Chartham’s biggest
Memorial Field Playing Field
Playing field
1.8 ha (4 acres)0.2 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.4 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0BOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Chartham · parks, paths & countryside
44% of the land within 5 km of Chartham is National Park or National Landscape
The Kent Downs National Landscape reaches the edge of Chartham. Footpaths add up to 50 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 3.3 for every square kilometre. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 67% of residents. Chartham grades B for the outdoors: #42 of 87 in Kent. 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
67%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
50 km
3.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
44%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Kent Downs National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Chartham?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Protected countryside44% of the land within 5 km is Kent Downs National Landscape.On a National TrailThe North Downs Way passes through.Parks can be a walk away33% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Chartham’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep, followed by the North Downs Way. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Outdoors grade
Chartham grades B for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Chartham, 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 65% of UK towns#42 of 87 in Kent · 15th 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 walk67%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
28out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape44%of the land within 5 km
90out of
100
100
Footpaths3.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
66out 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
Chartham is 15th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,400 to 3,700 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
Chartham3.3
Towns its size2.7
Kent towns2.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Chartham2.3
Towns its size1.8
Kent towns2.3
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Chartham67%
Towns its size82%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Chartham stands out most for park space per resident: only 20 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 41 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tutshill and Sedbury Gloucestershire | A+ | 2.5 | 87% | 4.5 | 32% |
| 2 | Leonard Stanley and King's Stanley Gloucestershire | A | 2 | 100% | 4.6 | 51% |
| 3 | Lingfield Surrey | A | 3.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 16% |
| 4 | Bishopston West Glamorgan | A | 3 | 47% | 3.1 | 41% |
| 5 | Kingsbury Warwickshire | A− | 17.2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 6 | Shenley Hertfordshire | A− | 6.1 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 7 | Taff's Well Mid Glamorgan | A− | 2.3 | 100% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 8 | Grassmoor Derbyshire | A− | 6.8 | 85% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 9 | Church Stretton Shropshire | A− | 2.2 | 68% | 4.7 | 92% |
| 10 | Keresley Newlands Warwickshire | B+ | 4.4 | 89% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 11 | St Asaph Clwyd | B+ | 3.2 | 100% | 1.6 | 9% |
| 12 | Harriseahead, Mow Cop and Newchapel Staffordshire | B+ | 4.2 | 86% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 13 | Watchet Somerset | B+ | 1.3 | 86% | 2 | 18% |
| 14 | Water Orton Warwickshire | B+ | 5.3 | 82% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 15 | Chartham Kent | B | 2.3 | 67% | 3.3 | 44% |
| 16 | Roade Northamptonshire | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 17 | Martham Norfolk | B | 1.7 | 74% | 1.8 | 45% |
| 18 | Brockenhurst Hampshire | B | 1.8 | 63% | 3.3 | 98% |
| 19 | Llanfairfechan Clwyd | B | 1 | 48% | 2.9 | 38% |
| 20 | Sturminster Newton Dorset | B | 1.4 | 85% | 3.6 | 5% |
| 21 | Gunnislake and St Ann's Chapel Cornwall | B− | 2.5 | 64% | 2.3 | 66% |
| 22 | Belton Norfolk | B− | 1.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 48% |
| 23 | Theydon Bois Essex | B− | 2.4 | 70% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 24 | Burtonwood Cheshire | B− | 3.3 | 93% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 25 | Lower Nazeing Essex | B− | 23.8 | 58% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 26 | Worlingham Suffolk | B− | 1.5 | 100% | 1.4 | 24% |
| 27 | Pulborough West Sussex | B− | 1.4 | 77% | 2.7 | 50% |
| 28 | Bembridge Isle of Wight | B− | 1.5 | 50% | 2.3 | 7% |
| 29 | Penllergaer West Glamorgan | B− | 21 | 83% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 30 | Langport Somerset | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 31 | Kirkheaton West Yorkshire | C+ | 1.8 | 92% | 3 | 0% |
| 32 | Broomfield Essex | C+ | 2.7 | 45% | 5 | 0% |
| 33 | Fradley Staffordshire | C+ | 2.7 | 82% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 34 | Great Lumley County Durham | C+ | 1.4 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 35 | Woodstock Oxfordshire | C+ | 1 | 80% | 3 | 11% |
| 36 | Boreham Essex | C+ | 1.1 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 37 | Hatfield Peverel Essex | C | 2 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 38 | Thorpe Willoughby North Yorkshire | C | 0.4 | 92% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 39 | Cosby Leicestershire | C | 1.6 | 93% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 40 | Upper Poppleton North Yorkshire | C | 2.9 | 82% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 41 | Cowbridge South Glamorgan | C | 1.2 | 86% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 42 | Marden Kent | C | 1.8 | 71% | 2.1 | 3% |
| 43 | Haltwhistle Northumberland | C | 1.5 | 59% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 44 | Goff's Oak Hertfordshire | C− | 2.4 | 41% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 45 | Bramhope West Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 0% | 2.7 | 2% |
| 46 | Tylorstown and Pontygwaith Mid Glamorgan | C− | 2.3 | 63% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 47 | Willand Devon | C− | 0.9 | 88% | 0.6 | 1% |
| 48 | Pwllheli Gwynedd | C− | 0.1 | 23% | 1.3 | 2% |
| 49 | Snaith East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 0.2 | 89% | 2 | 0% |
| 50 | Hoveton and Wroxham Norfolk | D | 1.4 | 65% | 0.8 | 18% |
| 51 | Witham St Hughs Lincolnshire | D | 0.7 | 91% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 52 | Lanchester County Durham | D | 1.4 | 70% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 53 | St Columb Major Cornwall | D | 1 | 89% | 1 | 0% |
| 54 | Metheringham Lincolnshire | D | 0.8 | 44% | 3 | 0% |
| 55 | Bilsthorpe Nottinghamshire | D | 0.7 | 88% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 56 | Willaston (Cheshire East) Cheshire | D | 1 | 82% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Bilton East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 1.3 | 66% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Upwell and Outwell Norfolk | D− | 1.8 | 43% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 59 | Wollaston Northamptonshire | D− | 1.2 | 11% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 60 | Barlby North Yorkshire | D− | 0.2 | 0% | 1.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Chartham’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 Chartham
The biggest is Memorial Field Playing Field, 1.8 ha (4 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Village Green
Park or garden
0.3 ha (1 acres)
0.5 mi northfrom the centre
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
7 in 10 Chartham 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 (67%)Further (33%)
Chartham67%
Towns its size82%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
About 1,200 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 12 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 297 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Chartham
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 south879 km²since 196844% of the land within 5 km
Official site44% of the land within 5 km of Chartham is National Park or National Landscape, more than 89% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Chartham is on the North Downs Way
50 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Chartham and the kilometre around it, 3.3 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
NationalRegionalLocal
Stour Valley Walk9.2 km
North Downs Way (Canterbury loop)8.5 km
Otford to Canterbury Cathedral8.5 km
Canterbury Outer Ring Walk7.3 km
Augustine Camino5.0 km
Kent County Council Centenary Walk4.7 km
Canterbury Middle Ring Walk3.9 km
The North Downs Way, a national route, passes Chartham. Close to home, the Canterbury Outer Ring Walk has 7 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 3 regional routes pass through, including the Stour Valley Walk, Otford to Canterbury Cathedral and Augustine Camino.
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 Chartham: 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 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 73 | 54 | 42 | 45 | 48 | 48 | 47 | 65 | 54 | 83 | 83 | 80 |
March is the driest month (42 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 83 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 33 nights a year. The climate in Chartham →
Things to do
12 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
Chartham is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
South Shellness Beach8.0 mi from Chartham’s edge
DirectionsHerne Bay Beach8.3 mi from Chartham’s edge
DirectionsShellness Beach8.5 mi from Chartham’s edge
DirectionsShellbeach8.8 mi from Chartham’s edge
DirectionsSeabrook Beach13 mi from Chartham’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 1
Larkey Valley Wood47 ha · 0.7 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 12
Plus 12 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Mystole Campsite0.6 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.
Rough CommonCanterburyBoughton under BleanBleanBridgeWyeChartham
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chartham | B | 2.3 | 67% | 44% |
| Rough Common 3.3 mi | A+ | 11.0 | 100% | 1% |
| Canterbury 3.5 mi | B+ | 1.6 | 77% | 19% |
| Boughton under Blean 4.0 mi | C+ | 2.7 | 24% | 18% |
| Blean 4.2 mi | A− | 5.9 | 80% | 0% |
| Bridge 4.5 mi | B− | 2.2 | 60% | 44% |
| Wye 5.9 mi | A+ | 4.7 | 100% | 71% |
Rough Common, 3.3 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Rough Common, Blean and Wye have at least twice Chartham’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Chartham
What is the biggest park in Chartham?
Memorial Field Playing Field, 1.8 ha (4 acres). Village Green (0.3 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Chartham near a National Park?
It covers 879 km² and was designated in 1968.
What are the best walks near Chartham?
7 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Stour Valley Walk, North Downs Way (Canterbury loop) and Otford to Canterbury Cathedral.
What is the nearest beach to Chartham?
South Shellness Beach, 8.0 mi from the edge of the town, then Herne Bay Beach (8.3 mi). Chartham itself is inland.
How many people in Chartham live near a park?
67% 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 Chartham?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Chartham good for walking?
For paths, yes: 3.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 66% 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 Chartham’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Chartham’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.