Martlesham Heath’s biggest
The Green
Playing field
2.9 ha (7 acres)
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Martlesham Heath
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Bluewave at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Martlesham Heath · parks, paths & countryside
Martlesham Heath has more footpath per square kilometre than nearly 9 in 10 UK towns
56 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 4.6 for every square kilometre. The Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape begins 0.4 mi from the town’s edge. Parks and playing fields in Martlesham Heath add up to 3.5 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Martlesham Heath grades A− for the outdoors: #5 of 34 in Suffolk. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
3.5 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
68%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
56 km
4.6 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
25%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors town is Martlesham Heath?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A town of footpaths4.6 km of path per km², more than 89% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Protected countryside25% of the land within 5 km is Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape.Room to roam3.5 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 76% of UK towns.Parks can be a walk away33% of residents live more than 400 m from a park or playing field.
Martlesham Heath’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by protected countryside on the doorstep. Where it falls short is how far some homes are from a park.
Outdoors grade
Martlesham Heath grades A− for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Martlesham Heath, 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 83% of UK towns#5 of 34 in Suffolk · 6th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space3.5 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
77out of
100
100
A park within a walk68%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
28out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape25%of the land within 5 km
81out of
100
100
Footpaths4.6 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
89out of
100
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland: 4.7% sea, under the 5% that counts
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
Martlesham Heath is 6th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 2,600 to 2,800 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
Martlesham Heath4.6
Towns its size2.3
Suffolk towns2.5
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Martlesham Heath3.5
Towns its size1.7
Suffolk towns2.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Martlesham Heath68%
Towns its size78%
Suffolk towns80%
All UK towns83%
Against towns its size, Martlesham Heath stands out most for park space per resident: only 8 of the other 59 have more. It falls furthest behind on homes near a park, where 39 of the others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lindford Hampshire | A+ | 17.1 | 100% | 4.7 | 42% |
| 2 | Settle North Yorkshire | A+ | 6.4 | 100% | 3.6 | 73% |
| 3 | Hadston Northumberland | A+ | 5.8 | 100% | 2 | 1% |
| 4 | Yorkley and Whitecroft Gloucestershire | A | 3.3 | 74% | 6.4 | 1% |
| 5 | Penmaenmawr Clwyd | A | 1.7 | 78% | 3.4 | 39% |
| 6 | Martlesham Heath Suffolk | A− | 3.5 | 68% | 4.6 | 25% |
| 7 | Jacksdale and Westwood Nottinghamshire | A− | 2.7 | 100% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 8 | Newington Kent | A− | 2.3 | 78% | 2.3 | 21% |
| 9 | Combe Martin Devon | A− | 1.8 | 88% | 1.5 | 37% |
| 10 | Newhey Greater Manchester | B+ | 2.4 | 100% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 11 | Perranporth Cornwall | B+ | 1.3 | 75% | 3.4 | 4% |
| 12 | Buckfastleigh Devon | B+ | 2.9 | 89% | 1.3 | 53% |
| 13 | Mundesley Norfolk | B | 1.8 | 79% | 1.5 | 24% |
| 14 | Broadway Worcestershire | B | 2 | 65% | 3.6 | 56% |
| 15 | Farington Moss Lancashire | B | 5.9 | 93% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 16 | Boverton South Glamorgan | B | 4.3 | 52% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 17 | Ormesby St Margaret Norfolk | B | 2.1 | 79% | 0.8 | 21% |
| 18 | Sutton-in-Craven North Yorkshire | B | 1.8 | 100% | 3.1 | 0% |
| 19 | Mancetter and Witherley Warwickshire | B− | 3.1 | 88% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 20 | Alltwen West Glamorgan | B− | 4.2 | 100% | 0.9 | 0% |
| 21 | Cliffe Woods Kent | B− | 1.7 | 62% | 2.5 | 1% |
| 22 | Denby Dale West Yorkshire | B− | 0.7 | 100% | 4 | 0% |
| 23 | Pucklechurch Gloucestershire | C+ | 1.2 | 64% | 4.2 | 20% |
| 24 | Pimperne Dorset | C+ | 1.9 | 72% | 1.9 | 89% |
| 25 | Shevington Moor Greater Manchester | C+ | 2.1 | 90% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 26 | Great Totham Essex | C+ | 2.8 | 100% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 27 | Ashington West Sussex | C+ | 1.3 | 86% | 2.3 | 21% |
| 28 | Hambrook and Nutbourne West Sussex | C+ | 1.2 | 28% | 2 | 69% |
| 29 | Snettisham Norfolk | C+ | 1.1 | 73% | 1.3 | 32% |
| 30 | Rhostyllen Clwyd | C+ | 1.1 | 68% | 3.7 | 10% |
| 31 | Bluntisham and Colne Cambridgeshire | C+ | 2.3 | 88% | 2.2 | 0% |
| 32 | Bosham West Sussex | C+ | 1.2 | 48% | 1.4 | 58% |
| 33 | Lostock Gralam Cheshire | C | 1.2 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 34 | Catterick North Yorkshire | C | 3.6 | 89% | 0.7 | 0% |
| 35 | Badsey Worcestershire | C | 2.8 | 54% | 1.9 | 5% |
| 36 | Asfordby Leicestershire | C | 4 | 57% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 37 | Woolton Hill and Highclere Hampshire | C | 1.2 | 60% | 2.3 | 70% |
| 38 | Kidwelly Dyfed | C | 2.8 | 56% | 1 | 0% |
| 39 | Buckden Cambridgeshire | C | 2.9 | 85% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 40 | Shelley West Yorkshire | C− | 1.2 | 81% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 41 | Wittering Cambridgeshire | C− | 3.1 | 83% | 0.6 | 0% |
| 42 | Swavesey Cambridgeshire | C− | 1.8 | 80% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 43 | South Wonston Hampshire | C− | 1.6 | 42% | 2.6 | 7% |
| 44 | Wolston Warwickshire | C− | 1.6 | 89% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 45 | Cheswick Green West Midlands | C− | 1 | 77% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 46 | Codicote Hertfordshire | C− | 0.4 | 90% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 47 | Newick East Sussex | C− | 1.7 | 35% | 2.1 | 16% |
| 48 | Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen West Glamorgan | C− | 1.1 | 80% | 0.8 | 26% |
| 49 | Tarvin Cheshire | C− | 1.2 | 90% | 1.9 | 0% |
| 50 | West Clyst Devon | C− | 0.6 | 59% | 4.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Clifton Bedfordshire | C− | 1.7 | 64% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 52 | Kirkbymoorside North Yorkshire | C− | 0.4 | 55% | 1.9 | 37% |
| 53 | Willington Derbyshire | D | 1.8 | 67% | 2 | 0% |
| 54 | Brierley South Yorkshire | D | 0.7 | 82% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 55 | Harbury Warwickshire | D | 1.6 | 73% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 56 | Larkhill Wiltshire | D | 1.1 | 68% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 57 | Ambrosden Oxfordshire | D | 1 | 78% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 58 | Berinsfield Oxfordshire | D | 0.1 | 0% | 2.1 | 11% |
| 59 | Repton Derbyshire | D | 0.8 | 36% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 60 | St Martins Shropshire | D | 0.6 | 59% | 0.8 | 2% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Martlesham Heath’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 Martlesham Heath
The biggest is The Green, 2.9 ha (7 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
7 in 10 Martlesham Heath 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 (68%)Further (33%)
Martlesham Heath68%
Towns its size78%
Suffolk towns80%
All UK towns83%
About 900 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 12 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 228 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape is 0.4 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
National Landscape
Suffolk Coast & Heaths
0.4 mi north-east443 km²since 197025% of the land within 5 km
Official site25% of the land within 5 km of Martlesham Heath is National Park or National Landscape, more than 81% of UK towns.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
4 waymarked walks pass through or near Martlesham Heath
56 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Martlesham Heath and the kilometre around it, 4.6 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the town.
RegionalLocal
Sandlings Walk8.4 km
Fynn Valley Walk4.7 km
Marshes, Mudflats and Woodbridge Circular Walk, Kyson Hill1.4 km
Sandlings Walk (St Augustine's route)0.5 km
2 regional routes pass through, including the Sandlings Walk and Sandlings Walk (St Augustine's route).
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 Martlesham Heath: 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) | 8.2 | 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 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 53 | 43 | 40 | 36 | 47 | 51 | 54 | 55 | 51 | 65 | 63 | 61 |
April is the driest month (36 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 22 °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 35 nights a year. The climate in Martlesham Heath →
The coast
Beaches near Martlesham Heath
5% of the area within 5 km of Martlesham Heath is sea, so the Outdoors Grade counts it as inland. 5 beaches are mapped within 5 km, 1 with a name.
Honolulu Beach2.9 mi from town
DirectionsSea: 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
12 playgrounds
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.
Every named place, with directions
Nature reserves 1
Martlesham Wilds Nature Reserve116 ha · 1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 12
Grange Meadow playground0.6 mi from town
DirectionsOaks Meadow Play Area0.7 mi from town
DirectionsNock Gardens1.0 mi from town
DirectionsKWMCC Play Area1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 8 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Low Farm1.2 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.
MartleshamKesgraveWoodbridgeGrundisburghMeltonKirtonMartlesham Heath
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martlesham Heath | A− | 3.5 | 68% | 25% |
| Martlesham 0.7 mi | B | 2.1 | 69% | 24% |
| Kesgrave 1.3 mi | A | 3.3 | 97% | 14% |
| Woodbridge 2.8 mi | B+ | 1.7 | 80% | 30% |
| Grundisburgh 3.6 mi | B+ | 2.2 | 100% | 3% |
| Melton 3.9 mi | A+ | 6.5 | 100% | 33% |
| Kirton 4.2 mi | A+ | 2.5 | 100% | 50% |
Melton, 3.9 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: every resident lives within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Martlesham Heath
What is the biggest park in Martlesham Heath?
The Green, 2.9 ha (7 acres). 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Martlesham Heath near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape, 0.4 mi north-east of the town’s edge. It covers 443 km² and was designated in 1970.
What are the best walks near Martlesham Heath?
4 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Sandlings Walk, Fynn Valley Walk and Marshes, Mudflats and Woodbridge Circular Walk, Kyson Hill.
How many people in Martlesham Heath live near a park?
68% 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 Martlesham Heath?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Martlesham Heath good for walking?
For paths, yes: 4.6 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 89% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 77% (3.5 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 Martlesham Heath’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Martlesham Heath’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.