Ashford Common’s biggest
King George's Field
Playing field · 80 m outside town
2.8 ha (7 acres)0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
4 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: James Emmans · CC BY-SA 2.0DOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Ashford Common · parks, paths & countryside
Parks and walks in Ashford Common
Parks and playing fields in Ashford Common add up to 0.8 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 62% of residents. Footpaths add up to 33 km in the town and the kilometre around it, 2.5 for every square kilometre. Ashford Common grades D for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
0.8 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
62%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
33 km
2.5 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
0%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Surrey Hills National Landscape
Outdoors grade
Ashford Common grades D for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Ashford 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.
D
Better than 8% of UK towns#65 of 65 in Surrey
Public green space0.8 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
8out of
100
100
A park within a walk62%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
22out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape0%of the land within 5 km · None within 5 km
31out of
100
100
Footpaths2.5 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
45out 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
How Ashford Common compares with UK towns of 7,900 to 8,800
The 60 UK towns and cities of 7,900 to 8,800 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
Ashford Common2.5
Towns its size2.9
Surrey towns4.3
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Ashford Common0.8
Towns its size2.2
Surrey towns3.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Ashford Common62%
Towns its size86%
Surrey towns75%
All UK towns83%
Ashford Common falls furthest behind on park space per resident, where 57 of the 59 others do better.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upton Dorset | A+ | 9.1 | 84% | 4.7 | 18% |
| 2 | Hawkinge Kent | A+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.2 | 74% |
| 3 | Chipping Sodbury Gloucestershire | A+ | 5.2 | 93% | 8.2 | 29% |
| 4 | Pool and Illogan Cornwall | A+ | 3.7 | 81% | 4 | 5% |
| 5 | Ecclesfield and Grenoside South Yorkshire | A+ | 5.1 | 94% | 5.2 | 2% |
| 6 | Stakeford Northumberland | A+ | 10 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 7 | Bargod Gwent | A | 13.6 | 100% | 5.5 | 0% |
| 8 | Storrington West Sussex | A | 5.5 | 85% | 3.2 | 54% |
| 9 | Wallingford Oxfordshire | A | 3.1 | 85% | 3.7 | 61% |
| 10 | Grove Oxfordshire | A | 2.2 | 92% | 4.7 | 27% |
| 11 | Brecon Powys | A | 3.2 | 86% | 3.2 | 61% |
| 12 | East Cowes Isle of Wight | A | 1.4 | 96% | 3 | 8% |
| 13 | Ledbury Herefordshire | A | 3.3 | 89% | 3.1 | 34% |
| 14 | Penistone South Yorkshire | A | 2.6 | 97% | 3.9 | 9% |
| 15 | Bearsted Kent | A | 5.5 | 76% | 3.5 | 39% |
| 16 | Stonehouse Gloucestershire | A | 1.8 | 94% | 4.6 | 36% |
| 17 | Bursledon Hampshire | A | 2.6 | 90% | 3.8 | 0% |
| 18 | Richmond North Yorkshire | A | 2.4 | 96% | 3.9 | 7% |
| 19 | Maryport Cumbria | A− | 1.4 | 100% | 2.4 | 5% |
| 20 | Norton Canes Staffordshire | A− | 13.3 | 97% | 1.9 | 10% |
| 21 | Brightlingsea Essex | A− | 3 | 97% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 22 | Pembroke Dyfed | B+ | 2.2 | 91% | 1 | 31% |
| 23 | Longridge Lancashire | B+ | 1.9 | 89% | 3 | 32% |
| 24 | Coppull Lancashire | B+ | 4.6 | 85% | 3.7 | 0% |
| 25 | Hadleigh Suffolk | B+ | 2.6 | 87% | 2.7 | 10% |
| 26 | Runwell Essex | B+ | 5.1 | 92% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 27 | Pershore Worcestershire | B | 2.7 | 76% | 3.2 | 7% |
| 28 | Abergele Clwyd | B | 2.9 | 78% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 29 | Clayton-le-Moors Lancashire | B | 1.1 | 86% | 4.2 | 2% |
| 30 | Wendover Buckinghamshire | B | 1 | 58% | 5.6 | 60% |
| 31 | Alnwick Northumberland | B− | 2.2 | 67% | 3.4 | 7% |
| 32 | Twyford Berkshire | B− | 2.4 | 86% | 2.1 | 5% |
| 33 | Meltham West Yorkshire | B− | 1 | 63% | 5.3 | 27% |
| 34 | Stansted Mountfitchet Essex | B− | 0.8 | 96% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 35 | Denbigh Clwyd | B− | 1.3 | 96% | 2.3 | 5% |
| 36 | Fakenham Norfolk | C+ | 5.2 | 81% | 2 | 0% |
| 37 | Bewdley Worcestershire | C+ | 1.7 | 88% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 38 | Crediton Devon | C+ | 2.4 | 89% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 39 | Seaton Delaval Northumberland | C+ | 0.5 | 66% | 4 | 0% |
| 40 | Atherstone Warwickshire | C+ | 2.7 | 88% | 2 | 0% |
| 41 | Ammanford Dyfed | C+ | 2.8 | 70% | 1.5 | 9% |
| 42 | Faringdon Oxfordshire | C | 1.3 | 94% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 43 | Silsden West Yorkshire | C | 0.8 | 67% | 3.5 | 1% |
| 44 | Rothwell Northamptonshire | C | 2.2 | 91% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 45 | Southam Warwickshire | C | 2.3 | 86% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 46 | Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire | C | 2.1 | 38% | 2.3 | 2% |
| 47 | Hedon East Riding of Yorkshire | C− | 0.9 | 74% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 48 | Sherburn in Elmet North Yorkshire | C− | 1.8 | 93% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 49 | Glastonbury Somerset | C− | 2 | 69% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 50 | Llanharan and Brynna Mid Glamorgan | C− | 1.7 | 97% | 1.2 | 0% |
| 51 | Hilton Derbyshire | C− | 1.1 | 89% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 52 | Radlett Hertfordshire | C− | 2.1 | 60% | 2.7 | 0% |
| 53 | East Leake Nottinghamshire | C− | 2.4 | 68% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 54 | Rainworth Nottinghamshire | C− | 0.5 | 65% | 4.6 | 0% |
| 55 | Penkridge Staffordshire | C− | 0.8 | 70% | 2.1 | 7% |
| 56 | Launceston Cornwall | C− | 2.1 | 66% | 0.9 | 1% |
| 57 | Swaffham Norfolk | D | 1 | 68% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 58 | Ashford Common Surrey | D | 0.8 | 62% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 59 | Coxheath Kent | D | 1.2 | 48% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 60 | Clydach West Glamorgan | D | 1.7 | 68% | 0.8 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Ashford 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 Ashford Common
The biggest is King George's Field, 2.8 ha (7 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Alexandra Recreation Ground
Playing field
2.1 ha (5 acres)0.5 km of path
3 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Ashford Common
Playground
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Close to home
6 in 10 Ashford Common 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 (62%)Further (38%)
Ashford Common62%
Towns its size86%
Surrey towns75%
All UK towns83%
About 3,100 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 35 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 238 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
The Surrey Hills National Landscape is 9.5 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 Ashford Common
33 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Ashford Common and the kilometre around it, 2.5 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
Thames Path - alternate1.1 km
The regional route here is the Thames Path - alternate.
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 Ashford Common: 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) | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 62 | 45 | 39 | 43 | 45 | 50 | 43 | 55 | 51 | 67 | 69 | 60 |
March is the driest month (39 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 24 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 69 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 29 nights a year. The climate in Ashford Common →
The coast
Beaches near Ashford Common
0% of the area within 5 km of Ashford Common is sea, so the Outdoors Grade counts it as inland. 2 beaches are mapped within 5 km.
Amity Beach2.7 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
35 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
Viewpoints 1
Monolith Hill0.8 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Bedfont lakes nature reserve.2.6 ha · 0.9 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 35
Alexandra Park Play Groundin town
Directions1st Sunb. Scouts0.9 mi from town
DirectionsFordbridge Park Playground1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 32 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
Plus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Slipways 2
Plus 2 slipways 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.
AshfordSunbury-on-ThamesUpper HallifordShepperton GreenSheppertonLalehamAshford Common
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford Common | D | 0.8 | 62% | 0% |
| Ashford 1.2 mi | C+ | 3.4 | 73% | 0% |
| Sunbury-on-Thames 1.2 mi | C+ | 2.0 | 79% | 0% |
| Upper Halliford 1.4 mi | B− | 5.1 | 44% | 0% |
| Shepperton Green 1.7 mi | D | 1.4 | 73% | 0% |
| Shepperton 1.9 mi | A | 8.7 | 89% | 0% |
| Laleham 2.3 mi | C | 9.8 | 34% | 0% |
Shepperton, 1.9 miles away, grades A, the best next door: 89% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Ashford, Sunbury-on-Thames and Upper Halliford have at least twice Ashford Common’s green space per resident. None of the neighbours has a protected landscape within 5 km either.
Questions about the outdoors in Ashford Common
What is the biggest park in Ashford Common?
King George's Field, 2.8 ha (7 acres), with 0.8 km of path, just outside the built-up area. Alexandra Recreation Ground (2.1 ha) is second. 2 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.
Is Ashford Common near a National Park?
The nearest protected landscape is the Surrey Hills National Landscape, 9.5 mi south-east of the town’s edge. It covers 422 km² and was designated in 1958.
What are the best walks near Ashford Common?
1 waymarked walking route passes within 2 km of the town, including the Thames Path - alternate.
How many people in Ashford Common live near a park?
62% 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 Ashford 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 Ashford Common good for walking?
About average for paths: 2.5 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 45% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 8% (0.8 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 Ashford Common’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Ashford 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.