Photo: Hassocks5489 · CC0Almost everyone in Otterbourne lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
The South Downs National Park reaches the edge of Otterbourne. Parks and playing fields in Otterbourne add up to 2.9 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 28 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 3.2 for every square kilometre. Otterbourne grades A for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors village is Otterbourne?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Otterbourne’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by protected countryside on the doorstep.
Otterbourne grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Otterbourne, 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.
Otterbourne is 4th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,200 to 1,300 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against villages its size, Otterbourne stands out most for path per km²: only 12 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huncoat Lancashire | A+ | 10.1 | 100% | 4.9 | 1% |
| 2 | Clanfield Hampshire | A+ | 6.1 | 100% | 2.9 | 78% |
| 3 | Kirton Suffolk | A+ | 2.5 | 100% | 2.3 | 50% |
| 4 | Otterbourne Hampshire | A | 2.9 | 100% | 3.2 | 25% |
| 5 | Thurgoland South Yorkshire | A | 2.5 | 100% | 4.1 | 1% |
| 6 | Box Hill Surrey | A | 35.9 | 12% | 6 | 39% |
| 7 | Cronton Merseyside | A | 6.8 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 8 | Chew Magna Somerset | A | 2.4 | 100% | 3 | 15% |
| 9 | Millhouse Green South Yorkshire | A | 1.9 | 100% | 3.6 | 18% |
| 10 | East Hanney Oxfordshire | A− | 5.7 | 100% | 1.8 | 4% |
| 11 | Harlech Gwynedd | A− | 1.9 | 36% | 3.5 | 67% |
| 12 | Bonds Lancashire | A− | 1.7 | 100% | 3.5 | 16% |
| 13 | Bradpole Dorset | A− | 0.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 95% |
| 14 | Felsted Essex | A− | 7.5 | 81% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 15 | Westfield East Sussex | B+ | 1.9 | 100% | 1.9 | 83% |
| 16 | Tregarth Gwynedd | B+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.9 | 23% |
| 17 | Bierton Buckinghamshire | B+ | 5.8 | 70% | 7.7 | 0% |
| 18 | Walberton West Sussex | B+ | 1.8 | 100% | 1.9 | 39% |
| 19 | Sharpness Gloucestershire | B+ | 2.1 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 20 | Billy Row County Durham | B | 2.3 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 21 | Stoke Holy Cross Norfolk | B | 2.2 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 22 | Horton Kirby Kent | B | 5.9 | 78% | 1.7 | 21% |
| 23 | Bunbury Cheshire | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 24 | Talgarth Powys | B | 5.7 | 71% | 1.5 | 52% |
| 25 | Kilgetty Dyfed | B | 1 | 100% | 0.9 | 18% |
| 26 | Minster Lovell Oxfordshire | B | 3.6 | 79% | 1.5 | 37% |
| 27 | Sutton Benger Wiltshire | B | 2.7 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 28 | Eckington Worcestershire | B | 4.1 | 72% | 1.9 | 23% |
| 29 | Potten End Hertfordshire | B− | 2.4 | 73% | 2.2 | 44% |
| 30 | Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Oxfordshire | B− | 2.5 | 72% | 2.2 | 40% |
| 31 | Wyton Cambridgeshire | B− | 4.9 | 100% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 32 | Gilmorton Leicestershire | B− | 3.3 | 100% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 33 | Marlpit Hill Kent | B− | 2.5 | 0% | 2.9 | 35% |
| 34 | Chulmleigh Devon | C+ | 3.5 | 100% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 35 | Trimdon Grange County Durham | C+ | 2.1 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 36 | Sutton Common Suffolk | C+ | 0.8 | 51% | 3.9 | 85% |
| 37 | Thorpe on the Hill West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.2 | 64% | 4 | 0% |
| 38 | Ashill Norfolk | C+ | 3.7 | 82% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 39 | Westhampnett West Sussex | C | 0.2 | 79% | 2.6 | 33% |
| 40 | Ampleforth North Yorkshire | C | 2.3 | 27% | 1.7 | 95% |
| 41 | Bradfield Essex | C | 1.4 | 27% | 1.5 | 35% |
| 42 | Warwick Bridge Cumbria | C | 6.5 | 78% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 43 | Stoke Hampshire | C | 0.3 | 0% | 2 | 32% |
| 44 | West Clandon Surrey | C | 1.9 | 49% | 2.1 | 28% |
| 45 | Ponthir Gwent | C | 2.9 | 78% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 46 | Coedhirwaun West Glamorgan | C | 2 | 100% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 47 | South Killingholme Lincolnshire | C | 1.7 | 68% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 48 | Hanwood Shropshire | C− | 1.9 | 19% | 2.6 | 3% |
| 49 | Little Downham Cambridgeshire | C− | 2.8 | 61% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 50 | Trewoon Cornwall | D | 0.9 | 71% | 1.7 | 6% |
| 51 | Blyth Nottinghamshire | D | 2.5 | 76% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 52 | Burton on the Wolds Leicestershire | D | 2.5 | 31% | 2 | 0% |
| 53 | Southery Norfolk | D | 2 | 61% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 54 | Dishforth North Yorkshire | D | 2.3 | 68% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 55 | Fleet Hargate Lincolnshire | D | 1.7 | 76% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Elvington North Yorkshire | D | 2.1 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Felton Northumberland | D− | 1.7 | 50% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 58 | Sutton on Trent Nottinghamshire | D− | 0.5 | 39% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 59 | Walsham le Willows Suffolk | D− | 0.4 | 0% | 2 | 0% |
| 60 | Helpston Cambridgeshire | D− | 0 | 0% | 1.7 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Otterbourne’s built-up area.
How close Otterbourne’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).
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 14 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 89 residents.
National Parks and National Landscapes around Otterbourne
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.
25% of the land within 5 km of Otterbourne is National Park or National Landscape, more than 81% of UK towns. South Downs National Park covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010.
7 waymarked walks pass through or near Otterbourne
28 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Otterbourne and the kilometre around it, 3.2 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
Close to home, the Otter Trail has 6 km of local walk within 2 km of the village. 3 regional routes pass through, including the Itchen Way, St James' Way and Monarch's 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 Otterbourne: 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 96 | 68 | 60 | 59 | 52 | 57 | 56 | 65 | 64 | 99 | 107 | 97 |
May is the driest month (52 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 107 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 49 nights a year. The climate in Otterbourne →
14 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
Otterbourne is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
Check the water before you swim. The Environment Agency tests designated bathing waters from May to September and publishes a rating for each beach.
Up high. Otterbourne Hill, at 91 m, is the highest named top within 2 km of Otterbourne.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 3
Plus 2 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 14
Plus 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otterbourne | A | 2.9 | 100% | 25% |
| Compton 0.5 mi | A− | 18.8 | 61% | 28% |
| Colden Common 1.4 mi | B+ | 2.7 | 82% | 35% |
| Twyford 1.5 mi | A− | 6.8 | 49% | 44% |
| Chandler's Ford 2.4 mi | A− | 2.7 | 80% | 6% |
| Eastleigh 2.6 mi | A− | 3.0 | 76% | 17% |
| Winchester 3.9 mi | B | 1.2 | 79% | 35% |
Otterbourne grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table. Compton and Twyford have at least twice Otterbourne’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Otterbourne
Is Otterbourne near a National Park?
South Downs National Park reaches the edge of Otterbourne. It covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010.
What are the best walks near Otterbourne?
7 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Keble Way, Itchen Way and St James' Way.
What is the nearest beach to Otterbourne?
Calshot Beach, 13 mi from the edge of the village, then Hill Head Beach (14 mi). Otterbourne itself is inland.
How many people in Otterbourne 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 Otterbourne?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Otterbourne good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.2 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 65% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 68% (2.9 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 Otterbourne’s overall grade.
Where Otterbourne’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.