Rough Common’s biggest
Dukes Meadow
Park or garden · 380 m outside town
3.6 ha (9 acres)0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
5 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.7 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: David Long · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Rough Common · parks, paths & countryside
Rough Common has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 72 km in the village and the kilometre around it, 9.2 for every square kilometre. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 100% of residents. Parks and playing fields in Rough Common add up to 11.0 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Rough Common grades A+ for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
11.0 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
72 km
9.2 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 village is Rough Common?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A village of footpaths9.2 km of path per km², more than 99% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Room to roam11.0 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 96% of UK towns.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Countryside close byThe Kent Downs National Landscape starts 2.6 mi south.
Rough Common’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by plenty of park space.
Outdoors grade
Rough Common grades A+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Rough Common, 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 almost every UK town2nd of 60 UK villages its size
Public green space11.0 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
97out 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
64out of
100
100
Footpaths9.2 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
100out 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.
Villages its size
Rough Common is 2nd of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,200 to 1,400 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
Rough Common9.2
Villages its size2.1
Kent towns2.6
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Rough Common11.0
Villages its size2.1
Kent towns2.3
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Rough Common100%
Villages its size67%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
Against villages its size, Rough Common stands out most for park space per resident: only 8 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hightown Hampshire | A+ | 15.7 | 100% | 3.5 | 58% |
| 2 | Rough Common Kent | A+ | 11 | 100% | 9.2 | 1% |
| 3 | Box Wiltshire | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 3.9 | 56% |
| 4 | Aldington Kent | A+ | 4.6 | 100% | 3.8 | 11% |
| 5 | Holybourne Hampshire | A+ | 12.2 | 100% | 2.7 | 23% |
| 6 | Pwll Dyfed | A | 21.6 | 64% | 2.6 | 19% |
| 7 | Amberley Gloucestershire | A | 13.7 | 0% | 6.3 | 87% |
| 8 | Box Hill Surrey | A | 35.9 | 12% | 6 | 39% |
| 9 | Cliffs End Kent | A | 6.9 | 100% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 10 | Compton Hampshire | A− | 18.8 | 61% | 3.6 | 28% |
| 11 | Sherford Devon | A− | 3.2 | 100% | 1.5 | 28% |
| 12 | South Heath Buckinghamshire | A− | 20.4 | 0% | 3 | 85% |
| 13 | Exton Devon | A− | 2.2 | 100% | 0.6 | 7% |
| 14 | New Brancepeth County Durham | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 15 | Baddesley Ensor Warwickshire | B+ | 18.3 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 16 | Marshfield Gloucestershire | B+ | 4.9 | 42% | 2.7 | 99% |
| 17 | Welland Worcestershire | B+ | 1.7 | 100% | 1.9 | 38% |
| 18 | Farningham Kent | B+ | 1.7 | 100% | 2 | 33% |
| 19 | Lidlington Bedfordshire | B | 1.9 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 20 | Beer Devon | B | 1.6 | 50% | 2.2 | 43% |
| 21 | Weir Lancashire | B | 0.6 | 100% | 6 | 0% |
| 22 | Codmore Hill West Sussex | B− | 3.5 | 0% | 2.7 | 46% |
| 23 | Blindley Heath Surrey | B− | 3.2 | 79% | 2.2 | 1% |
| 24 | Blakeney Gloucestershire | B− | 2.1 | 68% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 25 | Fowlmere Cambridgeshire | B− | 4.5 | 100% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 26 | Burham Kent | C+ | 1.4 | 77% | 2.8 | 35% |
| 27 | Perranarworthal Cornwall | C+ | 2.5 | 76% | 1.6 | 19% |
| 28 | Gaerwen Gwynedd | C+ | 1.5 | 100% | 0.4 | 7% |
| 29 | Claverdon Warwickshire | C+ | 1.2 | 100% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 30 | Weobley Herefordshire | C+ | 1.6 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 31 | North Duffield North Yorkshire | C | 2.6 | 100% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 32 | Biddulph Moor Staffordshire | C | 8.4 | 43% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 33 | Silkstone Common South Yorkshire | C | 1.5 | 63% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 34 | Quainton Buckinghamshire | C | 3.8 | 69% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 35 | Nefyn Gwynedd | C | 0 | 0% | 2 | 24% |
| 36 | Foxton Cambridgeshire | C | 2.3 | 84% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 37 | Atworth Wiltshire | C− | 1.5 | 62% | 2.2 | 13% |
| 38 | Ninfield East Sussex | C− | 1.8 | 50% | 1.4 | 50% |
| 39 | Spratton Northamptonshire | C− | 2.3 | 85% | 0.4 | 0% |
| 40 | Weeley Essex | C− | 7.5 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 41 | Langthorpe North Yorkshire | C− | 0.3 | 100% | 1.6 | 0% |
| 42 | Aldbrough East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 2.1 | 26% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 43 | Wooden Dyfed | D | 0.1 | 0% | 0.4 | 18% |
| 44 | Yardley Gobion Northamptonshire | D | 1.2 | 47% | 3 | 0% |
| 45 | East Markham Nottinghamshire | D | 2.2 | 46% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 46 | Bampton Devon | D | 1.5 | 22% | 1.6 | 5% |
| 47 | Pagham West Sussex | D | 0.3 | 0% | 2 | 0% |
| 48 | Heddon-on-the-Wall Northumberland | D | 0.6 | 70% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 49 | Colsterworth Lincolnshire | D | 1.3 | 67% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 50 | Hockwold cum Wilton Norfolk | D | 1.6 | 75% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 51 | Garsington Oxfordshire | D | 0.4 | 65% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Appleby Magna Leicestershire | D | 1.7 | 46% | 2 | 0% |
| 53 | Saham Toney Norfolk | D | 3 | 18% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 54 | Croeserw West Glamorgan | D | 1.3 | 33% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 55 | Byfield Northamptonshire | D | 1.9 | 48% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 56 | Hadham Cross Hertfordshire | D | 0 | 0% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 57 | Elvington North Yorkshire | D | 2.1 | 0% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 58 | Deeping St Nicholas Lincolnshire | D− | 0.7 | 80% | 0 | 0% |
| 59 | Hunger Hill Greater Manchester | D− | 0 | 0% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Witheridge Devon | D− | 0.5 | 36% | 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 Rough Common’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 Rough Common
The biggest is Dukes Meadow, 3.6 ha (9 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
Everyone in Rough Common lives 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 (100%)Further (0%)
Rough Common100%
Villages its size67%
Kent towns78%
All UK towns83%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 13 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 99 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Kent Downs National Landscape is 2.6 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
1% of the land within 5 km of Rough Common is National Park or National Landscape, more than 63% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
11 waymarked walks pass through or near Rough Common
72 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Rough Common and the kilometre around it, 9.2 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
NationalRegionalLocalOther waymarked
Canterbury Outer Ring Walk9.4 km
Canterbury Middle Ring Walk8.6 km
Kent County Council Centenary Walk8.3 km
Black Trail5.5 km
Augustine Camino5.5 km
North Downs Way (Canterbury loop)5.1 km
Otford to Canterbury Cathedral5.1 km
Red Trail4.4 km
Stour Valley Walk4.0 km
Green Trail3.0 km
Canterbury Inner Ring Walk1.1 km
The North Downs Way, a national route, passes Rough Common. Close to home, the Canterbury Outer Ring Walk has 9 km of local walk within 2 km of the village. 3 regional routes pass through, including the Augustine Camino, Otford to Canterbury Cathedral and Stour Valley Walk.
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 Rough Common: 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) | 8.3 | 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) | 60 | 51 | 40 | 43 | 49 | 50 | 48 | 61 | 52 | 81 | 80 | 76 |
March is the driest month (40 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 81 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 33 nights a year. The climate in Rough Common →
Things to do
13 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
Rough Common is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
Herne Bay Beach6.1 mi from Rough Common’s edge
DirectionsSouth Shellness Beach6.7 mi from Rough Common’s edge
DirectionsShellness Beach7.2 mi from Rough Common’s edge
DirectionsShellbeach7.4 mi from Rough Common’s edge
DirectionsMargate Main Sands15 mi from Rough Common’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
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Keir's Meadow0.9 ha · 0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 13
Bishops Way Play Area0.6 mi from town
DirectionsToddler's Cove1.1 mi from town
DirectionsHawe Close Play Area1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 10 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Fleets Paddock Glamping & Camping1.1 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.
BleanCanterburyCharthamSturryBoughton under BleanWhitstableRough Common
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rough Common | A+ | 11.0 | 100% | 1% |
| Blean 1.1 mi | A− | 5.9 | 80% | 0% |
| Canterbury 1.6 mi | B+ | 1.6 | 77% | 19% |
| Chartham 3.3 mi | B | 2.3 | 67% | 44% |
| Sturry 3.4 mi | B+ | 2.7 | 80% | 1% |
| Boughton under Blean 3.9 mi | C+ | 2.7 | 24% | 18% |
| Whitstable 4.1 mi | B− | 1.5 | 84% | 0% |
Rough Common grades higher for the outdoors than every neighbour in the table.
Questions about the outdoors in Rough Common
What is the biggest park in Rough Common?
Dukes Meadow, 3.6 ha (9 acres), with 0.7 km of path, just outside the built-up area. 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the village or within 400 m of it.
Is Rough Common near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Kent Downs National Landscape, 2.6 mi south of the village’s edge. It covers 879 km² and was designated in 1968.
What are the best walks near Rough Common?
11 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Canterbury Outer Ring Walk, Canterbury Middle Ring Walk and Kent County Council Centenary Walk.
What is the nearest beach to Rough Common?
Herne Bay Beach, 6.1 mi from the edge of the village, then South Shellness Beach (6.7 mi). Rough Common itself is inland.
How many people in Rough Common 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 Rough Common?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Rough Common good for walking?
For paths, yes: 9.2 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 100% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 97% (11.0 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 Rough Common’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Rough Common’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.