Wareham’s biggest
John Procter Memorial Ground
Playing field
6.7 ha (16 acres)
9 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Derek Harper · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Wareham · parks, paths & countryside
56% of the land within 5 km of Wareham is National Park or National Landscape
The Dorset National Landscape reaches the edge of Wareham. 44 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 3.4 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Wareham add up to 1.9 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Wareham grades A for the outdoors: #6 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
83%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
44 km
3.4 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
56%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Dorset National Landscape
The sea
5%
of the area within 5 km
Outdoors grade
Wareham grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Wareham, 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 92% of UK towns#6 of 30 in Dorset · 5th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.9 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
42out of
100
100
A park within a walk83%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
52out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape56%of the land within 5 km
94out of
100
100
Footpaths3.4 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
68out of
100
100
The sea5%of the area within 5 km
84out 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
Wareham is 5th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 5,600 to 6,100 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
Wareham3.4
Towns its size2.6
Dorset towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Wareham1.9
Towns its size2.2
Dorset towns1.9
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Wareham83%
Towns its size81%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Wareham stands out most for path per km²: only 14 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 35 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackfield and Langley Hampshire | A+ | 28.1 | 95% | 4.2 | 48% |
| 2 | Saltburn-by-the-Sea North Yorkshire | A | 4.7 | 92% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 3 | Bagshot Surrey | A | 10.5 | 100% | 5.2 | 0% |
| 4 | Barrowford Lancashire | A | 4.2 | 82% | 5 | 22% |
| 5 | Wareham Dorset | A | 1.9 | 83% | 3.4 | 56% |
| 6 | Leiston Suffolk | A | 1.7 | 95% | 2.7 | 35% |
| 7 | Amble Northumberland | A | 2 | 100% | 2.2 | 5% |
| 8 | West Hallam Derbyshire | A | 4.8 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 9 | Millom Cumbria | A | 2 | 82% | 3.2 | 13% |
| 10 | Menston West Yorkshire | A | 2.4 | 90% | 4.1 | 18% |
| 11 | Shepperton Surrey | A | 8.7 | 89% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 12 | Carnforth Lancashire | A− | 1.2 | 89% | 3 | 39% |
| 13 | Barnard Castle County Durham | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 3.4 | 1% |
| 14 | Botley Hampshire | A− | 14.6 | 70% | 3.6 | 2% |
| 15 | East Horsley Surrey | A− | 3.5 | 55% | 4.5 | 33% |
| 16 | Dodworth South Yorkshire | A− | 2.3 | 97% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 17 | Marchwood Hampshire | B+ | 2 | 87% | 1.3 | 38% |
| 18 | Moor Park Hertfordshire | B+ | 4.5 | 46% | 4.5 | 1% |
| 19 | Creswell Derbyshire | B+ | 2.7 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 20 | Thrybergh and Dalton South Yorkshire | B+ | 2.6 | 95% | 4 | 0% |
| 21 | Garstang Lancashire | B | 2.4 | 89% | 2.3 | 15% |
| 22 | East Tilbury Essex | B | 2.3 | 92% | 2 | 0% |
| 23 | Wixams Bedfordshire | B | 5.3 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 24 | Shipston-on-Stour Warwickshire | B | 2.3 | 94% | 1.6 | 20% |
| 25 | Brixworth Northamptonshire | B | 3.8 | 94% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 26 | Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Northumberland | B | 2.2 | 77% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 27 | East Wittering West Sussex | B | 1.1 | 78% | 1.9 | 27% |
| 28 | Hemsby Norfolk | B | 2.5 | 51% | 1.4 | 22% |
| 29 | Bidford-on-Avon Warwickshire | B | 3.4 | 100% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 30 | Cheddar Somerset | B− | 2.3 | 41% | 3 | 56% |
| 31 | Thirsk North Yorkshire | B− | 1.8 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 32 | Great Torrington Devon | B− | 2.6 | 88% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Hullbridge Essex | C+ | 5.7 | 59% | 3 | 0% |
| 34 | Kirby Cross Essex | C+ | 2.4 | 44% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 35 | Aylesham Kent | C+ | 0.3 | 76% | 3.4 | 33% |
| 36 | Bagillt Clwyd | C+ | 1.3 | 87% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 37 | Crawley Down West Sussex | C+ | 1.2 | 80% | 2.2 | 40% |
| 38 | Strensall North Yorkshire | C | 1.3 | 89% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Pontyclun Mid Glamorgan | C | 2.4 | 79% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 40 | Ruthin Clwyd | C | 2.7 | 51% | 1.5 | 31% |
| 41 | Egremont Cumbria | C | 1.1 | 63% | 1.8 | 11% |
| 42 | Bracebridge Heath Lincolnshire | C | 1.1 | 81% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 43 | Undy and Magor Gwent | C | 0.9 | 86% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Durrington Wiltshire | C | 1.1 | 90% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 45 | Red Lodge Suffolk | C | 1.5 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 46 | Ramsey Cambridgeshire | C | 2.5 | 72% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 47 | Ilminster Somerset | C− | 2.3 | 61% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 48 | Ottery St Mary Devon | C− | 1.2 | 71% | 1.7 | 34% |
| 49 | Studley Warwickshire | C− | 1.6 | 63% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 50 | Pembury Kent | C− | 1.1 | 45% | 2 | 58% |
| 51 | Stainforth South Yorkshire | C− | 2.2 | 80% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 52 | Purfleet-on-Thames Essex | C− | 0.9 | 64% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 53 | Cuddington Cheshire | C− | 1.5 | 66% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 54 | Withernsea East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 0.9 | 60% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Arlesey Bedfordshire | D | 0.9 | 51% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 56 | Finningley South Yorkshire | D | 2 | 65% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 57 | Werrington Staffordshire | D | 1.1 | 42% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 58 | Earls Barton Northamptonshire | D | 1.5 | 71% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 59 | Sawtry Cambridgeshire | D | 1.3 | 40% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 60 | Burwell Cambridgeshire | D− | 1.5 | 44% | 1.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Wareham’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 Wareham
The biggest is John Procter Memorial Ground, 6.7 ha (16 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Northmoor Park
Park or garden
2.1 ha (5 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Wareham
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
8 in 10 Wareham 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 (83%)Further (18%)
Wareham83%
Towns its size81%
Dorset towns77%
All UK towns83%
About 1,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 8 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 735 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Wareham
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
At the edge south-east1,129 km²since 195956% of the land within 5 km
Official siteNational Landscape
Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs
7.3 mi north-east986 km²since 1983
Official site56% of the land within 5 km of Wareham is National Park or National Landscape, more than 93% of UK towns. New Forest National Park covers 567 km² and has been a National Park since 2006.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
7 waymarked walks pass through or near Wareham
44 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Wareham and the kilometre around it, 3.4 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Poole Harbour Trails 411.8 km
Purbeck Way8.0 km
The Hardy Way7.9 km
Frome Valley Way6.0 km
Wareham Forest Way3.9 km
Poole Harbour Trails 32.8 km
Poole Harbour Trails 5b1.4 km
Close to home, the Poole Harbour Trails 4 has 12 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 2 regional routes pass through, including the Purbeck Way and The Hardy 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 Wareham: 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 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 93 | 67 | 57 | 56 | 48 | 51 | 47 | 59 | 65 | 101 | 111 | 105 |
July is the driest month (47 mm) and the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 111 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 38 nights a year. The climate in Wareham →
The coast
Wareham is near the sea
5% of the area within 5 km of Wareham is sea. 3 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 0 with a name.
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
8 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.
1Viewpoints2Hills and peaks3Picnic sites8Playgroundsabout the same as towns its size3Campsites3× towns its size1Slipways
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 2
Little Ovens Hill37 m (121 ft) · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsGreat Ovens Hill40 m (131 ft) · 1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 8
Hauses Field Play Areain town
DirectionsWoodlands Play Area0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 3
Frome View0.5 mi from town
DirectionsRed Cliff0.5 mi from town
DirectionsRidge Farm0.7 mi from town
DirectionsSlipways 1
Plus 1 slipway 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.
SandfordWoolLytchett MatraversUptonBere RegisCorfe MullenWareham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wareham | A | 1.9 | 83% | 56% |
| Sandford 1.2 mi | B | 0.3 | 43% | 41% |
| Wool 4.7 mi | C+ | 2.3 | 51% | 33% |
| Lytchett Matravers 4.8 mi | C− | 1.2 | 83% | 5% |
| Upton 4.9 mi | A+ | 9.1 | 84% | 18% |
| Bere Regis 6.1 mi | A | 39.2 | 100% | 0% |
| Corfe Mullen 6.8 mi | B+ | 3.1 | 72% | 13% |
Upton, 4.9 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 84% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Upton and Bere Regis have at least twice Wareham’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Wareham
What is the biggest park in Wareham?
John Procter Memorial Ground, 6.7 ha (16 acres). Northmoor Park (2.1 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Wareham near a National Park?
Yes. New Forest National Park begins 15 mi north-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 Dorset National Landscape, at the edge of the town.
What are the best walks near Wareham?
7 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Poole Harbour Trails 4, Purbeck Way and The Hardy Way.
How many people in Wareham live near a park?
83% 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 Wareham?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Wareham good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.4 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 68% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 42% (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 Wareham’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Wareham’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.