Emsworth’s biggest
Hollybank Ground
Playing field
2.0 ha (5 acres)0.2 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Jonathan Thacker · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Emsworth · parks, paths & countryside
Emsworth is on the coast, on the King Charles III England Coast Path
The sea makes up 22% of the area within 5 km. The Chichester Harbour National Landscape and the South Downs National Park both begin about a mile from the town’s edge. 68 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 3.7 for every square kilometre. Emsworth grades A for the outdoors: #25 of 76 in Hampshire. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
56%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
68 km
3.7 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
51%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Chichester Harbour National Landscape
The sea
22%
of the area within 5 km
A coastal town
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Emsworth?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
On the coast22% of the area within 5 km is sea; 42 beaches mapped.Protected countryside51% of the land within 5 km is Chichester Harbour National Landscape.On a National TrailThe King Charles III England Coast Path passes through.Parks can be a walk away45% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Emsworth’s strongest suit is the sea, followed by protected countryside on the doorstep. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Outdoors grade
Emsworth grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Emsworth, 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 88% of UK towns#25 of 76 in Hampshire · 10th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
55out of
100
100
A park within a walk56%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
17out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape51%of the land within 5 km
92out of
100
100
Footpaths3.7 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
75out of
100
100
The sea22%of the area within 5 km
90out 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
Emsworth is 10th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 11,000 to 12,100 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
Emsworth3.7
Towns its size2.9
Hampshire towns3.3
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Emsworth2.3
Towns its size2.0
Hampshire towns2.8
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Emsworth56%
Towns its size85%
Hampshire towns80%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Emsworth stands out most for path per km²: only 22 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 | Tring Hertfordshire | A+ | 5.7 | 95% | 4.8 | 57% |
| 2 | Snodland Kent | A+ | 7.7 | 97% | 4.4 | 44% |
| 3 | Chepstow Gwent | A+ | 1.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 30% |
| 4 | Minehead Somerset | A+ | 1.4 | 95% | 4.3 | 47% |
| 5 | Weybourne Surrey | A+ | 7.1 | 86% | 6.1 | 14% |
| 6 | Brockworth Gloucestershire | A+ | 2.5 | 95% | 5.1 | 46% |
| 7 | Waltham Cross Hertfordshire | A | 10.6 | 100% | 5.6 | 0% |
| 8 | Holyhead Gwynedd | A | 3.4 | 78% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 9 | Penryn Cornwall | A | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 31% |
| 10 | Emsworth Hampshire | A | 2.3 | 56% | 3.7 | 51% |
| 11 | Sandown Isle of Wight | A | 1.4 | 74% | 4.5 | 28% |
| 12 | Great Harwood Lancashire | A | 2.2 | 97% | 4.3 | 4% |
| 13 | Dawlish Devon | A | 2.1 | 93% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 14 | Bradwell Norfolk | A− | 2 | 80% | 2.7 | 31% |
| 15 | Matlock Derbyshire | A− | 2.9 | 76% | 4.7 | 20% |
| 16 | Conisbrough South Yorkshire | A− | 5.3 | 99% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 17 | Southwater West Sussex | A− | 3.4 | 82% | 3.7 | 3% |
| 18 | Barton-upon-Humber Lincolnshire | A− | 5.9 | 97% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Uppermill Greater Manchester | A− | 2.4 | 70% | 4.8 | 27% |
| 20 | Kearsley Greater Manchester | A− | 3.4 | 91% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 21 | Cleckheaton West Yorkshire | B+ | 3.3 | 98% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 22 | New Milton Hampshire | B+ | 2.3 | 75% | 1.9 | 38% |
| 23 | Blandford Forum Dorset | B+ | 2.1 | 90% | 2.2 | 72% |
| 24 | Haslemere Surrey | B+ | 1 | 78% | 5.1 | 80% |
| 25 | Bentley South Yorkshire | B+ | 3.4 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 26 | Worsley Greater Manchester | B+ | 4.7 | 86% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 27 | South Elmsall West Yorkshire | B+ | 9 | 92% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 28 | Oxted Surrey | B | 2.1 | 84% | 2.8 | 28% |
| 29 | Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire | B | 2.4 | 70% | 2.9 | 53% |
| 30 | Buckhurst Hill Essex | B | 4.5 | 64% | 6.3 | 0% |
| 31 | Warmsworth South Yorkshire | B | 2.7 | 79% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 32 | Gillingham Dorset | B | 1.9 | 91% | 2.6 | 3% |
| 33 | Shirebrook Derbyshire | B | 1.8 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 34 | Sandbach Cheshire | B− | 2.5 | 87% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 35 | Helston Cornwall | B− | 1.3 | 61% | 2.7 | 21% |
| 36 | Ystrad Mynach Gwent | B− | 5.4 | 85% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 37 | Mossley Greater Manchester | B− | 0.9 | 74% | 4.5 | 14% |
| 38 | Lymm Cheshire | B− | 3.6 | 89% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Leatherhead Surrey | B− | 1 | 72% | 3.9 | 24% |
| 40 | Cambourne Cambridgeshire | B− | 0.7 | 91% | 7.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Kingsteignton Devon | B− | 1.9 | 95% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Bolsover Derbyshire | C+ | 1.9 | 85% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 43 | Stanwell Surrey | C+ | 1.4 | 93% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 44 | Sandy Bedfordshire | C | 0.9 | 76% | 5.4 | 0% |
| 45 | Brimington Derbyshire | C | 1.2 | 72% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 46 | Ulverston Cumbria | C | 0.7 | 60% | 1.8 | 8% |
| 47 | Towcester Northamptonshire | C | 1.3 | 77% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 48 | Featherstone West Yorkshire | C | 2 | 77% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Attleborough Norfolk | C− | 1.8 | 93% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Cleveleys Lancashire | C− | 0.8 | 71% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 51 | Downham Market Norfolk | C− | 1.5 | 77% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 52 | Chatteris Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.4 | 94% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 53 | Cheadle Staffordshire | C− | 1.7 | 90% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 54 | Codsall Staffordshire | C− | 1.4 | 84% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 55 | Leominster Herefordshire | C− | 1.1 | 72% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Sarn Mid Glamorgan | D | 1.8 | 75% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 57 | Desborough Northamptonshire | D | 0.6 | 69% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 58 | Wetherby West Yorkshire | D | 0.5 | 14% | 3 | 0% |
| 59 | Tonyrefail Mid Glamorgan | D− | 0.7 | 48% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 60 | Watton Norfolk | D− | 0.5 | 28% | 1.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Emsworth’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 Emsworth
The biggest is Hollybank Ground, 2.0 ha (5 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
6 in 10 Emsworth 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 (56%)Further (45%)
Emsworth56%
Towns its size85%
Hampshire towns80%
All UK towns83%
About 5,100 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 29 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 397 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
Chichester Harbour and South Downs both start about a mile from Emsworth
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
Chichester Harbour
At the edge south73 km²since 196431% of the land within 5 km
Official siteNational Park
South Downs
0.4 mi north-east1,653 km²since 201020% of the land within 5 km
Official site51% of the land within 5 km of Emsworth is National Park or National Landscape, more than 91% of UK towns. South Downs National Park covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Emsworth is on the King Charles III England Coast Path
68 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Emsworth and the kilometre around it, 3.7 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalRegionalLocalOther waymarked
King Charles III England Coast Path: South Hayling to East Head13.5 km
Sussex Border Path13.5 km
The Shipwrights Way6.3 km
Solent Way4.4 km
Wayfarers Walk4.0 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: South Hayling to East Head: Alt Route via Warblington1.9 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: South Hayling to East Head: Thorney Island Bypass1.5 km
Staunton Way1.4 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: South Hayling to East Head: Emsworth Low Tide Alt Route0.8 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: Portsmouth to South Hayling0.8 km
Langstone Harbour Waterside Route0.8 km
Octagon Way0.5 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: South Hayling to East Head: Langstone Inland Alt Route0.4 km
The King Charles III England Coast Path, a national route, passes Emsworth. 4 regional routes pass through, including the Sussex Border Path, The Shipwrights Way, Solent Way and Wayfarers Walk.
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 Emsworth: May to August
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) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 93 | 64 | 57 | 57 | 49 | 59 | 55 | 62 | 73 | 99 | 106 | 106 |
May is the driest month (49 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 106 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 37 nights a year. The climate in Emsworth →
The coast
The coast and beaches near Emsworth
22% of the area within 5 km of Emsworth is sea. 42 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 2 with a name.
Prinsted Beach0.4 mi from town
DirectionsBosham Foreshore2.8 mi from town
DirectionsThe King Charles III England Coast Path passes the town.
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
2 viewpoints and 29 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.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Marina Farm2.9 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 29
Children's Apparatus0.4 mi from town
DirectionsHavant Park Playground1.0 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 27 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Paw Paddock0.3 mi from town
DirectionsSlipways 8
Public Slipway0.4 mi from town
DirectionsNorthney Tidal Slipway1.0 mi from town
DirectionsNorthney Marina Slipway1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 5 slipways 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.
WestbourneSouthbourneHavantWest ThorneyHambrook and NutbourneRowlands CastleEmsworth
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emsworth | A | 2.3 | 56% | 51% |
| Westbourne 0.9 mi | A+ | 9.6 | 100% | 57% |
| Southbourne 1.2 mi | A | 1.3 | 92% | 64% |
| Havant 2.3 mi | A+ | 3.6 | 84% | 30% |
| West Thorney 2.3 mi | C− | 0.4 | 0% | 55% |
| Hambrook and Nutbourne 2.3 mi | C+ | 1.2 | 28% | 69% |
| Rowlands Castle 2.6 mi | A+ | 26.1 | 100% | 48% |
Westbourne, 0.9 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Westbourne and Rowlands Castle have at least twice Emsworth’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Emsworth
What is the biggest park in Emsworth?
Hollybank Ground, 2.0 ha (5 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Emsworth near a National Park?
Yes. South Downs National Park begins 0.4 mi north-east of the town’s edge. It covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Chichester Harbour National Landscape, at the edge of the town.
What are the best walks near Emsworth?
13 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the King Charles III England Coast Path: South Hayling to East Head, Sussex Border Path and The Shipwrights Way.
How many people in Emsworth live near a park?
56% 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 Emsworth?
May to August: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Emsworth good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.7 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 75% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 55% (2.3 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 Emsworth’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Emsworth’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.