Chilworth’s biggest
Shalford Common
Park or garden
34 ha (84 acres)1.7 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
48 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.8 mi westfrom the centre
1 listedFP 266aFP 267a
Directionsto the nearest entrance
Photo: Colin Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors Grade
Outdoors in Chilworth · parks, paths & countryside
59% of the land within 5 km of Chilworth is National Park or National Landscape
The Surrey Hills National Landscape reaches the edge of Chilworth. Parks and playing fields in Chilworth add up to 10.8 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. 70 km of footpaths run through the village and the kilometre around it, 6.1 for every square kilometre. Chilworth grades A+ for the outdoors. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.
Green space
10.8 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
80%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
70 km
6.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
59%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Surrey Hills National Landscape
Character
What kind of outdoors village is Chilworth?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Protected countryside59% of the land within 5 km is Surrey Hills National Landscape.A village of footpaths6.1 km of path per km², more than 97% of UK towns. The typical town has 3.0.Room to roam10.8 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 96% of UK towns.On a National TrailThe North Downs Way passes through.
Chilworth’s strongest suit is protected countryside on the doorstep, followed by dense footpaths.
Outdoors grade
Chilworth grades A+ for the outdoors
Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Chilworth, 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 98% of UK towns6th of 60 UK villages its size
Public green space10.8 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
97out of
100
100
A park within a walk80%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
47out of
100
100
National Park or National Landscape59%of the land within 5 km
94out of
100
100
Footpaths6.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
98out 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
Chilworth is 6th of 60 UK villages its size for the outdoors
The 60 UK towns and cities of 1,800 to 2,000 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
Chilworth6.1
Villages its size2.3
Surrey towns4.3
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Chilworth10.8
Villages its size2.4
Surrey towns3.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Chilworth80%
Villages its size80%
Surrey towns75%
All UK towns83%
Against villages its size, Chilworth stands out most for park space per resident: only 4 of the other 59 have more.
Show as a table
| Town | Outdoors | Green space | Near a park | Path per km² | Protected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westbourne West Sussex | A+ | 9.6 | 100% | 4.1 | 57% |
| 2 | Badshot Lea Surrey | A+ | 25.9 | 100% | 5.2 | 25% |
| 3 | Kirkby Stephen Cumbria | A+ | 4.9 | 100% | 3.7 | 65% |
| 4 | Colyton Devon | A+ | 3.5 | 100% | 2.2 | 79% |
| 5 | Brading Isle of Wight | A+ | 2.9 | 84% | 4.2 | 21% |
| 6 | Chilworth Surrey | A+ | 10.8 | 80% | 6.1 | 59% |
| 7 | Scholes (near Hade Edge) West Yorkshire | A+ | 3.8 | 100% | 4.7 | 16% |
| 8 | Hayfield Derbyshire | A+ | 2.2 | 100% | 4.1 | 62% |
| 9 | Ravenstone Leicestershire | A− | 5.3 | 100% | 3.4 | 0% |
| 10 | Ickleford Hertfordshire | A− | 3.7 | 82% | 3.7 | 11% |
| 11 | South Nutfield Surrey | A− | 2.5 | 100% | 2.7 | 11% |
| 12 | Lower Broadheath Worcestershire | A− | 6 | 100% | 2.9 | 0% |
| 13 | Goosnargh Lancashire | A− | 2.4 | 100% | 2.5 | 6% |
| 14 | Lyminge Kent | A− | 3.5 | 83% | 2.1 | 90% |
| 15 | Highnam Gloucestershire | B+ | 12 | 100% | 2.1 | 0% |
| 16 | Polesworth Warwickshire | B+ | 13.5 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 17 | Mevagissey Cornwall | B+ | 1.3 | 87% | 1.9 | 29% |
| 18 | Wingates Greater Manchester | B+ | 2.6 | 100% | 3.2 | 0% |
| 19 | Ingoldmells Lincolnshire | B+ | 2.8 | 83% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 20 | Southgate West Glamorgan | B+ | 1.1 | 21% | 3.7 | 56% |
| 21 | Chinley Derbyshire | B+ | 1.2 | 78% | 4.4 | 53% |
| 22 | Partridge Green West Sussex | B | 2.1 | 100% | 3.3 | 0% |
| 23 | Shurdington Gloucestershire | B | 2.7 | 47% | 3.3 | 42% |
| 24 | Beare Green Surrey | B | 1.6 | 70% | 3.9 | 30% |
| 25 | Campsall South Yorkshire | B | 14.8 | 100% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 26 | Stanwick Northamptonshire | B− | 7.9 | 82% | 2.3 | 0% |
| 27 | Dilton Marsh Wiltshire | B− | 2.1 | 67% | 3.5 | 4% |
| 28 | Wrea Green Lancashire | B− | 3.5 | 100% | 1.3 | 0% |
| 29 | Whitland Dyfed | B− | 4.4 | 100% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 30 | Wooler Northumberland | B− | 3.3 | 81% | 0.8 | 26% |
| 31 | Stow-on-the-Wold Gloucestershire | B− | 3.4 | 64% | 1.2 | 88% |
| 32 | Oxenhope West Yorkshire | B− | 1.8 | 80% | 4.5 | 0% |
| 33 | Leeswood Clwyd | C+ | 4 | 83% | 0.7 | 2% |
| 34 | Wickham Bishops Essex | C+ | 3.4 | 91% | 1.8 | 0% |
| 35 | Hockley Heath West Midlands | C+ | 2.6 | 86% | 2.5 | 0% |
| 36 | Northiam East Sussex | C+ | 2.2 | 76% | 0.8 | 100% |
| 37 | Stratton Cornwall | C+ | 0.8 | 23% | 3 | 8% |
| 38 | High Spen Tyne and Wear | C+ | 3.3 | 74% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 39 | Hatton Warwickshire | C | 1.6 | 100% | 2 | 0% |
| 40 | Ramsden Heath Essex | C | 2.3 | 82% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 41 | Presteigne Powys | C | 3.2 | 61% | 2.8 | 0% |
| 42 | Sleights North Yorkshire | C | 0.9 | 30% | 1.5 | 80% |
| 43 | Rode Heath Cheshire | C | 0.9 | 100% | 2.4 | 0% |
| 44 | Newton Poppleford Devon | C | 1.4 | 44% | 2.3 | 60% |
| 45 | Chivenor and Wrafton Devon | C− | 0.6 | 0% | 1.7 | 17% |
| 46 | Black Notley Essex | C− | 1.6 | 36% | 3.9 | 0% |
| 47 | Littlethorpe Leicestershire | C− | 0.4 | 57% | 4.7 | 0% |
| 48 | Stocksfield Northumberland | C− | 2.2 | 40% | 2.6 | 0% |
| 49 | Brompton-on-Swale North Yorkshire | D | 2.1 | 71% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 50 | Manby Lincolnshire | D | 1.4 | 68% | 0.8 | 2% |
| 51 | Cropwell Bishop Nottinghamshire | D | 0.7 | 45% | 3.5 | 0% |
| 52 | Newton Longville Buckinghamshire | D | 2.9 | 18% | 1.5 | 0% |
| 53 | Hutton Rudby North Yorkshire | D | 1.6 | 35% | 1.1 | 13% |
| 54 | Little Plumstead Norfolk | D | 0.6 | 64% | 1 | 16% |
| 55 | Wheldrake North Yorkshire | D− | 1.4 | 72% | 0.8 | 0% |
| 56 | Colnbrook Berkshire | D− | 0.6 | 68% | 1.7 | 0% |
| 57 | Weeting Norfolk | D− | 1.2 | 68% | 1.1 | 0% |
| 58 | Great Gonerby Lincolnshire | D− | 0.7 | 56% | 1.4 | 0% |
| 59 | Shippon Oxfordshire | D− | 0.4 | 0% | 2 | 0% |
| 60 | Goostrey Cheshire | D− | 0.3 | 42% | 1.7 | 0% |
The map
Parks, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Chilworth’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 Chilworth
The biggest is Shalford Common, 34 ha (84 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.
Close to home
8 in 10 Chilworth 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 (80%)Further (20%)
Chilworth80%
Villages its size80%
Surrey towns75%
All UK towns83%
About 400 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 11 playgrounds are mapped in and around the village, about one for every 174 residents.
National Parks & National Landscapes
National Parks and National Landscapes around Chilworth
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
Surrey Hills
At the edge north-west422 km²since 195859% of the land within 5 km
Official site59% of the land within 5 km of Chilworth is National Park or National Landscape, more than 94% of UK towns. South Downs National Park covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010.
Footpaths & waymarked walks
Chilworth is on the North Downs Way
70 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Chilworth and the kilometre around it, 6.1 km for every square kilometre (the typical UK town has 3.0). Bars show each route’s kilometres within 2 km of the village.
NationalRegionalLocal
Tillingbourne at work (long) (SCC)9.5 km
Downs Link7.3 km
The Fox Way7.3 km
Tillingbourne at work (short) (SCC)7.1 km
North Downs Way (Eastern)6.5 km
Scholar's Trail5.6 km
Wey-South Path4.3 km
The North Downs Way, a national route, passes Chilworth. Close to home, the Tillingbourne at work (long) (SCC) has 9 km of local walk within 2 km of the village. 2 regional routes pass through, including the Downs Link and Wey-South Path.
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 Chilworth: 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 16.6 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Rain (mm) | 87 | 59 | 50 | 53 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 62 | 62 | 88 | 90 | 84 |
March is the driest month (50 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 90 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 49 nights a year. The climate in Chilworth →
Things to do
14 viewpoints, 11 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.
14Viewpoints5Hills and peaks1Nature reserves2Picnic sites11Playgrounds1.5× villages its size1Campsites
The nearest beaches
Chilworth is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the village.
Penguin Beach13 mi from Chilworth’s edge
DirectionsAmity Beach13 mi from Chilworth’s edge
DirectionsHog Hole21 mi from Chilworth’s edge
DirectionsThe Hollows21 mi from Chilworth’s edge
DirectionsKelson Beach29 mi from Chilworth’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 14
High Ball0.3 mi from town
DirectionsSt Martha's Hill0.4 mi from town
DirectionsSteve's Spot0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 11 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 5
St Martha's Hill0.4 mi from town
DirectionsChinthurst Hill121 m (397 ft) · 0.5 mi from town
DirectionsWhinny Hill0.7 mi from town
DirectionsBarnett Hill0.8 mi from town
DirectionsPewley Hill1.2 mi from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Shalford Water Meadows41 ha · 1.1 mi from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 11
Natural Play Area0.2 mi from town
DirectionsPlus 10 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Chantry Wood Campsite0.5 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.
ShalfordBramley and WonershShamley GreenGuildfordFarncombeWest ClandonChilworth
ABCDOutdoors Grade
| Town | Outdoors | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Near a park | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chilworth | A+ | 10.8 | 80% | 59% |
| Shalford 1.1 mi | A+ | 14.9 | 89% | 47% |
| Bramley and Wonersh 1.5 mi | B+ | 1.7 | 77% | 59% |
| Shamley Green 2.2 mi | A | 2.9 | 100% | 69% |
| Guildford 2.8 mi | A | 2.8 | 86% | 31% |
| Farncombe 3.4 mi | A+ | 5.7 | 92% | 54% |
| West Clandon 3.7 mi | C | 1.9 | 49% | 28% |
Shalford, 1.1 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 89% of its residents live within 400 m of a park.
Questions about the outdoors in Chilworth
What is the biggest park in Chilworth?
Shalford Common, 34 ha (84 acres), with 1.7 km of path. 1 named park, garden or playing field is in the village or within 400 m of it.
Is Chilworth near a National Park?
Yes. South Downs National Park begins 9.0 mi south of the village’s edge. It covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010. The nearest protected landscape of any kind is the Surrey Hills National Landscape, at the edge of the village.
What are the best walks near Chilworth?
7 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the village, including the Tillingbourne at work (long) (SCC), Downs Link and The Fox Way.
What is the nearest beach to Chilworth?
Penguin Beach, 13 mi from the edge of the village, then Amity Beach (13 mi). Chilworth itself is inland.
How many people in Chilworth live near a park?
80% 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 Chilworth?
May to September: the longest days, the warmest afternoons and the least rain of the year, from the Met Office 1991–2020 averages.
Is Chilworth good for walking?
For paths, yes: 6.1 km of footpath and right of way per square kilometre, more than 98% of UK towns. For park space per person it beats 97% (10.8 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 Chilworth’s overall grade.
Sources
Where Chilworth’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.