mi | B+ | 2.5 | 100% | 0% |
| Wimborne Minster 3.3 mi | B | 2.7 | 51% | 17% |
| Ashley Heath 3.4 mi | A | 24.2 | 68% | 15% |
| Merley 3.5 mi | B+ | 3.9 | 64% | 6% |
Ashley Heath, 3.4 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 68% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. West Parley, Bearwood and Wimborne Minster have at least twice Ferndown’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Ferndown
What is the biggest park in Ferndown?
King George's Playing Field, 7.0 ha (17 acres), with 1.4 km of path. Knoll Gardens (1.7 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Ferndown near a National Park?
Yes. New Forest National Park begins 3.3 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, 2.9 mi away.
What are the best walks near Ferndown?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Castleman Trailway, Stour Valley Way and Ferndown, Stour and Forest Trail.
What is the nearest beach to Ferndown?
Bournemouth East Beach, 5.1 mi from the edge of the town, then Bournemouth West Beach (5.1 mi). Ferndown itself is inland.
How many people in Ferndown live near a park?
13% 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 Ferndown?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Ferndown good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.5 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 88% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 7% (0.7 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 Ferndown’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Ferndown’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.