Water Orton’s biggest
Lanchester Park
Park or garden · 60 m outside town
4.5 ha (11 acres)0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: MaryCleary · CC BY-SA 3.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Water Orton · parks, paths & countryside
Water Orton has more park space per resident than nearly 9 in 10 UK towns
Parks and playing fields in Water Orton add up to 5.3 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 44 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.4 for every square kilometre. 82% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Water Orton grades B+ for the outdoors: #8 of 34 in Warwickshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
5.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
82%
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
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Cannock Chase National Landscape
Outdoors grade
Water Orton grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Water Orton, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
B+
Better than 65% of UK towns#8 of 34 in Warwickshire · 16th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space5.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
88out of
100
100
A park within a walk82%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
51out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths3.4 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
69out 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
Water Orton is 16th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,300 to 3,600 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
Water Orton3.4
Towns its size2.7
Warwickshire towns2.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Water Orton5.3
Towns its size2.2
Warwickshire towns2.3
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Water Orton82%
Towns its size83%
Warwickshire towns88%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Water Orton stands out most for park space per resident: only 9 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minchinhampton Gloucestershire | A+ | 5.6 | 91% | 5.3 | 90% |
| 2 | Lane End Buckinghamshire | A+ | 3.1 | 92% | 4.7 | 90% |
| 3 | Silsoe Bedfordshire | A+ | 6.6 | 100% | 3.8 | 2% |
| 4 | Goring Oxfordshire | A+ | 3 | 100% | 3.2 | 98% |
| 5 | Talke and Talke Pits Staffordshire | A | 16.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 6 | Bishopston West Glamorgan | A | 3 | 47% | 3.1 | 41% |
| 7 | Kingsbury Warwickshire | A− | 17.2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 8 | Shenley Hertfordshire | A− | 6.1 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 9 | Elsenham Essex | A− | 3 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 10 | Westward Ho! Devon | A− | 12.3 | 63% | 1.7 | 18% |
| 11 | Taff's Well Mid Glamorgan | A− | 2.3 | 100% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 12 | Grassmoor Derbyshire | A− | 6.8 | 85% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 13 | Essington Staffordshire | B+ | 6.8 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Blaenau Ffestiniog Gwynedd | B+ | 3.6 | 70% | 2.5 | 78% |
| 15 | St Asaph Clwyd | B+ | 3.2 | 100% | 1.6 | 9% |
| 16 | Water Orton Warwickshire | B+ | 5.3 | 82% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 17 | Hartley Wintney Hampshire | B+ | 6.1 | 82% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 18 | Chartham Kent | B | 2.3 | 67% | 3.3 | 44% |
| 19 | Whalley Lancashire | B | 1.2 | 88% | 3.5 | 23% |
| 20 | Roade Northamptonshire | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Brockenhurst Hampshire | B | 1.8 | 63% | 3.3 | 98% |
| 22 | Llanfairfechan Clwyd | B | 1 | 48% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 23 | Sturminster Newton Dorset | B | 1.4 | 85% | 3.6 | 5% |
| 24 | Sunniside Tyne and Wear | B | 2.1 | 87% | 4 | 0% |
| 25 | Gunnislake and St Ann's Chapel Cornwall | B− | 2.5 | 64% | 2.3 | 66% |
| 26 | Istead Rise Kent | B− | 1.9 | 82% | 2.7 | 15% |
| 27 | Ruabon Clwyd | B− | 3.8 | 69% | 1.9 | 20% |
| 28 | Burtonwood Cheshire | B− | 3.3 | 93% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 29 | Theydon Bois Essex | B− | 2.4 | 70% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 30 | Castle Cary Somerset | B− | 2.2 | 91% | 3 | 0% |
| 31 | Pilsley and Lower Pilsley Derbyshire | B− | 1.9 | 91% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 32 | Bembridge Isle of Wight | B− | 1.5 | 50% | 2.3 | 7% |
| 33 | Kirkheaton West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.8 | 92% | 3 | 0% |
| 34 | Broomfield Essex | C+ | 2.7 | 45% | 5 | 0% |
| 35 | Fishguard Dyfed | C+ | 0.8 | 64% | 2.1 | 23% |
| 36 | Woodstock Oxfordshire | C+ | 1 | 80% | 3 | 11% |
| 37 | Boreham Essex | C+ | 1.1 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 38 | Thorpe Willoughby North Yorkshire | C | 0.4 | 92% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Cosby Leicestershire | C | 1.6 | 93% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 40 | Marden Kent | C | 1.8 | 71% | 2.1 | 3% |
| 41 | Upper Poppleton North Yorkshire | C | 2.9 | 82% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 42 | Alvechurch Worcestershire | C | 2.2 | 84% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 43 | Nettleham Lincolnshire | C | 4.2 | 74% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 44 | Goff's Oak Hertfordshire | C− | 2.4 | 41% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 45 | Holsworthy Devon | C− | 2.7 | 84% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Lytchett Matravers Dorset | C− | 1.2 | 83% | 1.2 | 5% |
| 47 | Tylorstown and Pontygwaith Mid Glamorgan | C− | 2.3 | 63% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 48 | Willand Devon | C− | 0.9 | 88% | 0.6 | 1% |
| 49 | Snaith East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 0.2 | 89% | 2 | 0% |
| 50 | Witham St Hughs Lincolnshire | D | 0.7 | 91% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Wadhurst East Sussex | D | 0.9 | 19% | 1.2 | 100% |
| 52 | Chapel St Leonards Lincolnshire | D | 0.4 | 53% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 53 | Lanchester County Durham | D | 1.4 | 70% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Bilsthorpe Nottinghamshire | D | 0.7 | 88% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 55 | Metheringham Lincolnshire | D | 0.8 | 44% | 3 | 0% |
| 56 | Cherry Willingham Lincolnshire | D | 1 | 79% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 57 | Spixworth Norfolk | D | 0.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 5% |
| 58 | Wollaston Northamptonshire | D− | 1.2 | 11% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 59 | Barlby North Yorkshire | D− | 0.2 | 0% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Bawtry South Yorkshire | D− | 0.5 | 49% | 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 Water Orton’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 Water Orton
The biggest is Lanchester Park, 4.5 ha (11 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Old Saltleians Rugby Football Club
Playing field
6.7 ha (16 acres)
9 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Water Orton
Directionsto the nearest entrance
The Green
Park or garden
1.2 ha (3 acres)0.3 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Water Orton
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
8 in 10 Water Orton 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 (82%)Further (18%)
Water Orton82%
Towns its size83%
Warwickshire towns88%
All UK towns83%
About 600 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 20 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 174 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Cannock Chase National Landscape is 14 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
Footpaths & waymarked walks
2 waymarked walks pass through or near Water Orton
44 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Water Orton 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.
Local
The Tame Way - Canal Route3.8 km
The Tame Way - River Route1.1 km
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 Water Orton: May, July and 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) | 8.2 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.7 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.6 | 7.7 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 58 | 50 | 47 | 44 | 52 | 68 | 55 | 70 | 58 | 63 | 64 | 65 |
April is the driest month (44 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 70 mm of rain falls in August, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 42 nights a year. The climate in Water Orton →
Things to do
20 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
Water Orton is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
library11 mi from Water Orton’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
Playgrounds 20
Cole End Playground0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 19 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.
CurdworthColeshillKingsburyHurleyRoyal Sutton ColdfieldWood End (North Warwickshire)Water Orton
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Orton | B+ | 5.3 | 82% | 0% |
| Curdworth 1.1 mi | B− | 2.9 | 100% | 0% |
| Coleshill 1.6 mi | D | 1.3 | 69% | 0% |
| Kingsbury 4.2 mi | A− | 17.2 | 100% | 0% |
| Hurley 5.0 mi | C | 2.8 | 75% | 0% |
| Royal Sutton Coldfield 5.1 mi | B− | 6.1 | 64% | 0% |
| Wood End (North Warwickshire) 6.0 mi | D | 1.1 | 74% | 0% |
Kingsbury, 4.2 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Kingsbury has at least twice Water Orton’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Water Orton
What is the biggest park in Water Orton?
Lanchester Park, 4.5 ha (11 acres), with 0.9 km of path, just outside the built-up area. Old Saltleians Rugby Football Club (6.7 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Water Orton near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Cannock Chase National Landscape, 14 mi north-west of the town’s edge. It covers 69 km² and was designated in 1958.
What are the best walks near Water Orton?
2 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the The Tame Way - Canal Route and The Tame Way - River Route.
What is the nearest beach to Water Orton?
library, 11 mi from the edge of the town. Water Orton itself is inland.
How many people in Water Orton live near a park?
82% 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 Water Orton?
May, July and September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Water Orton good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.4 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 69% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 88% (5.3 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 Water Orton’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Water Orton’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.