Outdoors in Greenwich · parks, paths & countryside
Greenwich has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
620 km of footpaths run through the borough and the kilometre around it, 7.1 for every square kilometre. The Kent Downs National Landscape begins 5.4 mi from the borough’s edge. 90% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Greenwich grades A− for the outdoors: #9 of 33 in London. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Greenwich’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by the Kent Downs National Landscape close by.
Outdoors grade
Greenwich grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Greenwich, 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 77% of UK towns#9 of 33 in London · 12th of 43 UK boroughs its size
Public green space2.7 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
63out of 100
A park within a walk90%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
67out of 100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · Kent Downs begins just past 5 km
31out of 100
Footpaths7.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
99out of 100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 4.9% sea, under the 5% that counts
42out of 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.
Boroughs its size
Greenwich is 12th of 43 UK boroughs its size for the outdoors
The 43 UK towns and cities of 202,000 to 389,000 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
Greenwich7.1
Boroughs its size4.9
London towns5.7
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Greenwich2.7
Boroughs its size2.0
London towns2.0
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Greenwich90%
Boroughs its size84%
London towns85%
All UK towns83%
Against boroughs its size, Greenwich stands out most for path per km²: only 7 of the other 42 have more.
9 in 10 Greenwich 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 (90%)Further (10%)
Greenwich90%
Boroughs its size84%
London towns85%
All UK towns83%
About 28,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 435 playgrounds are mapped in and around the borough, about one for every 662 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Kent Downs National Landscape is 5.4 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
Protected landscape begins just outside the 5 km ring the Outdoors Grade measures, so Greenwich scores 0% on it even though the Kent Downs National Landscape is 5.4 mi away.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
56 waymarked walks pass through or near Greenwich
620 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Greenwich and the kilometre around it, 7.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the borough.
NationalRegionalLocal
Thames Path21.0 km
Southwark Cathedral to Otford13.5 km
Greenwich Meridian Trail11.0 km
Capital Ring (Section 01)10.0 km
Jubilee Greenway (section 6)9.3 km
King Charles III England Coast Path: Grain to Woolwich7.4 km
Green Chain Walk section 77.1 km
Green Chain Walk section 56.2 km
Capital Ring (Section 15)6.1 km
Green Chain Walk section 66.1 km
Capital Ring (Section 02)5.8 km
Green Chain Walk section 4A5.7 km
Jubilee Greenway (section 5)5.4 km
Green Chain Walk section 35.1 km
Jubilee Greenway (section 7)5.0 km
Waterlink Way4.9 km
Plus 40 more waymarked walks on the map.
The Thames Path, a national route, passes Greenwich. 43 regional routes pass through, including the Southwark Cathedral to Otford, Greenwich Meridian Trail, Capital Ring (Section 01) and Jubilee Greenway (section 6).
Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.
History along the way
4 historic parks, and what stands in them
Historic England’s register of parks and gardens, and the listed buildings and scheduled monuments that stand inside Greenwich’s named parks.
Registered park · Grade I
Greenwich Park
73 ha. A registered historic park (Grade I). 19 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge, including The Ranger's House (Grade I).
IThe Ranger's HouseIIBoundary Wall Along South SideIIBoundary Wall Surrounding the ParkIIDetached Portion of Boundary Wall at West End of South SideIIFront Garden Wall to Number 52 and GazeboIIMacartney HouseIIMausoleum of Greenwich Hospital in Grounds of Number 40IIPark HallIISt Alfege's VicarageIISt Mary's Gate to Greenwich ParkIISt Mary's Lodge (In North West Corner of Park)IIStatue of William IV to North East of St Mary's GateIIThe White House and Garden Walls to East, South and WestIIWar Memorial and Attached Railings and Piers
Registered · Grade II*Eltham Palace8.3 ha
Registered · Grade IIRepository Woods7.2 ha
Registered · Grade IIWell Hall Pleasaunce4.5 ha
Listed buildings insideBlackheathThe Ranger's House, West Grove, Conduit House, Blackheath and Conduit House (At Junction with West Grove) and 4 more
Listed buildings insideCharlton House GroundsCharlton House and Stable Buildings to South West of Charlton House
Listed buildings insideAvery Hill ParkConduit Head, Eltham, Avery Hill Training College (Entrance Gate and Adjoining Lodge) and Conduit Head on Waste Land at Rear of Numbers 53 to 57 (Odd)
Heritage walks
Southwark Cathedral to Otford 13.5 km Literary Heritage Trail 1.8 km link to Abbey Wood station 0.8 km Silk Mill Path 0.6 km
A listed building or monument counts when it sits inside the park’s OS Open Greenspace outline (to about 15 m), so a few at the boundary are included. Historic England, National Heritage List for England.
When to get out
The best walking months in Greenwich: May to September
The borough’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
10.5
8.8
7.9
High (°C)
8
9
12
15
18
21
24
23
20
16
12
9
Rain (mm)
55
44
38
42
46
47
44
53
47
65
63
57
March is the driest month (38 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 24 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 65 mm of rain falls in October, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 26 nights a year. The climate in Greenwich →
The coast
Beaches near Greenwich
5% of the area within 5 km of Greenwich is sea, so the Outdoors Grade counts it as inland. 9 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 2 with a name.
The King Charles III England Coast Path passes the town.
Sea: the area outside the ONS coastline (mean high water). Bathing water quality is published by the Environment Agency (England) and Natural Resources Wales; check it before swimming.
Things to do
32 viewpoints and 435 playgrounds
Mapped within 2 km of the borough in OpenStreetMap, against the typical UK borough its size per resident. Named places are listed with directions; unnamed ones are only counted.
Bexley, 3.4 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 84% of its residents live within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Greenwich
What is the biggest park in Greenwich?
Bostall Heath, 72 ha (178 acres), with 22.7 km of path. Blackheath (80 ha) is second. 30 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the borough or within 400 m of it.
Is Greenwich near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Kent Downs National Landscape, 5.4 mi south-east of the borough’s edge. It covers 879 km² and was designated in 1968.
What are the best walks near Greenwich?
56 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the borough, including the Thames Path, Southwark Cathedral to Otford and Greenwich Meridian Trail. Bostall Heath alone has 22.7 km of path.
How many people in Greenwich live near a park?
90% 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 Greenwich?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Which parks in Greenwich are historic?
Greenwich Park (Grade I), Repository Woods (Grade II), Well Hall Pleasaunce (Grade II) and Eltham Palace (Grade II*) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.
Is Greenwich good for walking?
For paths, yes: 7.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 99% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 63% (2.7 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 Greenwich’s overall grade.
National Parks and National Landscapes: Natural England and Natural Resources Wales boundaries, areas and designation dates, Open Government Licence v3.0.