Marlow Bottom’s biggest
Campbell Road Play Area
Play space · 380 m outside town
0.1 ha (0 acres)
0.9 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Andrew Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0COutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Marlow Bottom · parks, paths & countryside
Marlow Bottom is inside the Chilterns National Landscape
Parks and playing fields in Marlow Bottom add up to 0.5 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 40% of residents. Marlow Bottom grades C for the outdoors: #35 of 39 in Buckinghamshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
0.5 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
40%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
33 km
3.4 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
50%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Chilterns National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Marlow Bottom?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Inside the Chilterns National LandscapeMarlow Bottom sits inside it: 838 km² of protected landscape.On a National TrailThe Thames Path passes through.Less park per person0.5 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Marlow Bottom’s strongest suit is a protected landscape all round, followed by the Thames Path. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Marlow Bottom grades C for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Marlow Bottom, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
C
Better than 31% of UK towns#35 of 39 in Buckinghamshire · 34th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space0.5 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
4out of
100
100
A park within a walk40%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
9out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape50%of the land within 5 km
92out 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
Marlow Bottom is 34th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,200 to 3,500 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
Marlow Bottom3.4
Towns its size2.4
Buckinghamshire towns3.2
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Marlow Bottom0.5
Towns its size1.9
Buckinghamshire towns2.4
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Marlow Bottom40%
Towns its size78%
Buckinghamshire towns74%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Marlow Bottom stands out most for path per km²: only 11 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 57 of the others do better.
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 | Silsoe Bedfordshire | A+ | 6.6 | 100% | 3.8 | 2% |
| 3 | Goring Oxfordshire | A+ | 3 | 100% | 3.2 | 98% |
| 4 | Bakewell Derbyshire | A | 5.5 | 91% | 2.7 | 98% |
| 5 | Talke and Talke Pits Staffordshire | A | 16.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 6 | Broadwell and Coalway Gloucestershire | A | 2.8 | 72% | 5.5 | 38% |
| 7 | Elsenham Essex | A− | 3 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 8 | Neyland Dyfed | A− | 3 | 93% | 1.2 | 13% |
| 9 | Birdwell South Yorkshire | A− | 3.6 | 90% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 10 | Addingham West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.8 | 93% | 3 | 32% |
| 11 | Newlyn Cornwall | B+ | 1.5 | 67% | 3.2 | 24% |
| 12 | St Agnes Cornwall | B+ | 1 | 81% | 3 | 5% |
| 13 | Mickletown West Yorkshire | B+ | 3.3 | 93% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 14 | Elton Cheshire | B | 1.9 | 100% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 15 | Madeley Staffordshire | B | 3.8 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 16 | Whalley Lancashire | B | 1.2 | 88% | 3.5 | 23% |
| 17 | Walton West Yorkshire | B | 12.3 | 78% | 3 | 0% |
| 18 | Treeton South Yorkshire | B | 4.4 | 63% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Fishbourne West Sussex | B | 1.9 | 38% | 2.5 | 47% |
| 20 | Westerham Kent | B | 1.9 | 61% | 3.5 | 66% |
| 21 | Fernhill Heath Worcestershire | B | 3.2 | 88% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 22 | Caddington Bedfordshire | B | 1.3 | 81% | 3.6 | 33% |
| 23 | Hemingford Grey Cambridgeshire | B | 1.9 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 24 | Sunniside Tyne and Wear | B | 2.1 | 87% | 4 | 0% |
| 25 | Istead Rise Kent | B− | 1.9 | 82% | 2.7 | 15% |
| 26 | Pangbourne Berkshire | B− | 2.9 | 61% | 2 | 85% |
| 27 | Ruabon Clwyd | B− | 3.8 | 69% | 1.9 | 20% |
| 28 | Dunton Green Kent | B− | 1 | 82% | 2.7 | 69% |
| 29 | Stalham Norfolk | B− | 1.9 | 85% | 2 | 23% |
| 30 | Fishguard Dyfed | C+ | 0.8 | 64% | 2.1 | 23% |
| 31 | Highley Shropshire | C+ | 3.4 | 73% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 32 | Pegswood Northumberland | C+ | 1.3 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 33 | Leadgate County Durham | C+ | 1.5 | 91% | 1.9 | 1% |
| 34 | Marlow Bottom Buckinghamshire | C | 0.5 | 40% | 3.4 | 50% |
| 35 | Ashburton Devon | C | 1.7 | 74% | 1 | 60% |
| 36 | Somersham Cambridgeshire | C | 2.7 | 81% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 37 | Earls Colne Essex | C | 1.4 | 91% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 38 | Bedale North Yorkshire | C | 3.6 | 78% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 39 | Alvechurch Worcestershire | C | 2.2 | 84% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 40 | Adderbury and Twyford Oxfordshire | C | 1.7 | 89% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 41 | Laceby Lincolnshire | C | 1.6 | 64% | 2.1 | 18% |
| 42 | Eastchurch Kent | C | 1.9 | 72% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 43 | Nettleham Lincolnshire | C | 4.2 | 74% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 44 | Sapcote Leicestershire | C− | 2.4 | 67% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 45 | Bishopthorpe North Yorkshire | C− | 3.2 | 51% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 46 | Astwood Bank Worcestershire | C− | 0.9 | 79% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 47 | Talbot Green Mid Glamorgan | D | 0.7 | 66% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 48 | Wadhurst East Sussex | D | 0.9 | 19% | 1.2 | 100% |
| 49 | Chapel St Leonards Lincolnshire | D | 0.4 | 53% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 50 | Messingham Lincolnshire | D | 3.4 | 46% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 51 | Eglwys-Brewis South Glamorgan | D | 0.3 | 0% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 52 | Iver Buckinghamshire | D | 1.3 | 60% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 53 | Cherry Willingham Lincolnshire | D | 1 | 79% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 54 | Spixworth Norfolk | D | 0.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 5% |
| 55 | Heckington Lincolnshire | D | 1.4 | 68% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 56 | New Tredegar Gwent | D− | 1.4 | 68% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 57 | Headcorn Kent | D− | 1.6 | 48% | 1 | 0% |
| 58 | Dunnington North Yorkshire | D− | 0.8 | 44% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Upper Tean Staffordshire | D− | 0.6 | 60% | 0.8 | 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 Marlow Bottom’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 Marlow Bottom
The biggest is Campbell Road Play Area, 0.1 ha (0 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
4 in 10 Marlow Bottom 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 (40%)Further (60%)
Marlow Bottom40%
Towns its size78%
Buckinghamshire towns74%
All UK towns83%
About 2,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 14 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 239 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Marlow Bottom
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
Chilterns
Marlow Bottom is inside it838 km²since 199050% of the land within 5 km
Official site50% of the land within 5 km of Marlow Bottom is National Park or National Landscape, more than 91% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Marlow Bottom is on the Thames Path
33 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Marlow Bottom 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.
NationalRegional
The Chiltern Way7.5 km
Shakespeare's Way2.2 km
Thames Path0.8 km
European walking route E2 west, UK, South East England0.8 km
The Thames Path, a national route, passes Marlow Bottom. 2 regional routes pass through, including the The Chiltern Way and Shakespeare's 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 Marlow Bottom: 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) | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 71 | 59 | 52 | 55 | 54 | 58 | 57 | 68 | 62 | 84 | 90 | 78 |
March is the driest month (52 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 90 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 49 nights a year. The climate in Marlow Bottom →
Things to do
14 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
Marlow Bottom is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Amity Beach17 mi from Marlow Bottom’s edge
DirectionsHog Hole22 mi from Marlow Bottom’s edge
DirectionsThe Hollows22 mi from Marlow Bottom’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 14
Campbell Road Playground0.2 mi from town
DirectionsNewfield Gardens Playground0.6 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 12 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Slipways 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.
MarlowLane EndHigh WycombeCookhamHurleyBourne EndMarlow Bottom
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlow Bottom | C | 0.5 | 40% | 50% |
| Marlow 1.1 mi | B+ | 1.9 | 73% | 39% |
| Lane End 2.9 mi | A+ | 3.1 | 92% | 90% |
| High Wycombe 3.1 mi | B+ | 1.6 | 68% | 67% |
| Cookham 3.3 mi | A+ | 8.3 | 96% | 19% |
| Hurley 3.3 mi | A | 3.1 | 100% | 36% |
| Bourne End 3.3 mi | A | 2.9 | 87% | 19% |
Cookham, 3.3 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 96% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Marlow, Lane End and High Wycombe have at least twice Marlow Bottom’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Marlow Bottom
What is the biggest park in Marlow Bottom?
Campbell Road Play Area, 0.1 ha (0 acres), just outside the built-up area. 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
What are the best walks near Marlow Bottom?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the The Chiltern Way, Shakespeare's Way and Thames Path.
What is the nearest beach to Marlow Bottom?
Amity Beach, 17 mi from the edge of the town, then Hog Hole (22 mi). Marlow Bottom itself is inland.
How many people in Marlow Bottom live near a park?
40% 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 Marlow Bottom?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Marlow Bottom 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 4% (0.5 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 Marlow Bottom’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Marlow Bottom’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.