Photo: Mike Faherty · CC BY-SA 2.0Parks and walks in West Parley
The New Forest National Park begins 3.3 mi from the town’s edge. 20% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Footpaths add up to 46 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.5 for every square kilometre. West Parley grades C− for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is West Parley?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
West Parley’s strongest suit is two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
West Parley grades C− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is West Parley, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
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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.
West Parley is 45th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,500 to 3,800 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against towns its size, West Parley stands out most for path per km²: only 14 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 56 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trimley St Mary Suffolk | A+ | 2.3 | 100% | 3.8 | 34% |
| 2 | Tutshill and Sedbury Gloucestershire | A+ | 2.5 | 87% | 4.5 | 32% |
| 3 | Marsden West Yorkshire | A | 1.9 | 100% | 6.5 | 33% |
| 4 | Leonard Stanley and King's Stanley Gloucestershire | A | 2 | 100% | 4.6 | 51% |
| 5 | Cuckfield West Sussex | A | 6.7 | 70% | 4.9 | 49% |
| 6 | Lingfield Surrey | A | 3.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 16% |
| 7 | Bethesda Gwynedd | A | 2.5 | 90% | 3.2 | 49% |
| 8 | Church Stretton Shropshire | A− | 2.2 | 68% | 4.7 | 92% |
| 9 | Kingswood Surrey | A− | 4.6 | 27% | 6.3 | 17% |
| 10 | Stanstead Abbotts Hertfordshire | B+ | 2.5 | 92% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 11 | Keresley Newlands Warwickshire | B+ | 4.4 | 89% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 12 | Harriseahead, Mow Cop and Newchapel Staffordshire | B+ | 4.2 | 86% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 13 | Watchet Somerset | B+ | 1.3 | 86% | 2 | 18% |
| 14 | Chartham Kent | B | 2.3 | 67% | 3.3 | 44% |
| 15 | Lyme Regis Dorset | B | 1.4 | 60% | 2.5 | 56% |
| 16 | Roade Northamptonshire | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 17 | Mayland Essex | B | 2.6 | 91% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 18 | Martham Norfolk | B | 1.7 | 74% | 1.8 | 45% |
| 19 | Sturminster Newton Dorset | B | 1.4 | 85% | 3.6 | 5% |
| 20 | Belton Norfolk | B− | 1.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 48% |
| 21 | Whitwell Derbyshire | B− | 1.7 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 22 | Lower Nazeing Essex | B− | 23.8 | 58% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 23 | Worlingham Suffolk | B− | 1.5 | 100% | 1.4 | 24% |
| 24 | Pulborough West Sussex | B− | 1.4 | 77% | 2.7 | 50% |
| 25 | Bembridge Isle of Wight | B− | 1.5 | 50% | 2.3 | 7% |
| 26 | Penllergaer West Glamorgan | B− | 21 | 83% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 27 | Langport Somerset | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 28 | Cardigan Dyfed | B− | 1.9 | 69% | 1.4 | 13% |
| 29 | Kingskerswell Devon | C+ | 3.5 | 76% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 30 | Oakworth West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.3 | 84% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 31 | Fradley Staffordshire | C+ | 2.7 | 82% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Tutbury Staffordshire | C+ | 2.5 | 90% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 33 | Great Lumley County Durham | C+ | 1.4 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 34 | Norton Fitzwarren Somerset | C+ | 1.3 | 35% | 5.2 | 6% |
| 35 | Hatfield Peverel Essex | C | 2 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 36 | Coggeshall Essex | C | 2.1 | 84% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 37 | Bransgore Hampshire | C | 1.9 | 71% | 1.2 | 49% |
| 38 | Cowbridge South Glamorgan | C | 1.2 | 86% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Haltwhistle Northumberland | C | 1.5 | 59% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 40 | Glemsford Suffolk | C− | 1.1 | 84% | 3 | 0% |
| 41 | Bramhope West Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 0% | 2.7 | 2% |
| 42 | Hawkhurst Kent | C− | 1.1 | 60% | 1.4 | 100% |
| 43 | Fulbourn Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.7 | 74% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Pwllheli Gwynedd | C− | 0.1 | 23% | 1.3 | 2% |
| 45 | West Parley Dorset | C− | 1.6 | 20% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 46 | Bloxham Oxfordshire | C− | 2.6 | 71% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 47 | Kempsey Worcestershire | D | 0.9 | 40% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 48 | Windlesham Surrey | D | 2 | 57% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Hoveton and Wroxham Norfolk | D | 1.4 | 65% | 0.8 | 18% |
| 50 | Langford Bedfordshire | D | 1.4 | 63% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 51 | Spilsby Lincolnshire | D | 0 | 0% | 2.2 | 23% |
| 52 | Wilsden West Yorkshire | D | 0.6 | 61% | 3 | 0% |
| 53 | St Columb Major Cornwall | D | 1 | 89% | 1 | 0% |
| 54 | Willaston (Cheshire East) Cheshire | D | 1 | 82% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 55 | Bilton East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 1.3 | 66% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 56 | Llanbradach Gwent | D− | 1.2 | 52% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 57 | Upwell and Outwell Norfolk | D− | 1.8 | 43% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 58 | Wollaston Northamptonshire | D− | 1.2 | 11% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 59 | Llanharry Mid Glamorgan | D− | 0.6 | 50% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 60 | Copmanthorpe North Yorkshire | D− | 0.7 | 38% | 1.4 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is West Parley’s built-up area.
2 in 10 West Parley 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).
About 2,900 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 21 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 175 residents.
New Forest and Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs both start about 5 miles from West Parley
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.
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so West Parley scores 0% on it even though the New Forest National Park is 3.3 mi away. New Forest National Park covers 567 km² and has been a National Park since 2006.
2 waymarked walks pass through or near West Parley
46 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in West Parley and the kilometre around it, 3.5 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
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.
The best walking months in West Parley: 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 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 97 | 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 52 nights a year. The climate in West Parley →
2 viewpoints, 21 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
West Parley is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
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
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 5
Playgrounds 21
Plus 15 playgrounds without a name on the map.
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Parley | C− | 1.6 | 20% | 0% |
| Ferndown 1.1 mi | C | 0.7 | 13% | 0% |
| West Moors 2.1 mi | C− | 0.9 | 33% | 0% |
| Bearwood 2.5 mi | B+ | 2.5 | 100% | 0% |
| Bournemouth 3.5 mi | A− | 1.9 | 81% | 1% |
| Merley 3.6 mi | B+ | 3.9 | 64% | 6% |
| Wimborne Minster 3.9 mi | B | 2.7 | 51% | 17% |
Bournemouth, 3.5 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: 81% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Merley has at least twice West Parley’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in West Parley
Is West Parley 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.
What are the best walks near West Parley?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Stour Valley Way and Ferndown, Stour and Forest Trail.
What is the nearest beach to West Parley?
Bournemouth East Beach, 3.7 mi from the edge of the town, then Bournemouth West Beach (3.8 mi). West Parley itself is inland.
How many people in West Parley live near a park?
20% 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 West Parley?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is West Parley good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.5 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 70% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 31% (1.6 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 West Parley’s overall grade.
Where West Parley’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.