Haverhill’s biggest
East Town Park
Park or garden
7.3 ha (18 acres)1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
10 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Hugh Venables · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Haverhill · parks, paths & countryside
Haverhill has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns
Footpaths add up to 131 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 5.0 for every square kilometre. 91% of residents live within a 5-minute walk of a park or playing field. Parks and playing fields in Haverhill add up to 2.4 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Haverhill grades B+ for the outdoors: #12 of 34 in Suffolk. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
2.4 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
91%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
131 km
5.0 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Dedham Vale National Landscape
Outdoors grade
Haverhill grades B+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Haverhill, the dashed line the typical town. The number is the share of towns it beats; the five are averaged and the average ranked again.
B+
Better than 71% of UK towns#12 of 34 in Suffolk · 27th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.4 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
58out of
100
100
A park within a walk91%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
68out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths5.0 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
93out 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
Haverhill is 27th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 24,600 to 29,000 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
Haverhill5.0
Towns its size3.8
Suffolk towns2.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Haverhill2.4
Towns its size2.5
Suffolk towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Haverhill91%
Towns its size83%
Suffolk towns80%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Haverhill stands out most for path per km²: only 8 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yate Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.3 | 99% | 6.8 | 11% |
| 2 | Stroud Gloucestershire | A+ | 4.6 | 79% | 5.8 | 70% |
| 3 | Sevenoaks Kent | A | 8.1 | 76% | 3.8 | 70% |
| 4 | Stalybridge Greater Manchester | A | 5 | 82% | 4.8 | 12% |
| 5 | Ashington Northumberland | A | 5.6 | 83% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 6 | Penarth South Glamorgan | A | 3.5 | 83% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 7 | Newport Isle of Wight | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3.8 | 37% |
| 8 | Huntingdon Cambridgeshire | A | 5.7 | 99% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 9 | Woodley Berkshire | A | 5 | 81% | 4.3 | 1% |
| 10 | Lancing and Sompting West Sussex | A | 1.8 | 80% | 3 | 37% |
| 11 | Totton Hampshire | A | 1.6 | 94% | 4.4 | 50% |
| 12 | Burntwood Staffordshire | A− | 5.3 | 81% | 3.4 | 12% |
| 13 | Larkfield Kent | A− | 5.6 | 75% | 3.4 | 27% |
| 14 | Rickmansworth Hertfordshire | A− | 2.9 | 81% | 4.4 | 11% |
| 15 | Ewell Surrey | A− | 7.5 | 89% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Stretford Greater Manchester | A− | 3.7 | 92% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 17 | Tadworth and Epsom Downs Surrey | A− | 3.4 | 65% | 5.3 | 16% |
| 18 | Great Yarmouth Norfolk | A− | 1.7 | 73% | 3.2 | 18% |
| 19 | Little Hulton Greater Manchester | A− | 8.6 | 87% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 20 | East Grinstead West Sussex | A− | 1.6 | 87% | 3.7 | 58% |
| 21 | Wilmslow Cheshire | A− | 4.4 | 90% | 4 | 0% |
| 22 | Newton-le-Willows Merseyside | A− | 5.2 | 99% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 23 | Daventry Northamptonshire | A− | 4.1 | 99% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 24 | Cramlington Northumberland | B+ | 2.3 | 91% | 6.6 | 0% |
| 25 | Herne Bay Kent | B+ | 2.3 | 83% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 26 | Portishead Somerset | B+ | 2 | 82% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 27 | Haverhill Suffolk | B+ | 2.4 | 91% | 5 | 0% |
| 28 | Longbenton Tyne and Wear | B+ | 3.3 | 80% | 6.2 | 0% |
| 29 | Thatcham Berkshire | B+ | 1.9 | 87% | 3.1 | 27% |
| 30 | Fleetwood Lancashire | B+ | 2.7 | 92% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 31 | Deal Kent | B+ | 1 | 86% | 2.7 | 6% |
| 32 | Cheadle Hulme Greater Manchester | B+ | 3.9 | 80% | 4.3 | 0% |
| 33 | Farnworth Greater Manchester | B+ | 3 | 85% | 4.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Bradley Stoke Gloucestershire | B+ | 2 | 93% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 35 | Darwen Lancashire | B | 2.2 | 89% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Newton Aycliffe County Durham | B | 2.1 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 37 | Rugeley Staffordshire | B | 1.2 | 94% | 2.7 | 37% |
| 38 | Witham Essex | B | 1.9 | 94% | 4.1 | 0% |
| 39 | Egham Surrey | B | 4.1 | 63% | 4.9 | 0% |
| 40 | Broadstairs Kent | B | 1.7 | 76% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 41 | Atherton Greater Manchester | B | 3.8 | 83% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 42 | Bushey Hertfordshire | B | 3.1 | 77% | 4 | 0% |
| 43 | Rhyl Clwyd | B | 1 | 84% | 2.2 | 7% |
| 44 | Droitwich Spa Worcestershire | B | 2.5 | 84% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 45 | Evesham Worcestershire | B− | 1.7 | 80% | 3.5 | 4% |
| 46 | Thetford Norfolk | B− | 2.9 | 65% | 5.1 | 0% |
| 47 | Ashton-in-Makerfield Greater Manchester | B− | 2.6 | 93% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 48 | Melton Mowbray Leicestershire | B− | 3.3 | 84% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Kendal Cumbria | C+ | 0.9 | 67% | 4 | 33% |
| 50 | Coseley West Midlands | C+ | 1.4 | 84% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 51 | Horley Surrey | C+ | 1.9 | 84% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire | C | 1.6 | 84% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 53 | Walton-on-Thames Surrey | C | 1.6 | 81% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 54 | Golborne Greater Manchester | C | 3 | 66% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 55 | Frome Somerset | C | 1.3 | 78% | 2.4 | 9% |
| 56 | Wickersley and Bramley South Yorkshire | C | 1.7 | 77% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 57 | Wickford Essex | C | 2.4 | 59% | 3 | 0% |
| 58 | Hertford Hertfordshire | C | 0.9 | 65% | 5.3 | 0% |
| 59 | Ormskirk Lancashire | D | 1.5 | 80% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 60 | Wisbech Cambridgeshire | D | 1.2 | 79% | 1.4 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Haverhill’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 Haverhill
The biggest is East Town Park, 7.3 ha (18 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
All 9 named parks by size: 36 ha (90 acres) and 5 km of path
Parks & gardens 19 haPlaying fields 17 haPlay spaces 0.4 ha
The biggest is East Town Park, 7.3 ha (18 acres); no single park dominates. 3 of the 9 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.
Emperor's Green
Park or garden
7.0 ha (17 acres)1.0 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
10 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Haverhill Recreation Ground
Park or garden
4.5 ha (11 acres)0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
6 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Haverhill
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Castle Playing Fields
Playing field
7.5 ha (18 acres)0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
10 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.5 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Puddle Brook Playing Fields
Playing field
6.7 ha (17 acres)0.3 km of path
9 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.7 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Mott's Field
Playing field
2.7 ha (7 acres)0.2 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.1 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Jubilee Park
Park or garden
0.3 ha (1 acres)0.2 km of path
0.4 mi south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
East Town Park Play Area
Play space
0.3 ha (1 acres)
1.2 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 9 named parks and green spaces
East Town ParkPark or garden · 7.3 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsEmperor's GreenPark or garden · 7.0 ha · 1.0 km of path
DirectionsHaverhill Recreation GroundPark or garden · 4.5 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsCastle Playing FieldsPlaying field · 7.5 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsPuddle Brook Playing FieldsPlaying field · 6.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMott's FieldPlaying field · 2.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsJubilee ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsEast Town Park Play AreaPlay space · 0.3 ha
DirectionsHaverhill Recreation Ground SplashpadPlay space · 0.0 ha
DirectionsClose to home
9 in 10 Haverhill 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 (91%)Further (9%)
Haverhill91%
Towns its size83%
Suffolk towns80%
All UK towns83%
About 2,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 21 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,272 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Dedham Vale National Landscape is 15 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
Footpaths & waymarked walks
1 waymarked walk passes through or near Haverhill
131 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Haverhill and the kilometre around it, 5.0 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
Stour Valley Path part 27.0 km
The regional route here is the Stour Valley Path part 2.
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 Haverhill: May to July and 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) | 8.2 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.7 | 16.7 | 16.3 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 53 | 43 | 38 | 39 | 43 | 49 | 51 | 70 | 52 | 61 | 60 | 56 |
March is the driest month (38 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 70 mm of rain falls in August, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 52 nights a year. The climate in Haverhill →
Things to do
21 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
Haverhill is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.
The Beach22 mi from Haverhill’s edge
DirectionsStort Beach24 mi from Haverhill’s edge
DirectionsMill Beach26 mi from Haverhill’s edge
DirectionsEast Point Beach28 mi from Haverhill’s edge
DirectionsWeymarks Beach30 mi from Haverhill’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
Nature reserves 3
Elm Close Wildlife Project0.1 ha · in town
DirectionsMillfields County Wildlife Site4.7 ha · 0.0 mi from town
DirectionsWest Town Park18 ha · 0.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 21
Plus 21 playgrounds 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.
KedingtonSteeple BumpsteadCock and EndBalshamClareLintonHaverhill
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haverhill | B+ | 2.4 | 91% | 0% |
| Kedington 2.5 mi | C+ | 3.3 | 83% | 0% |
| Steeple Bumpstead 2.8 mi | B− | 1.9 | 100% | 0% |
| Cock and End 5.0 mi | D− | 0.0 | 0% | 0% |
| Balsham 5.9 mi | D | 1.7 | 57% | 0% |
| Clare 6.3 mi | A− | 7.7 | 100% | 0% |
| Linton 6.4 mi | D | 1.1 | 67% | 0% |
Clare, 6.3 miles away, grades A−, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park. Clare has at least twice Haverhill’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Haverhill
What is the biggest park in Haverhill?
East Town Park, 7.3 ha (18 acres), with 1.5 km of path. Emperor's Green (7.0 ha) is second. 9 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Haverhill near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Dedham Vale National Landscape, 15 mi south-east of the town’s edge. It covers 91 km² and was designated in 1970.
What are the best walks near Haverhill?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the Stour Valley Path part 2.
What is the nearest beach to Haverhill?
The Beach, 22 mi from the edge of the town, then Stort Beach (24 mi). Haverhill itself is inland.
How many people in Haverhill live near a park?
91% 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 Haverhill?
May to July and September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Haverhill good for walking?
For paths, yes: 5.0 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 93% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 58% (2.4 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 Haverhill’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Haverhill’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.