Hadlow’s biggest
Hadlow Park
Playing field
4.0 ha (10 acres)
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Hadlow
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Oast House Archive · CC BY-SA 2.0C−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Hadlow · parks, paths & countryside
The Kent Downs National Landscape begins 1.0 mi from Hadlow
61% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Footpaths add up to 25 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 2.0 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Hadlow add up to 1.7 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Hadlow grades C− for the outdoors: #75 of 87 in Kent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
1.7 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
61%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
25 km
2.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
11%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Kent Downs National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Hadlow?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Countryside both waysKent Downs starts 1.0 mi north-west, High Weald 2.2 mi south.Less park per person1.7 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1.
Hadlow’s strongest suit is two protected landscapes close by. Where it falls short is park space per person.
Outdoors grade
Hadlow grades C− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Hadlow, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
C−
Better than 24% of UK towns#75 of 87 in Kent · 40th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space1.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
35out of
100
100
A park within a walk61%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
22out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape11%of the land within 5 km
72out of
100
100
Footpaths2.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
30out 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
Hadlow is 40th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,000 to 3,300 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
Hadlow2.0
Towns its size2.5
Kent towns2.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Hadlow1.7
Towns its size1.6
Kent towns2.3
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Hadlow61%
Towns its size78%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
Hadlow falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 46 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whyteleafe Surrey | A+ | 16.3 | 100% | 4.9 | 15% |
| 2 | Bignall End Staffordshire | A | 9.1 | 100% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 3 | Moira Leicestershire | A | 15.5 | 86% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 4 | Tywyn Gwynedd | A− | 2.4 | 79% | 1.9 | 51% |
| 5 | Gamesley Derbyshire | A− | 0.8 | 100% | 5 | 32% |
| 6 | Neyland Dyfed | A− | 3 | 93% | 1.2 | 13% |
| 7 | Netherton (Kirklees) West Yorkshire | A− | 2 | 88% | 5.5 | 6% |
| 8 | Oughtibridge South Yorkshire | A− | 2.2 | 76% | 6 | 19% |
| 9 | Bream Gloucestershire | A− | 2.2 | 82% | 4.7 | 10% |
| 10 | Wootton Isle of Wight | B+ | 3.7 | 67% | 1.7 | 20% |
| 11 | North Petherton Somerset | B+ | 3.8 | 91% | 2.3 | 5% |
| 12 | Amlwch Gwynedd | B+ | 1.6 | 87% | 2.1 | 14% |
| 13 | Addingham West Yorkshire | B+ | 1.8 | 93% | 3 | 32% |
| 14 | Porthleven Cornwall | B+ | 1.6 | 78% | 2.5 | 19% |
| 15 | Drayton Oxfordshire | B+ | 1.7 | 100% | 3 | 3% |
| 16 | Markyate Hertfordshire | B+ | 1.4 | 100% | 2.2 | 53% |
| 17 | St Agnes Cornwall | B+ | 1 | 81% | 3 | 5% |
| 18 | Wheatley Hill County Durham | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 19 | Honeybourne Worcestershire | B | 2.9 | 80% | 2.6 | 14% |
| 20 | Walton West Yorkshire | B | 12.3 | 78% | 3 | 0% |
| 21 | Upper Beeding West Sussex | B | 0.6 | 83% | 3.9 | 62% |
| 22 | Fleur-de-lis and Pengam Gwent | B | 6 | 54% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 23 | Ringmer East Sussex | B− | 1.9 | 91% | 1.8 | 37% |
| 24 | Newbold Verdon Leicestershire | B− | 2.3 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 25 | Askam in Furness Cumbria | B− | 1.7 | 90% | 2 | 0% |
| 26 | Dunton Green Kent | B− | 1 | 82% | 2.7 | 69% |
| 27 | Healing Lincolnshire | B− | 2 | 78% | 1.3 | 1% |
| 28 | Lambourn Berkshire | C+ | 1.2 | 61% | 3 | 100% |
| 29 | Etwall Derbyshire | C+ | 2.3 | 100% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 30 | Milborne Port Somerset | C+ | 1.6 | 100% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 31 | Dymchurch Kent | C+ | 1.6 | 58% | 1 | 13% |
| 32 | Thaxted Essex | C | 0.8 | 91% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 33 | Swillington West Yorkshire | C | 2.2 | 68% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 34 | West Bergholt Essex | C | 1.5 | 82% | 1.8 | 9% |
| 35 | Swanmore Hampshire | C | 1.4 | 69% | 1.9 | 54% |
| 36 | West Chiltington West Sussex | C | 1.5 | 18% | 2.7 | 38% |
| 37 | Teynham Kent | C | 0.8 | 55% | 1.8 | 13% |
| 38 | Ogmore Vale Mid Glamorgan | C | 4.3 | 79% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 39 | Cullingworth West Yorkshire | C− | 1.1 | 72% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 40 | Hadlow Kent | C− | 1.7 | 61% | 2 | 11% |
| 41 | Charvil Berkshire | C− | 0.7 | 68% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 42 | Sapcote Leicestershire | C− | 2.4 | 67% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 43 | Claydon Suffolk | C− | 2.8 | 72% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 44 | Appleby-in-Westmorland Cumbria | C− | 1.2 | 63% | 2.1 | 24% |
| 45 | Yarnton Oxfordshire | C− | 0.4 | 69% | 3 | 0% |
| 46 | Farnsfield Nottinghamshire | C− | 2 | 63% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 47 | West Auckland County Durham | C− | 1.1 | 91% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 48 | Purton Wiltshire | C− | 0.8 | 60% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 49 | South Petherton Somerset | C− | 1.1 | 61% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Rendlesham Suffolk | C− | 0.8 | 52% | 1.6 | 59% |
| 51 | Astwood Bank Worcestershire | C− | 0.9 | 79% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Navenby Lincolnshire | D | 1.2 | 81% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 53 | Tarporley Cheshire | D | 1 | 69% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 54 | Iver Buckinghamshire | D | 1.3 | 60% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 55 | Skellingthorpe Lincolnshire | D | 1.2 | 69% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 56 | Eccleshall Staffordshire | D | 1.1 | 74% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 57 | Queniborough Leicestershire | D | 1.4 | 48% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 58 | Dunnington North Yorkshire | D− | 0.8 | 44% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 59 | Upper Tean Staffordshire | D− | 0.6 | 60% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Donington Lincolnshire | D− | 0.8 | 54% | 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 Hadlow’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 Hadlow
The biggest is Hadlow Park, 4.0 ha (10 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Hadlow Cricket Ground
Playing field · 140 m outside town
1.4 ha (3 acres)
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.6 mi northfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
6 in 10 Hadlow 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 (61%)Further (39%)
Hadlow61%
Towns its size78%
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; 3 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,056 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Hadlow
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
1.0 mi north-west879 km²since 19687% of the land within 5 km
Official site11% of the land within 5 km of Hadlow is National Park or National Landscape, more than 72% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
3 waymarked walks pass through or near Hadlow
25 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Hadlow and the kilometre around it, 2.0 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
Regional
Wealdway11.8 km
Medway Valley Walk3.0 km
Greensand Way2.9 km
3 regional routes pass through, including the Wealdway, Medway Valley Walk and Greensand 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 Hadlow: 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 16.6 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 69 | 49 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 44 | 43 | 54 | 50 | 74 | 76 | 72 |
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 76 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 48 nights a year. The climate in Hadlow →
Things to do
3 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
Hadlow is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Beach12 mi from Hadlow’s edge
DirectionsNorthfleet Beach16 mi from Hadlow’s edge
DirectionsEgypt Bay Beach20 mi from Hadlow’s edge
DirectionsSt Mary's Bay Beach20 mi from Hadlow’s edge
DirectionsCoombe Point Beach20 mi from Hadlow’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
Waterfalls 4
Plus 4 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 3
Plus 3 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Plus 1 campsite 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.
East PeckhamPlaxtolFive Oak GreenTonbridgeHildenboroughPaddock WoodHadlow
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hadlow | C− | 1.7 | 61% | 11% |
| East Peckham 2.4 mi | B− | 14.5 | 66% | 1% |
| Plaxtol 2.6 mi | B− | 2.6 | 57% | 40% |
| Five Oak Green 3.0 mi | A− | 3.0 | 100% | 30% |
| Tonbridge 3.1 mi | B− | 2.1 | 65% | 38% |
| Hildenborough 3.9 mi | B+ | 6.5 | 40% | 46% |
| Paddock Wood 4.0 mi | C+ | 1.7 | 78% | 28% |
Five Oak Green, 3 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. East Peckham and Hildenborough have at least twice Hadlow’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Hadlow
What is the biggest park in Hadlow?
Hadlow Park, 4.0 ha (10 acres). Hadlow Cricket Ground (1.4 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Hadlow near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Kent Downs National Landscape, 1.0 mi north-west of the town’s edge. It covers 879 km² and was designated in 1968.
What are the best walks near Hadlow?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Wealdway, Medway Valley Walk and Greensand Way.
What is the nearest beach to Hadlow?
The Beach, 12 mi from the edge of the town, then Northfleet Beach (16 mi). Hadlow itself is inland.
How many people in Hadlow live near a park?
61% 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 Hadlow?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Hadlow good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 2.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 30% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 35% (1.7 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 Hadlow’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Hadlow’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.