Southwell’s biggest
Weston Green
Park or garden · 380 m outside town
0.3 ha (1 acres)
0.6 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Brendan and Ruth McCartney · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Southwell · parks, paths & countryside
Southwell is on the coast, on the South West Coast Path
The sea makes up 88% of the area within 5 km. 40 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 5.4 for every square kilometre. The Dorset National Landscape begins 5.6 mi from the village’s edge. Southwell grades A for the outdoors. 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
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
40 km
5.4 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Dorset starts 5.6 mi out, past the 5 km
The sea
88%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors village is Southwell?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast88% of the area within 5 km is sea; 7 beaches mapped.A village of footpaths5.4 km of path per km², more than 95% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Less park per person0.7 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Southwell’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by dense footpaths. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Southwell grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Southwell, 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 85% of UK towns11th of 60 UK villages its size
Public green space0.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
7out 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 · Dorset begins just past 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths5.4 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
95out of
100
100
The sea88%of the area within 5 km
100out 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
Southwell is 11th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,600 to 1,800 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
Southwell5.4
Villages its size2.2
Dorset towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Southwell0.7
Villages its size2.0
Dorset towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Southwell100%
Villages its size78%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
Against villages its size, Southwell stands out most for path per km²: only 3 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 51 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pease Pottage West Sussex | A+ | 4.1 | 100% | 7.4 | 65% |
| 2 | Manningtree Essex | A+ | 5.6 | 100% | 2.5 | 43% |
| 3 | Guston Kent | A+ | 5.8 | 100% | 2.5 | 25% |
| 4 | Trimley St Martin Suffolk | A+ | 1.7 | 100% | 2.9 | 43% |
| 5 | Penwithick Cornwall | A | 15 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 6 | Wroxall Isle of Wight | A | 1.2 | 84% | 4.6 | 33% |
| 7 | Eccles Kent | A | 3.7 | 100% | 2.4 | 30% |
| 8 | Hutton Somerset | A | 1.8 | 100% | 2.2 | 22% |
| 9 | Flimby Cumbria | A | 1.7 | 100% | 2.3 | 2% |
| 10 | Grain Kent | A | 13 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 11 | Southwell Dorset | A | 0.7 | 100% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 12 | Upchurch Kent | A | 4 | 76% | 2.3 | 7% |
| 13 | Wickwar Gloucestershire | A− | 2 | 100% | 3.5 | 15% |
| 14 | Lynemouth Northumberland | A− | 3.5 | 100% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 15 | Hemyock Devon | A− | 3.2 | 100% | 1.3 | 82% |
| 16 | Seascale Cumbria | A− | 2.1 | 81% | 2.2 | 27% |
| 17 | Clayhanger West Midlands | A− | 17.4 | 100% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 18 | Bathampton Somerset | A− | 1 | 85% | 5.5 | 62% |
| 19 | Ripley Surrey | A− | 15 | 64% | 3.6 | 2% |
| 20 | Harthill South Yorkshire | B+ | 3.6 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 21 | Appledore Devon | B+ | 1.2 | 100% | 1.6 | 16% |
| 22 | Starcross Devon | B+ | 1.9 | 100% | 0.9 | 1% |
| 23 | Aldbourne Wiltshire | B+ | 3.2 | 84% | 1.8 | 100% |
| 24 | Kingsdown Kent | B+ | 1.1 | 67% | 3.4 | 12% |
| 25 | Blewbury Oxfordshire | B | 3.1 | 54% | 2.7 | 79% |
| 26 | Silkstone South Yorkshire | B | 1 | 100% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 27 | Bryn Dyfed | B− | 2.9 | 67% | 1.4 | 1% |
| 28 | Streethouse West Yorkshire | B− | 2.2 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 29 | Shaldon Devon | B− | 1.7 | 85% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 30 | Eynsford Kent | B− | 2.1 | 81% | 1.9 | 46% |
| 31 | Woodsetts South Yorkshire | B− | 2 | 100% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 32 | Allhallows Kent | B− | 3.2 | 76% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 33 | Summit Greater Manchester | B− | 1.9 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 34 | Trethomas Gwent | B− | 6.9 | 48% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 35 | Feniton Devon | C+ | 1.3 | 100% | 1.4 | 17% |
| 36 | Langho Lancashire | C+ | 1.6 | 74% | 3 | 7% |
| 37 | Pilling Lancashire | C+ | 4.2 | 46% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 38 | Seahouses and North Sunderland Northumberland | C+ | 1.6 | 17% | 1.7 | 21% |
| 39 | Chipperfield Hertfordshire | C+ | 2.4 | 37% | 2.8 | 17% |
| 40 | Rocester Staffordshire | C+ | 15.2 | 58% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Harvington Worcestershire | C+ | 2.6 | 100% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Minsterley Shropshire | C+ | 1.1 | 77% | 2.4 | 38% |
| 43 | Leeming North Yorkshire | C− | 5 | 76% | 0.5 | 0% |
| 44 | West Thorney West Sussex | C− | 0.4 | 0% | 0.9 | 55% |
| 45 | Embsay North Yorkshire | C− | 0.9 | 38% | 2.5 | 47% |
| 46 | High Bentham North Yorkshire | C− | 0.1 | 0% | 2.9 | 45% |
| 47 | Lower Quinton Warwickshire | C− | 2 | 49% | 1.3 | 18% |
| 48 | Modbury Devon | C− | 1.7 | 39% | 1.2 | 41% |
| 49 | Whitehill County Durham | C− | 0.3 | 0% | 7.7 | 0% |
| 50 | Holt Wiltshire | D | 1.1 | 45% | 2.1 | 2% |
| 51 | Shrewton Wiltshire | D | 1.4 | 42% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 52 | Leverington Cambridgeshire | D | 2.8 | 59% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 53 | Dobwalls Cornwall | D | 1.4 | 28% | 1.5 | 15% |
| 54 | Tiddington Warwickshire | D | 0.2 | 79% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 55 | Point Clear Essex | D | 0.1 | 0% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Soughton Clwyd | D | 0.4 | 67% | 1.3 | 3% |
| 57 | Monk Fryston and Hillam North Yorkshire | D | 2.7 | 40% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Welford-on-Avon Warwickshire | D− | 0.4 | 48% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Swffryd Gwent | D− | 1.4 | 17% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Hambleton North Yorkshire | D− | 0.1 | 52% | 1.1 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Southwell’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 Southwell
The biggest is Weston Green, 0.3 ha (1 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
Everyone in Southwell lives 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 (100%)Further (0%)
Southwell100%
Villages its size78%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 9 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 189 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Dorset National Landscape is 5.6 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 Southwell scores 0% on it even though the Dorset National Landscape is 5.6 mi away.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Southwell is on the South West Coast Path
40 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Southwell and the kilometre around it, 5.4 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
National
South West Coast Path (Section 49: Isle of Portland Circuit)10.8 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: Portland to Lulworth0.8 km
The South West Coast Path, a national route, passes Southwell.
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 Southwell: 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) | 8.5 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 16.4 | 16.0 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 11 |
| Rain (mm) | 82 | 57 | 52 | 51 | 47 | 46 | 41 | 61 | 54 | 83 | 93 | 90 |
July is the driest month (41 mm) and August the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 93 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 8 nights a year. The climate in Southwell →
The coast
The coast and beaches near Southwell
88% of the area within 5 km of Southwell is sea. 7 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 3 with a name.
Church Ope Cove0.7 mi from town
DirectionsLittle Beach1.5 mi from town
DirectionsPortland Beach2.3 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 9 playgrounds
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.
Every named place, with directions
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve7.3 ha · 1.1 mi from town
DirectionsTout Quarry Reserve & Sculpture Park18 ha · 1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 9
The Pulpit Inn Playground0.6 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.
WestonGroveFortuneswellWeymouthChickerellSouthwell
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwell | A | 0.7 | 100% | 0% |
| Weston 0.9 mi | A+ | 2.5 | 95% | 0% |
| Grove 1.8 mi | A+ | 6.0 | 100% | 0% |
| Fortuneswell 2.2 mi | A | 1.1 | 100% | 0% |
| Weymouth 6.1 mi | A | 2.6 | 55% | 35% |
| Chickerell 6.8 mi | A | 1.5 | 88% | 27% |
Grove, 1.8 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Weston, Grove and Weymouth have at least twice Southwell’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Southwell
What is the biggest park in Southwell?
Weston Green, 0.3 ha (1 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 Southwell near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Dorset National Landscape, 5.6 mi north-west of the village’s edge. It covers 1,129 km² and was designated in 1959.
What are the best walks near Southwell?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the South West Coast Path (Section 49: Isle of Portland Circuit) and King Charles III England Coast Path: Portland to Lulworth.
How many people in Southwell 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 Southwell?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Southwell good for walking?
For paths, yes: 5.4 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 95% 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 Southwell’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Southwell’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.