Photo: David Howard · CC BY-SA 2.0Hawkhurst is inside the High Weald National Landscape
23 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 1.4 for every square kilometre. Parks and playing fields in Hawkhurst add up to 1.1 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Hawkhurst grades C− for the outdoors: #77 of 87 in Kent. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors town is Hawkhurst?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Hawkhurst’s strongest suit is a protected landscape all round. Where it falls short is footpaths.
Hawkhurst grades C− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Hawkhurst, 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.
Hawkhurst is 42nd of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 3,500 to 3,800 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Hawkhurst falls furthest behind on path per km², where 48 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trimley St Mary Suffolk | A+ | 2.3 | 100% | 3.8 | 34% |
| 2 | Tutshill and Sedbury Gloucestershire | A+ | 2.5 | 87% | 4.5 | 32% |
| 3 | Marsden West Yorkshire | A | 1.9 | 100% | 6.5 | 33% |
| 4 | Leonard Stanley and King's Stanley Gloucestershire | A | 2 | 100% | 4.6 | 51% |
| 5 | Cuckfield West Sussex | A | 6.7 | 70% | 4.9 | 49% |
| 6 | Lingfield Surrey | A | 3.5 | 100% | 2.8 | 16% |
| 7 | Bethesda Gwynedd | A | 2.5 | 90% | 3.2 | 49% |
| 8 | Church Stretton Shropshire | A− | 2.2 | 68% | 4.7 | 92% |
| 9 | Kingswood Surrey | A− | 4.6 | 27% | 6.3 | 17% |
| 10 | Stanstead Abbotts Hertfordshire | B+ | 2.5 | 92% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 11 | Keresley Newlands Warwickshire | B+ | 4.4 | 89% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 12 | Harriseahead, Mow Cop and Newchapel Staffordshire | B+ | 4.2 | 86% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 13 | Watchet Somerset | B+ | 1.3 | 86% | 2 | 18% |
| 14 | Lyme Regis Dorset | B | 1.4 | 60% | 2.5 | 56% |
| 15 | Mayland Essex | B | 2.6 | 91% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 16 | Martham Norfolk | B | 1.7 | 74% | 1.8 | 45% |
| 17 | Belton Norfolk | B− | 1.5 | 77% | 1.5 | 48% |
| 18 | Whitwell Derbyshire | B− | 1.7 | 100% | 3 | 0% |
| 19 | Rhuddlan Clwyd | B− | 1.8 | 85% | 0.9 | 8% |
| 20 | Cholsey Oxfordshire | B− | 2.3 | 55% | 2.5 | 81% |
| 21 | Lower Nazeing Essex | B− | 23.8 | 58% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 22 | Worlingham Suffolk | B− | 1.5 | 100% | 1.4 | 24% |
| 23 | Pulborough West Sussex | B− | 1.4 | 77% | 2.7 | 50% |
| 24 | Penllergaer West Glamorgan | B− | 21 | 83% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 25 | Langport Somerset | B− | 2.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 26 | Cardigan Dyfed | B− | 1.9 | 69% | 1.4 | 13% |
| 27 | Kingskerswell Devon | C+ | 3.5 | 76% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 28 | Oakworth West Yorkshire | C+ | 2.3 | 84% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 29 | Fradley Staffordshire | C+ | 2.7 | 82% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 30 | Tutbury Staffordshire | C+ | 2.5 | 90% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 31 | Pewsey Wiltshire | C+ | 1 | 64% | 3 | 91% |
| 32 | Troedyrhiw and Pentrebach Mid Glamorgan | C+ | 2.5 | 84% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 33 | Great Lumley County Durham | C+ | 1.4 | 88% | 3.6 | 0% |
| 34 | Norton Fitzwarren Somerset | C+ | 1.3 | 35% | 5.2 | 6% |
| 35 | Hatfield Peverel Essex | C | 2 | 84% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 36 | Coggeshall Essex | C | 2.1 | 84% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 37 | Bransgore Hampshire | C | 1.9 | 71% | 1.2 | 49% |
| 38 | Cowbridge South Glamorgan | C | 1.2 | 86% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Haltwhistle Northumberland | C | 1.5 | 59% | 2.3 | 31% |
| 40 | Glemsford Suffolk | C− | 1.1 | 84% | 3 | 0% |
| 41 | Bramhope West Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 0% | 2.7 | 2% |
| 42 | Hawkhurst Kent | C− | 1.1 | 60% | 1.4 | 100% |
| 43 | Fulbourn Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.7 | 74% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Pwllheli Gwynedd | C− | 0.1 | 23% | 1.3 | 2% |
| 45 | West Parley Dorset | C− | 1.6 | 20% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 46 | Bloxham Oxfordshire | C− | 2.6 | 71% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 47 | Kempsey Worcestershire | D | 0.9 | 40% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 48 | Windlesham Surrey | D | 2 | 57% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 49 | Hoveton and Wroxham Norfolk | D | 1.4 | 65% | 0.8 | 18% |
| 50 | Pen-pedair-heol Gwent | D | 0.9 | 80% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 51 | Langford Bedfordshire | D | 1.4 | 63% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Spilsby Lincolnshire | D | 0 | 0% | 2.2 | 23% |
| 53 | Wilsden West Yorkshire | D | 0.6 | 61% | 3 | 0% |
| 54 | St Columb Major Cornwall | D | 1 | 89% | 1 | 0% |
| 55 | Willaston (Cheshire East) Cheshire | D | 1 | 82% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 56 | Bilton East Riding of Yorkshire | D | 1.3 | 66% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Llanbradach Gwent | D− | 1.2 | 52% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 58 | Upwell and Outwell Norfolk | D− | 1.8 | 43% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 59 | Llanharry Mid Glamorgan | D− | 0.6 | 50% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 60 | Copmanthorpe North Yorkshire | D− | 0.7 | 38% | 1.4 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Hawkhurst’s built-up area.
6 in 10 Hawkhurst 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).
About 1,500 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
National Parks and National Landscapes around Hawkhurst
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.
High Weald
100% of the land within 5 km of Hawkhurst is National Park or National Landscape, more than 99% of UK towns. South Downs National Park covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010.
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Hawkhurst
23 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Hawkhurst and the kilometre around it, 1.4 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
The regional route here is the Sussex Border Path.
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 Hawkhurst: 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 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 94 | 64 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 48 | 69 | 60 | 94 | 103 | 97 |
July is the driest month (48 mm) and the warmest (highs of 22 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 103 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 45 nights a year. The climate in Hawkhurst →
Viewpoints, hills and nature near Hawkhurst
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
Hawkhurst is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
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
Hills and peaks 1
Playgrounds 1
Plus 1 playground 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkhurst | C− | 1.1 | 60% | 100% |
| Hurst Green 2.6 mi | B+ | 2.3 | 100% | 100% |
| Benenden 3.4 mi | C | 2.0 | 57% | 83% |
| Cranbrook 3.7 mi | A | 5.8 | 82% | 65% |
| Ticehurst 4.2 mi | C | 1.4 | 75% | 100% |
| Robertsbridge 4.6 mi | C+ | 2.0 | 38% | 100% |
| Goudhurst 5.1 mi | B | 1.5 | 100% | 65% |
Cranbrook, 3.7 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 82% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Hurst Green and Cranbrook have at least twice Hawkhurst’s green space per resident.
Questions about the outdoors in Hawkhurst
Is Hawkhurst near a National Park?
Yes. South Downs National Park begins 18 mi south-west of the town’s edge. It covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the High Weald National Landscape, at the edge of the town.
What are the best walks near Hawkhurst?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the Sussex Border Path.
What is the nearest beach to Hawkhurst?
Fairlight Glen Naturist Beach, 13 mi from the edge of the town, then Rock-a-Nore Beach (13 mi). Hawkhurst itself is inland.
How many people in Hawkhurst live near a park?
60% 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 Hawkhurst?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Hawkhurst good for walking?
Paths are thinner than most towns: 1.4 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 15% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 17% (1.1 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 Hawkhurst’s overall grade.
Where Hawkhurst’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.