Bearsted’s biggest
Mote Park
Park or garden
174 ha (431 acres)18.5 km of path
4 h 5 minto walk all 18.5 km of path
244 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi westfrom the centre
Long Valley
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Nigel Thompson · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Bearsted · parks, paths & countryside
39% of the land within 5 km of Bearsted is National Park or National Landscape
The Kent Downs National Landscape reaches the edge of Bearsted. Parks and playing fields in Bearsted add up to 5.5 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Footpaths add up to 58 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.5 for every square kilometre. Bearsted grades A for the outdoors: #24 of 87 in Kent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
5.5 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
76%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
58 km
3.5 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
39%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Kent Downs National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Bearsted?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Protected countryside39% of the land within 5 km is Kent Downs National Landscape.Room to roam5.5 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 88% of UK towns.Historic parksMote Park is a registered historic park (Grade II).
Bearsted’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep, followed by plenty of park space.
Outdoors grade
Bearsted grades A for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Bearsted, 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#24 of 87 in Kent · 14th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space5.5 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
89out of
100
100
A park within a walk76%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
39out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape39%of the land within 5 km
88out of
100
100
Footpaths3.5 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
71out 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
Bearsted is 14th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 7,900 to 8,800 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
Bearsted3.5
Towns its size2.8
Kent towns2.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Bearsted5.5
Towns its size2.2
Kent towns2.3
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Bearsted76%
Towns its size86%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Bearsted stands out most for park space per resident: only 4 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 39 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upton Dorset | A+ | 9.1 | 84% | 4.7 | 18% |
| 2 | Hawkinge Kent | A+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.2 | 74% |
| 3 | Chipping Sodbury Gloucestershire | A+ | 5.2 | 93% | 8.2 | 29% |
| 4 | Pool and Illogan Cornwall | A+ | 3.7 | 81% | 4 | 5% |
| 5 | Ecclesfield and Grenoside South Yorkshire | A+ | 5.1 | 94% | 5.2 | 2% |
| 6 | Stakeford Northumberland | A+ | 10 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 7 | Bargod Gwent | A | 13.6 | 100% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 8 | Storrington West Sussex | A | 5.5 | 85% | 3.2 | 54% |
| 9 | Wallingford Oxfordshire | A | 3.1 | 85% | 3.7 | 61% |
| 10 | East Cowes Isle of Wight | A | 1.4 | 96% | 3 | 8% |
| 11 | Brecon Powys | A | 3.2 | 86% | 3.2 | 61% |
| 12 | Ledbury Herefordshire | A | 3.3 | 89% | 3.1 | 34% |
| 13 | Penistone South Yorkshire | A | 2.6 | 97% | 3.9 | 9% |
| 14 | Bearsted Kent | A | 5.5 | 76% | 3.5 | 39% |
| 15 | Stonehouse Gloucestershire | A | 1.8 | 94% | 4.6 | 36% |
| 16 | Bursledon Hampshire | A | 2.6 | 90% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 17 | Richmond North Yorkshire | A | 2.4 | 96% | 3.9 | 7% |
| 18 | Maryport Cumbria | A− | 1.4 | 100% | 2.4 | 5% |
| 19 | Norton Canes Staffordshire | A− | 13.3 | 97% | 1.9 | 10% |
| 20 | Brightlingsea Essex | A− | 3 | 97% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 21 | Pembroke Dyfed | B+ | 2.2 | 91% | 1 | 31% |
| 22 | Longridge Lancashire | B+ | 1.9 | 89% | 3 | 32% |
| 23 | Coppull Lancashire | B+ | 4.6 | 85% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 24 | Hadleigh Suffolk | B+ | 2.6 | 87% | 2.7 | 10% |
| 25 | Runwell Essex | B+ | 5.1 | 92% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 26 | Pershore Worcestershire | B | 2.7 | 76% | 3.2 | 7% |
| 27 | Abergele Clwyd | B | 2.9 | 78% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 28 | Clayton-le-Moors Lancashire | B | 1.1 | 86% | 4.2 | 2% |
| 29 | Wendover Buckinghamshire | B | 1 | 58% | 5.6 | 60% |
| 30 | Alnwick Northumberland | B− | 2.2 | 67% | 3.4 | 7% |
| 31 | Twyford Berkshire | B− | 2.4 | 86% | 2.1 | 5% |
| 32 | Meltham West Yorkshire | B− | 1 | 63% | 5.3 | 27% |
| 33 | Stansted Mountfitchet Essex | B− | 0.8 | 96% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 34 | Denbigh Clwyd | B− | 1.3 | 96% | 2.3 | 5% |
| 35 | Fakenham Norfolk | C+ | 5.2 | 81% | 2 | 0% |
| 36 | Bewdley Worcestershire | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 37 | Crediton Devon | C+ | 2.4 | 89% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 38 | Seaton Delaval Northumberland | C+ | 0.5 | 66% | 4 | 0% |
| 39 | Atherstone Warwickshire | C+ | 2.7 | 88% | 2 | 0% |
| 40 | Ammanford Dyfed | C+ | 2.8 | 70% | 1.5 | 9% |
| 41 | Faringdon Oxfordshire | C | 1.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 42 | Silsden West Yorkshire | C | 0.8 | 67% | 3.5 | 1% |
| 43 | Rothwell Northamptonshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 44 | Southam Warwickshire | C | 2.3 | 86% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 45 | Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire | C | 2.1 | 38% | 2.3 | 2% |
| 46 | Hedon East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 0.9 | 74% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Sherburn in Elmet North Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 93% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 48 | Glastonbury Somerset | C− | 2 | 69% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 49 | Llanharan and Brynna Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1.7 | 97% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 50 | Hilton Derbyshire | C− | 1.1 | 89% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 51 | Radlett Hertfordshire | C− | 2.1 | 60% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 52 | East Leake Nottinghamshire | C− | 2.4 | 68% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 53 | Rainworth Nottinghamshire | C− | 0.5 | 65% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 54 | Penkridge Staffordshire | C− | 0.8 | 70% | 2.1 | 7% |
| 55 | Launceston Cornwall | C− | 2.1 | 66% | 0.9 | 1% |
| 56 | Swaffham Norfolk | D | 1 | 68% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 57 | Ashford Common Surrey | D | 0.8 | 62% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Tarleton and Hesketh Bank Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 63% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 59 | Coxheath Kent | D | 1.2 | 48% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Clydach West Glamorgan | D | 1.7 | 68% | 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 Bearsted’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 Bearsted
The biggest is Mote Park, 174 ha (431 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
The Green
Park or garden
1.9 ha (5 acres)
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi north-eastfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Weavering Diamond Jubilee Orchard
Park or garden · 360 m outside town
0.6 ha (2 acres)0.2 km of path
0.7 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
8 in 10 Bearsted 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 (76%)Further (24%)
Bearsted76%
Towns its size86%
Kent towns78%
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; 26 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 321 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Bearsted
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
Kent Downs
At the edge north-east879 km²since 196839% of the land within 5 km
Official site39% of the land within 5 km of Bearsted is National Park or National Landscape, more than 87% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
6 waymarked walks pass through or near Bearsted
58 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Bearsted and the kilometre around it, 3.5 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Len Valley Walk9.6 km
Scenic Green Trail Section 58.1 km
Scenic Green Trail Stage 46.4 km
Augustine Camino3.1 km
Scenic Green Trail Section 72.5 km
Scenic Green Trail Section 61.8 km
Close to home, the Len Valley Walk has 10 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. The regional route here is the Augustine Camino.
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
A registered historic park in Bearsted
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Bearsted’s named parks.
Registered · Grade IIMote Park2.4 ha
A listed building or monument counts when it sits inside the park’s OS Open Greenspace outline (to about 15 m), so a few at the boundary are included. Historic England, National Heritage List for England.
When to get out
The best walking months in Bearsted: 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 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 70 | 55 | 45 | 47 | 50 | 48 | 45 | 62 | 57 | 84 | 83 | 78 |
July is the driest month (45 mm) and the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 84 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 40 nights a year. The climate in Bearsted →
The coast
Beaches near Bearsted
0% of the area within 5 km of Bearsted is sea, so the Outdoors Grade counts it as inland. 1 beach is mapped within 5 km.
The Beach1.5 mi from town
DirectionsSea: 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
26 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
Nature reserves 2
Old Spot Lane Nature Area4.2 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsVinters Valley Nature Reserve25 ha · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 26
Plus 26 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.
MaidstoneKingswoodSutton ValenceCoxheathLenham and HarrietshamEcclesBearsted
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearsted | A | 5.5 | 76% | 39% |
| Maidstone 2.1 mi | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 20% |
| Kingswood 3.8 mi | B− | 3.8 | 23% | 11% |
| Sutton Valence 3.9 mi | C+ | 5.6 | 71% | 1% |
| Coxheath 4.0 mi | D | 1.2 | 48% | 0% |
| Lenham and Harrietsham 5.2 mi | B− | 1.4 | 88% | 47% |
| Eccles 5.3 mi | A | 3.7 | 100% | 30% |
Eccles, 5.3 miles away, grades A, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Bearsted
What is the biggest park in Bearsted?
Mote Park, 174 ha (431 acres), with 18.5 km of path. The Green (1.9 ha) is second. 3 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Bearsted near a National Park?
It covers 879 km² and was designated in 1968.
What are the best walks near Bearsted?
6 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Len Valley Walk, Scenic Green Trail Section 5 and Scenic Green Trail Stage 4. Mote Park alone has 18.5 km of path.
How many people in Bearsted live near a park?
76% 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 Bearsted?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Bearsted are historic?
Mote Park (Grade II) is on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Bearsted good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.5 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 71% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 89% (5.5 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 Bearsted’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Bearsted’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.