Darenth’s biggest
Hill Rise Green
Playing field
1.0 ha (2 acres)
Centralin the middle of Darenth
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Stephen Craven · CC BY-SA 2.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Darenth · parks, paths & countryside
Almost everyone in Darenth lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
27 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 4.3 for every square kilometre. The Kent Downs National Landscape begins 2.7 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Darenth add up to 1.8 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Darenth grades A− for the outdoors: #28 of 87 in Kent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.8 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
27 km
4.3 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
1%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Kent Downs National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Darenth?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.A town of footpaths4.3 km of path per km², more than 84% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Countryside close byThe Kent Downs National Landscape starts 2.7 mi south-west.Less park per person1.8 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Darenth’s strongest suit is parks close to every home, followed by dense footpaths. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Darenth grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Darenth, 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 84% of UK towns#28 of 87 in Kent · 13th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.8 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
39out of
100
100
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
89out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape1%of the land within 5 km
63out of
100
100
Footpaths4.3 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
85out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 3.6% sea, under the 5% that counts
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
Darenth is 13th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,500 to 2,700 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
Darenth4.3
Towns its size2.4
Kent towns2.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Darenth1.8
Towns its size2.3
Kent towns2.3
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Darenth100%
Towns its size86%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Darenth stands out most for path per km²: only 2 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 34 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petworth West Sussex | A+ | 29.6 | 100% | 4.1 | 93% |
| 2 | Tywardreath Cornwall | A+ | 4.6 | 100% | 2.5 | 26% |
| 3 | Ambleside Cumbria | A+ | 6.9 | 92% | 4.6 | 100% |
| 4 | Silloth Cumbria | A+ | 7.3 | 100% | 1.4 | 17% |
| 5 | Hopton on Sea Norfolk | A+ | 6.7 | 100% | 1.6 | 2% |
| 6 | Hellingly East Sussex | A | 6.9 | 90% | 3.7 | 11% |
| 7 | Dolgellau Gwynedd | A | 3.6 | 100% | 1.9 | 100% |
| 8 | Binley Woods Warwickshire | A | 5.5 | 100% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 9 | Hawley Hampshire | A | 6.9 | 92% | 5.8 | 0% |
| 10 | Maple Cross Hertfordshire | A | 3.1 | 100% | 2.9 | 14% |
| 11 | Chopwell Tyne and Wear | A | 7.5 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 12 | Longford Gloucestershire | A | 11.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 13 | Darenth Kent | A− | 1.8 | 100% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 14 | Drybrook Gloucestershire | A− | 3.9 | 83% | 3.4 | 10% |
| 15 | South Anston South Yorkshire | A− | 3.5 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Stewartby Bedfordshire | A− | 21 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 17 | Avonmouth Bristol | B+ | 2.5 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 18 | Langold Nottinghamshire | B+ | 13 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 19 | Porthmadog Gwynedd | B+ | 0.9 | 94% | 2 | 41% |
| 20 | Thornley County Durham | B+ | 3.2 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 21 | Witton Gilbert County Durham | B+ | 2.1 | 100% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 22 | Craven Arms Shropshire | B | 1.3 | 87% | 2.9 | 59% |
| 23 | Prestbury Cheshire | B | 5.6 | 42% | 3.2 | 6% |
| 24 | Barlestone Leicestershire | B | 3 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 25 | Builth Wells Powys | B | 4.9 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 26 | Brynamman Dyfed | B | 1.7 | 100% | 1 | 51% |
| 27 | Pannal North Yorkshire | B− | 3.7 | 77% | 3 | 0% |
| 28 | Brewood Staffordshire | B− | 3 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 29 | Halton Lancashire | B− | 0.9 | 100% | 1.7 | 35% |
| 30 | Seer Green Buckinghamshire | B− | 1.7 | 38% | 3.8 | 35% |
| 31 | Grimsargh Lancashire | B− | 2.6 | 67% | 2.8 | 2% |
| 32 | Ash Green Warwickshire | B− | 3.4 | 67% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 33 | Bishop's Itchington Warwickshire | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 34 | Godstone Surrey | C+ | 1.7 | 52% | 3.7 | 18% |
| 35 | Little Dunmow Essex | C+ | 1.1 | 89% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 36 | Dunchurch Warwickshire | C+ | 7.8 | 68% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 37 | Caton Lancashire | C+ | 1.2 | 72% | 2.2 | 67% |
| 38 | Steeple Claydon Buckinghamshire | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 39 | Stratton Gloucestershire | C | 0.7 | 46% | 3.3 | 70% |
| 40 | Heage Derbyshire | C | 1.9 | 78% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Watlington Norfolk | C | 2.3 | 100% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 42 | South Brent Devon | C | 1.5 | 79% | 0.8 | 64% |
| 43 | Smallfield Surrey | C | 1.6 | 70% | 2.4 | 1% |
| 44 | Llandybie Dyfed | C | 2.6 | 59% | 1.2 | 13% |
| 45 | Marham Norfolk | C | 3.5 | 85% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Ash (Dover) Kent | C | 2.3 | 72% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 47 | Higham Kent | C− | 0.5 | 0% | 1.8 | 18% |
| 48 | Hatton Derbyshire | C− | 3.3 | 61% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 49 | Costessey Norfolk | C− | 1.8 | 12% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 50 | Cliffe Kent | C− | 1.1 | 55% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 51 | Probus Cornwall | C− | 0.6 | 75% | 1.5 | 15% |
| 52 | Keele Staffordshire | D | 1.1 | 0% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 53 | Fordham Cambridgeshire | D | 2.3 | 35% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 54 | Silverstone Northamptonshire | D | 1.1 | 0% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 55 | Watton at Stone Hertfordshire | D | 0.8 | 61% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 56 | Manea Cambridgeshire | D− | 1.3 | 63% | 1 | 0% |
| 57 | Holme upon Spalding Moor East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.5 | 41% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 58 | Nafferton East Riding of Yorkshire | D− | 1.3 | 56% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Rhos West Glamorgan | D− | 1 | 58% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Cranwell Lincolnshire | D− | 0.5 | 57% | 1.1 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Darenth’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 Darenth
The biggest is Hill Rise Green, 1.0 ha (2 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Hill Rise Playground
Play space
0.4 ha (1 acres)
Centralin the middle of Darenth
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
How close Darenth’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).
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Darenth100%
Towns its size86%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 11 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 235 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Kent Downs National Landscape is 2.7 mi away
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
Footpaths & waymarked walks
3 waymarked walks pass through or near Darenth
27 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Darenth and the kilometre around it, 4.3 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
1066 Harold's Way6.0 km
Darent Valley Path4.6 km
Circular Walk from Darent Valley Path D1.0 km
The regional route here is the 1066 Harold'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 Darenth: 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 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 61 | 46 | 39 | 41 | 47 | 48 | 44 | 56 | 53 | 69 | 69 | 62 |
March is the driest month (39 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 69 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 38 nights a year. The climate in Darenth →
Things to do
11 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
Darenth is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
Northfleet Beach3.7 mi from Darenth’s edge
DirectionsDock Beach12 mi from Darenth’s edge
DirectionsKelson Beach12 mi from Darenth’s edge
DirectionsEgypt Bay Beach13 mi from Darenth’s edge
DirectionsSt Mary's Bay Beach14 mi from Darenth’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
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 11
Queens Gardens Playground1.1 mi from town
DirectionsJessamine Place Play Area1.1 mi from town
DirectionsThe Romans1.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 8 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.
South Darenth and Sutton at HoneHawleyBeanStoneHorton KirbyDartfordDarenth
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darenth | A− | 1.8 | 100% | 1% |
| South Darenth and Sutton at Hone 1.2 mi | C | 1.8 | 43% | 10% |
| Hawley 1.4 mi | D | 0.7 | 24% | 3% |
| Bean 1.5 mi | A− | 17.0 | 72% | 0% |
| Stone 1.8 mi | A+ | 3.1 | 100% | 0% |
| Horton Kirby 2.0 mi | B | 5.9 | 78% | 21% |
| Dartford 2.2 mi | A | 3.9 | 72% | 1% |
Stone, 1.8 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Bean, Horton Kirby and Dartford have at least twice Darenth’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Darenth
What is the biggest park in Darenth?
Hill Rise Green, 1.0 ha (2 acres). Hill Rise Playground (0.4 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Darenth near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Kent Downs National Landscape, 2.7 mi south-west of the town’s edge. It covers 879 km² and was designated in 1968.
What are the best walks near Darenth?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the 1066 Harold's Way, Darent Valley Path and Circular Walk from Darent Valley Path D.
What is the nearest beach to Darenth?
Northfleet Beach, 3.7 mi from the edge of the town, then Dock Beach (12 mi). Darenth itself is inland.
How many people in Darenth 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 Darenth?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Darenth good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.3 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 85% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 39% (1.8 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 Darenth’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Darenth’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.