Henlow’s biggest
Henlow Park
Park or garden
1.5 ha (4 acres)
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Henlow
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Matthew Sheasby · CC BY-SA 2.0BOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Henlow · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Henlow lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
The Chilterns National Landscape begins 4.2 mi from the village’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Henlow add up to 2.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 25 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 2.7 for every square kilometre. Henlow grades B for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
25 km
2.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Chilterns starts 4.2 mi out, past the 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors village is Henlow?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Countryside close byThe Chilterns National Landscape starts 4.2 mi south-west.
Henlow’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by the Chilterns National Landscape close by.
Outdoors grade
Henlow grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Henlow, 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 58% of UK towns20th of 60 UK villages its size
Public green space2.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
56out 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 · Chilterns begins just past 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths2.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
50out 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.
Villages its size
Henlow is 20th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,300 to 2,500 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
Henlow2.7
Villages its size2.2
Bedfordshire towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Henlow2.4
Villages its size2.2
Bedfordshire towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Henlow100%
Villages its size88%
Bedfordshire towns82%
All UK towns83%
Against villages its size, Henlow stands out most for path per km²: only 21 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rawnsley Staffordshire | A+ | 17.7 | 100% | 3.7 | 36% |
| 2 | Wolsingham County Durham | A+ | 2.7 | 100% | 3.9 | 55% |
| 3 | Eton Berkshire | A | 22.9 | 100% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 4 | Aldeburgh Suffolk | A | 2.3 | 88% | 2.3 | 41% |
| 5 | Lyndhurst Hampshire | A | 3.6 | 73% | 4.3 | 100% |
| 6 | St Margaret's at Cliffe Kent | A | 2.3 | 90% | 2.4 | 15% |
| 7 | Old Stratford Northamptonshire | A | 9.8 | 100% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 8 | Rowhedge Essex | A | 1.6 | 100% | 6.4 | 0% |
| 9 | Little Clacton Essex | A− | 3.6 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 10 | Awsworth Nottinghamshire | A− | 2.4 | 100% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 11 | Upton upon Severn Worcestershire | A− | 4.9 | 90% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 12 | Colerne Wiltshire | A− | 3.1 | 86% | 2.4 | 84% |
| 13 | West Wick Somerset | A− | 1.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 16% |
| 14 | Tanfield Lea County Durham | A− | 3.8 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 15 | Higher Folds Greater Manchester | A− | 2.8 | 90% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Sway Hampshire | B+ | 2.9 | 38% | 4 | 74% |
| 17 | Kington Herefordshire | B+ | 3.9 | 89% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 18 | Williton Somerset | B+ | 1.1 | 88% | 2.1 | 31% |
| 19 | Cotford St Luke Somerset | B+ | 2.2 | 100% | 2.2 | 6% |
| 20 | Henlow Bedfordshire | B | 2.4 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Chattenden Kent | B | 1.4 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 22 | Farndon Nottinghamshire | B | 3.8 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 23 | Middlestown and Overton West Yorkshire | B− | 1.5 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 24 | Alresford Essex | B− | 1.3 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 25 | Watlington Oxfordshire | B− | 2.3 | 67% | 2.4 | 55% |
| 26 | Wootton (Vale of White Horse) Oxfordshire | B− | 3.4 | 84% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 27 | Redlynch and Woodfalls Wiltshire | B− | 2.1 | 34% | 3.1 | 59% |
| 28 | Kelvedon Hatch Essex | B− | 7.3 | 77% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 29 | Llanrwst Clwyd | C+ | 2.2 | 75% | 1.6 | 45% |
| 30 | Crossways Dorset | C+ | 0.5 | 100% | 1.8 | 22% |
| 31 | Renishaw Derbyshire | C+ | 0.6 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Shelley Essex | C+ | 0.7 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 33 | Hendreforgan Mid Glamorgan | C+ | 2.7 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 34 | Grendon Warwickshire | C+ | 8.1 | 71% | 2 | 0% |
| 35 | Coven Staffordshire | C+ | 3.6 | 87% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Ruspidge Gloucestershire | C+ | 2 | 46% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 37 | Whittington Staffordshire | C | 7.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 38 | Great Houghton South Yorkshire | C | 1.8 | 100% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 39 | Pontycymer Mid Glamorgan | C | 2.2 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 40 | Tycroes Dyfed | C | 3.5 | 80% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 41 | South Milford North Yorkshire | C | 1.7 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 42 | Bugle Cornwall | C− | 1.8 | 92% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Eggborough North Yorkshire | C− | 1.5 | 100% | 1 | 0% |
| 44 | Hambleton Lancashire | C− | 2.3 | 14% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 45 | Wilstead Bedfordshire | C− | 1.7 | 88% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Willaston (Cheshire West and Chester) Cheshire | C− | 4.2 | 60% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 47 | Upper Heyford Oxfordshire | C− | 1.1 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 48 | Aberfan Mid Glamorgan | C− | 4.5 | 58% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Cornforth County Durham | C− | 1.9 | 66% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Maulden Bedfordshire | D | 0.9 | 55% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 51 | East Harling Norfolk | D | 1.7 | 85% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 52 | Llanhilleth Gwent | D | 1.3 | 71% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Mawsley Village Northamptonshire | D | 1.5 | 71% | 2 | 0% |
| 54 | Leyburn North Yorkshire | D | 0.6 | 22% | 2 | 16% |
| 55 | Broughton Lancashire | D | 1.7 | 45% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 56 | Parbold Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 36% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 57 | Aston-on-Trent Derbyshire | D | 1.5 | 44% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Myerscough Smithy Lancashire | D | 0.5 | 45% | 3 | 0% |
| 59 | Garden City Clwyd | D− | 1.5 | 58% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Shipdham Norfolk | D− | 1 | 59% | 0.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Henlow’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 Henlow
The biggest is Henlow Park, 1.5 ha (4 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
How close Henlow’s homes are to 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%)
Henlow100%
Villages its size88%
Bedfordshire towns82%
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 272 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Chilterns National Landscape is 4.2 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 Henlow scores 0% on it even though the Chilterns National Landscape is 4.2 mi away.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
3 waymarked walks pass through or near Henlow
25 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Henlow and the kilometre around it, 2.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
LocalOther waymarked
Kingfisher Way7.4 km
Hicca Way4.1 km
Etonbury Green Wheel4.0 km
Close to home, the Kingfisher Way has 7 km of local walk within 2 km of the village.
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 Henlow: 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) | 8.2 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.7 | 16.7 | 16.3 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 47 | 39 | 34 | 41 | 50 | 47 | 53 | 59 | 52 | 57 | 60 | 49 |
March is the driest month (34 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 60 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 43 nights a year. The climate in Henlow →
Things to do
9 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
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.
The nearest beaches
Henlow is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
The Beach10 mi from Henlow’s edge
DirectionsStort Beach23 mi from Henlow’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
Nature reserves 4
Millennium Meadow1.7 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsSeal Bank0.7 ha · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsHenlow Common and Langford Meadows Nature Reserve13 ha · 1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPix Brook Nature Reserve1.2 ha · 1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 9
Plus 9 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
Boyd Memorial Campsite and Activity Centre0.0 mi from town
DirectionsHenlow Bridge Lakes and Riverside0.3 mi from town
DirectionsNext door
The outdoors in nearby towns
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 12 miles. Tap a town for its outdoors page.
CliftonArleseyLangfordLower StondonSheffordMeppershallHenlow
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henlow | B | 2.4 | 100% | 0% |
| Clifton 0.8 mi | C− | 1.7 | 64% | 0% |
| Arlesey 1.5 mi | D | 0.9 | 51% | 0% |
| Langford 1.8 mi | D | 1.4 | 63% | 0% |
| Lower Stondon 2.0 mi | B− | 2.7 | 73% | 5% |
| Shefford 2.1 mi | D | 1.1 | 67% | 0% |
| Meppershall 2.4 mi | B | 2.3 | 83% | 2% |
Meppershall, 2.4 miles away, grades B, the best next door: 83% of its residents live within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Henlow
What is the biggest park in Henlow?
Henlow Park, 1.5 ha (4 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the village or within 400 m of it.
Is Henlow near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Chilterns National Landscape, 4.2 mi south-west of the village’s edge. It covers 838 km² and was designated in 1990.
What are the best walks near Henlow?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Kingfisher Way, Hicca Way and Etonbury Green Wheel.
What is the nearest beach to Henlow?
The Beach, 10 mi from the edge of the village, then Stort Beach (23 mi). Henlow itself is inland.
How many people in Henlow 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 Henlow?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Henlow good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 50% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 56% (2.4 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 Henlow’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Henlow’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.