Photo: Chris Whippet · CC BY-SA 2.035% of the land within 5 km of Marlpit Hill is National Park or National Landscape
The Kent Downs National Landscape and the High Weald National Landscape both begin about 2 miles from the village’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Marlpit Hill add up to 2.5 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 25 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 2.9 for every square kilometre. Marlpit Hill grades B− for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
What kind of outdoors village is Marlpit Hill?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Marlpit Hill’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Marlpit Hill grades B− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Marlpit Hill, 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.
Marlpit Hill is 30th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,200 to 1,300 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.
Against villages its size, Marlpit Hill stands out most for path per km²: only 17 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 50 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rough Common Kent | A+ | 11 | 100% | 9.2 | 1% |
| 2 | Box Wiltshire | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 3.9 | 56% |
| 3 | Huncoat Lancashire | A+ | 10.1 | 100% | 4.9 | 1% |
| 4 | Clanfield Hampshire | A+ | 6.1 | 100% | 2.9 | 78% |
| 5 | Aldington Kent | A+ | 4.6 | 100% | 3.8 | 11% |
| 6 | Otterbourne Hampshire | A | 2.9 | 100% | 3.2 | 25% |
| 7 | Box Hill Surrey | A | 35.9 | 12% | 6 | 39% |
| 8 | Cliffs End Kent | A | 6.9 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 9 | Harlech Gwynedd | A− | 1.9 | 36% | 3.5 | 67% |
| 10 | Bradpole Dorset | A− | 0.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 95% |
| 11 | South Heath Buckinghamshire | A− | 20.4 | 0% | 3 | 85% |
| 12 | Exton Devon | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 0.6 | 7% |
| 13 | Westfield East Sussex | B+ | 1.9 | 100% | 1.9 | 83% |
| 14 | Tregarth Gwynedd | B+ | 1.5 | 100% | 2.9 | 23% |
| 15 | New Brancepeth County Durham | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 16 | Baddesley Ensor Warwickshire | B+ | 18.3 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 17 | Bierton Buckinghamshire | B+ | 5.8 | 70% | 7.7 | 0% |
| 18 | Farningham Kent | B+ | 1.7 | 100% | 2 | 33% |
| 19 | Billy Row County Durham | B | 2.3 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 20 | Bunbury Cheshire | B | 2.6 | 100% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 21 | Talgarth Powys | B | 5.7 | 71% | 1.5 | 52% |
| 22 | Minster Lovell Oxfordshire | B | 3.6 | 79% | 1.5 | 37% |
| 23 | Sutton Benger Wiltshire | B | 2.7 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 24 | Beer Devon | B | 1.6 | 50% | 2.2 | 43% |
| 25 | Eckington Worcestershire | B | 4.1 | 72% | 1.9 | 23% |
| 26 | Weir Lancashire | B | 0.6 | 100% | 6 | 0% |
| 27 | Codmore Hill West Sussex | B− | 3.5 | 0% | 2.7 | 46% |
| 28 | Potten End Hertfordshire | B− | 2.4 | 73% | 2.2 | 44% |
| 29 | Blindley Heath Surrey | B− | 3.2 | 79% | 2.2 | 1% |
| 30 | Marlpit Hill Kent | B− | 2.5 | 0% | 2.9 | 35% |
| 31 | Sutton Common Suffolk | C+ | 0.8 | 51% | 3.9 | 85% |
| 32 | Gaerwen Gwynedd | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 0.4 | 7% |
| 33 | Weobley Herefordshire | C+ | 1.6 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 34 | Ashill Norfolk | C+ | 3.7 | 82% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 35 | Bradfield Essex | C | 1.4 | 27% | 1.5 | 35% |
| 36 | Biddulph Moor Staffordshire | C | 8.4 | 43% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 37 | Stoke Hampshire | C | 0.3 | 0% | 2 | 32% |
| 38 | Silkstone Common South Yorkshire | C | 1.5 | 63% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 39 | Ponthir Gwent | C | 2.9 | 78% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 40 | Coedhirwaun West Glamorgan | C | 2 | 100% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Nefyn Gwynedd | C | 0 | 0% | 2 | 24% |
| 42 | Foxton Cambridgeshire | C | 2.3 | 84% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 43 | Hanwood Shropshire | C− | 1.9 | 19% | 2.6 | 3% |
| 44 | Atworth Wiltshire | C− | 1.5 | 62% | 2.2 | 13% |
| 45 | Spratton Northamptonshire | C− | 2.3 | 85% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Weeley Essex | C− | 7.5 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 47 | Aldbrough East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 2.1 | 26% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 48 | Blyth Nottinghamshire | D | 2.5 | 76% | 0.3 | 0% |
| 49 | Burton on the Wolds Leicestershire | D | 2.5 | 31% | 2 | 0% |
| 50 | Yardley Gobion Northamptonshire | D | 1.2 | 47% | 3 | 0% |
| 51 | East Markham Nottinghamshire | D | 2.2 | 46% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 52 | Pagham West Sussex | D | 0.3 | 0% | 2 | 0% |
| 53 | Southery Norfolk | D | 2 | 61% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 54 | Dishforth North Yorkshire | D | 2.3 | 68% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 55 | Fleet Hargate Lincolnshire | D | 1.7 | 76% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Saham Toney Norfolk | D | 3 | 18% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Hadham Cross Hertfordshire | D | 0 | 0% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 58 | Elvington North Yorkshire | D | 2.1 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Felton Northumberland | D− | 1.7 | 50% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Walsham le Willows Suffolk | D− | 0.4 | 0% | 2 | 0% |
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Marlpit Hill’s built-up area.
Few Marlpit Hill 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 1,300 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 6 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 212 residents.
National Parks and National Landscapes around Marlpit Hill
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
35% of the land within 5 km of Marlpit Hill is National Park or National Landscape, more than 86% of UK towns.
3 waymarked walks pass through or near Marlpit Hill
25 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Marlpit Hill and the kilometre around it, 2.9 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
2 regional routes pass through, including the Vanguard Way and Tandridge 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 Marlpit Hill: May to September
The village’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 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 78 | 57 | 46 | 48 | 51 | 49 | 49 | 60 | 58 | 85 | 86 | 83 |
March is the driest month (46 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 86 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 54 nights a year. The climate in Marlpit Hill →
6 playgrounds and the nearest beaches
Mapped within 2 km of the village in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK village its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
The nearest beaches
Marlpit Hill is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
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 6
Plus 6 playgrounds 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlpit Hill | B− | 2.5 | 0% | 35% |
| Edenbridge 0.7 mi | B | 2.6 | 64% | 42% |
| Oxted 3.6 mi | B | 2.1 | 84% | 28% |
| Limpsfield 3.9 mi | A+ | 2.9 | 100% | 41% |
| Westerham 4.0 mi | B | 1.9 | 61% | 66% |
| Dormansland 4.1 mi | B− | 2.5 | 70% | 33% |
| Lingfield 4.2 mi | A | 3.5 | 100% | 16% |
Limpsfield, 3.9 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Marlpit Hill
Is Marlpit Hill near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Kent Downs National Landscape, 0.7 mi north of the village’s edge. It covers 879 km² and was designated in 1968.
What are the best walks near Marlpit Hill?
3 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Vanguard Way, Tandridge Border Path and Eden Valley Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Marlpit Hill?
Kelson Beach, 20 mi from the edge of the village, then Dock Beach (20 mi). Marlpit Hill itself is inland.
How many people in Marlpit Hill live near a park?
0% 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 Marlpit Hill?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Marlpit Hill good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.9 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 58% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 59% (2.5 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 Marlpit Hill’s overall grade.
Where Marlpit Hill’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.