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High Street, GuildfordPhoto: Malc McDonald · CC BY-SA 2.0
AOutdoors Grade
Outdoors in Guildford · parks, paths & countryside

Guildford has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 UK towns

317 km of footpaths run through the town and the kilometre around it, 6.1 for every square kilometre. The Surrey Hills National Landscape reaches the edge of Guildford. Parks and playing fields in Guildford add up to 2.8 ha for every 1,000 residents; the typical UK town has 2.1. Guildford grades A for the outdoors: #8 of 65 in Surrey. A character grade: it isn’t part of the overall grade.

Green space
2.8 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical UK town 2.1
Near a park
86%
of residents within 400 m
Typical UK town 83%
Footpaths
317 km
6.1 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical UK town 3.0 per km²
Protected landscape
31%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Surrey Hills National Landscape
Character

What kind of outdoors town is Guildford?

Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.

Guildford’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by its views.

Outdoors grade

Guildford grades A for the outdoors

Each chart is every UK town of 1,000 or more on one measure: the green bar is Guildford, 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 94% of UK towns#8 of 65 in Surrey · 6th of 60 UK towns its size
Public green space2.8 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
typical 2.1 ha010+
65out of
100
A park within a walk86%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
typical 83%0100+
59out of
100
National Park or National Landscape31%of the land within 5 km
none100+
84out of
100
Footpaths6.1 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
typical 3.0 km010+
98out of
100
The sea0%of the area within 5 km · Inland
none80+
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.

Towns its size

Guildford is 6th of 60 UK towns its size for the outdoors

The 60 UK towns and cities of 63,100 to 96,000 people with an Outdoors Grade. Hover a dot for its figures; tap one for its page.

0255075100Burton upon Trent (Staffordshire): C− · 1.9 ha green space per 1,000 · 74% near a park · 2.4 km path per km²Southport (Merseyside): C− · 1.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 60% near a park · 2.1 km path per km²Crewe (Cheshire): C · 1.6 ha green space per 1,000 · 88% near a park · 2.3 km path per km²Chester (Cheshire): C · 1.6 ha green space per 1,000 · 86% near a park · 2.7 km path per km²Scunthorpe (Lincolnshire): C · 2.2 ha green space per 1,000 · 91% near a park · 1.7 km path per km²Doncaster (South Yorkshire): C · 1.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 72% near a park · 3.6 km path per km²Loughborough (Leicestershire): C · 1.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 73% near a park · 4.4 km path per km²Bognor Regis (West Sussex): C · 1.1 ha green space per 1,000 · 78% near a park · 2.3 km path per km²Darlington (County Durham): C+ · 2.2 ha green space per 1,000 · 87% near a park · 2.4 km path per km²Walsall (West Midlands): C+ · 2.5 ha green space per 1,000 · 75% near a park · 3 km path per km²Shrewsbury (Shropshire): C+ · 1.6 ha green space per 1,000 · 87% near a park · 3.4 km path per km²Woking (Surrey): C+ · 1.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 67% near a park · 6.5 km path per km²Stockton-on-Tees (County Durham): C+ · 2 ha green space per 1,000 · 83% near a park · 3.2 km path per km²Royal Sutton Coldfield (West Midlands): B− · 6.1 ha green space per 1,000 · 64% near a park · 3 km path per km²Stafford (Staffordshire): B− · 1.9 ha green space per 1,000 · 70% near a park · 3.1 km path per km²Kettering (Northamptonshire): B− · 2.1 ha green space per 1,000 · 90% near a park · 3.3 km path per km²Bury (Greater Manchester): B− · 2.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 82% near a park · 3.8 km path per km²Halifax (West Yorkshire): B− · 2 ha green space per 1,000 · 86% near a park · 4.1 km path per km²Grimsby (Lincolnshire): B− · 1.3 ha green space per 1,000 · 75% near a park · 2.4 km path per km²Tamworth (Staffordshire): B− · 2.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 89% near a park · 3 km path per km²Rugby (Warwickshire): B− · 2.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 92% near a park · 2.8 km path per km²Nuneaton (Warwickshire): B− · 2.3 ha green space per 1,000 · 94% near a park · 3.1 km path per km²Hartlepool (County Durham): B− · 1.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 73% near a park · 3.3 km path per km²Margate (Kent): B · 1.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 88% near a park · 2.1 km path per km²Wigan (Greater Manchester): B · 2.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 81% near a park · 4 km path per km²Rotherham (South Yorkshire): B · 3.1 ha green space per 1,000 · 73% near a park · 4.9 km path per km²Wallasey (Merseyside): B · 1.9 ha green space per 1,000 · 90% near a park · 2.1 km path per km²Preston (Lancashire): B · 3 ha green space per 1,000 · 80% near a park · 4.1 km path per km²Corby (Northamptonshire): B · 3.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 96% near a park · 2.6 km path per km²Ellesmere Port (Cheshire): B · 2.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 90% near a park · 1.9 km path per km²Maidenhead (Berkshire): B+ · 1.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 83% near a park · 4.1 km path per km²Dewsbury (West Yorkshire): B+ · 3.3 ha green space per 1,000 · 92% near a park · 3.7 km path per km²High Wycombe (Buckinghamshire): B+ · 1.6 ha green space per 1,000 · 68% near a park · 5.4 km path per km²Mansfield (Nottinghamshire): B+ · 2.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 93% near a park · 4.6 km path per km²Redditch (Worcestershire): A− · 4.1 ha green space per 1,000 · 84% near a park · 5.2 km path per km²Harrogate (North Yorkshire): A− · 2.9 ha green space per 1,000 · 86% near a park · 3.6 km path per km²Dudley (West Midlands): A− · 3.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 91% near a park · 5.2 km path per km²St Albans (Hertfordshire): A− · 3.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 95% near a park · 4.2 km path per km²Carlisle (Cumbria): A− · 3.2 ha green space per 1,000 · 91% near a park · 3.1 km path per km²Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire): A− · 1.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 88% near a park · 9.5 km path per km²Lowestoft (Suffolk): A− · 1.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 79% near a park · 3 km path per km²Newcastle-under-Lyme (Staffordshire): A− · 5.2 ha green space per 1,000 · 94% near a park · 4 km path per km²Stevenage (Hertfordshire): A− · 3 ha green space per 1,000 · 98% near a park · 7.3 km path per km²Chesterfield (Derbyshire): A− · 2.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 86% near a park · 4.4 km path per km²Weston-super-Mare (Somerset): A− · 1.2 ha green space per 1,000 · 87% near a park · 3.7 km path per km²Paignton (Devon): A · 1.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 84% near a park · 3.1 km path per km²South Shields (Tyne and Wear): A · 2.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 80% near a park · 5.1 km path per km²Gosport (Hampshire): A · 3 ha green space per 1,000 · 85% near a park · 3.4 km path per km²Bracknell (Berkshire): A · 3.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 97% near a park · 5.3 km path per km²Barnsley (South Yorkshire): A · 4.3 ha green space per 1,000 · 95% near a park · 5.4 km path per km²Harlow (Essex): A · 3.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 99% near a park · 8.2 km path per km²Bath (Somerset): A · 1.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 89% near a park · 5.6 km path per km²Hemel Hempstead (Hertfordshire): A · 3 ha green space per 1,000 · 95% near a park · 3.6 km path per km²Chatham (Kent): A · 1.6 ha green space per 1,000 · 78% near a park · 6.4 km path per km²Guildford (Surrey): A · 2.8 ha green space per 1,000 · 86% near a park · 6.1 km path per km²Ashford (Kent): A · 2.7 ha green space per 1,000 · 94% near a park · 5.2 km path per km²Dartford (Kent): A · 3.9 ha green space per 1,000 · 72% near a park · 5.1 km path per km²Burnley (Lancashire): A+ · 3.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 95% near a park · 5.7 km path per km²Hastings (East Sussex): A+ · 3.1 ha green space per 1,000 · 76% near a park · 4.3 km path per km²Rochester (Kent): A+ · 2.4 ha green space per 1,000 · 92% near a park · 4.6 km path per km²Guildford
Outdoors score: the share of UK towns each one beats
Footpath, km per km²
Guildford6.1
Towns its size3.7
Surrey towns4.3
All UK towns3.0
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Guildford2.8
Towns its size2.4
Surrey towns3.1
All UK towns2.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Guildford86%
Towns its size86%
Surrey towns75%
All UK towns83%

Against towns its size, Guildford stands out most for path per km²: only 5 of the other 59 have more.

Show as a table
TownOutdoorsGreen spaceNear a parkPath per km²Protected
1Rochester KentA+2.492%4.623%
2Hastings East SussexA+3.176%4.342%
3Burnley LancashireA+3.495%5.77%
4Dartford KentA3.972%5.11%
5Ashford KentA2.794%5.223%
6Guildford SurreyA2.886%6.131%
7Chatham KentA1.678%6.426%
8Hemel Hempstead HertfordshireA395%3.618%
9Bath SomersetA1.889%5.650%
10Harlow EssexA3.799%8.20%
11Barnsley South YorkshireA4.395%5.40%
12Bracknell BerkshireA3.797%5.30%
13Gosport HampshireA385%3.40%
14South Shields Tyne and WearA2.480%5.10%
15Paignton DevonA1.884%3.120%
16Weston-super-Mare SomersetA−1.287%3.78%
17Chesterfield DerbyshireA−2.786%4.44%
18Stevenage HertfordshireA−398%7.30%
19Newcastle-under-Lyme StaffordshireA−5.294%40%
20Lowestoft SuffolkA−1.879%317%
21Aylesbury BuckinghamshireA−1.888%9.55%
22Carlisle CumbriaA−3.291%3.14%
23St Albans HertfordshireA−3.795%4.20%
24Dudley West MidlandsA−3.491%5.20%
25Harrogate North YorkshireA−2.986%3.66%
26Redditch WorcestershireA−4.184%5.20%
27Mansfield NottinghamshireB+2.793%4.60%
28High Wycombe BuckinghamshireB+1.668%5.467%
29Dewsbury West YorkshireB+3.392%3.70%
30Maidenhead BerkshireB+1.883%4.13%
31Ellesmere Port CheshireB2.890%1.90%
32Corby NorthamptonshireB3.496%2.60%
33Wallasey MerseysideB1.990%2.10%
34Preston LancashireB380%4.10%
35Rotherham South YorkshireB3.173%4.90%
36Wigan Greater ManchesterB2.781%40%
37Margate KentB1.888%2.10%
38Hartlepool County DurhamB−1.773%3.30%
39Nuneaton WarwickshireB−2.394%3.10%
40Rugby WarwickshireB−2.892%2.80%
41Tamworth StaffordshireB−2.789%30%
42Grimsby LincolnshireB−1.375%2.43%
43Bury Greater ManchesterB−2.482%3.80%
44Halifax West YorkshireB−286%4.10%
45Kettering NorthamptonshireB−2.190%3.30%
46Stafford StaffordshireB−1.970%3.111%
47Royal Sutton Coldfield West MidlandsB−6.164%30%
48Stockton-on-Tees County DurhamC+283%3.20%
49Woking SurreyC+1.767%6.50%
50Shrewsbury ShropshireC+1.687%3.40%
51Walsall West MidlandsC+2.575%30%
52Darlington County DurhamC+2.287%2.40%
53Bognor Regis West SussexC1.178%2.30%
54Loughborough LeicestershireC1.473%4.40%
55Doncaster South YorkshireC1.872%3.60%
56Scunthorpe LincolnshireC2.291%1.70%
57Chester CheshireC1.686%2.70%
58Crewe CheshireC1.688%2.30%
59Southport MerseysideC−1.460%2.10%
60Burton upon Trent StaffordshireC−1.974%2.40%
The map

Parks, footpaths & countryside

Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Guildford’s built-up area.

12345678
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 Guildford

The biggest is Stoke Park, 36 ha (88 acres). Directions go to the park’s nearest public entrance where Ordnance Survey maps one.

All 20 named parks by size: 103 ha (255 acres) and 20 km of pathStoke Park36 ha · 3.8 km of pathStoke Park: 36 ha, 3.8 km of pathBroadstreet Common23 ha · 6.7 km of pathBroadstreet Common: 23 ha, 6.7 km of pathPewley Down N…9.6 ha · 4.9 km…Pewley Down Nature Reserve: 9.6 ha, 4.9 km of pathShalford Park8.5 ha · 0.5 km…Shalford Park: 8.5 ha, 0.5 km of pathSutherlan…6.5 ha · 0.5…Sutherland Memorial Park: 6.5 ha, 0.5 km of path5 haStoughton Recreation Ground: 5.1 ha, 0.6 km of path2 haStoke Recreation Ground: 2.5 ha2 haBushy Hill Park: 1.9 ha, 0.1 km of path2 haBannister's Playing Field: 1.8 ha, 0.1 km of path2 haCastle Cliffe Gardens: 1.5 ha, 0.5 km of pathCastle Grounds: 1.3 ha, 1.3 km of pathWoodbridge Meadows: 0.9 ha, 0.4 km of path1 haSt Luke's Park: 0.9 ha, 0.1 km of pathPark Barn: 0.9 haAllen House Grounds: 0.7 ha, 0.3 km of pathFoxenden Quarry: 0.6 ha, 0.2 km of path1 haFir Tree Community Garden: 0.5 ha, 0.3 km of pathGuildford Park Playing Field: 0.5 haWestnye Gardens: 0.2 ha, 0.1 km of pathSurrey County Cricket Centre: 0.2 ha
Parks & gardens 78 haPlaying fields 25 ha

The two biggest, Stoke Park and Broadstreet Common, are 57% of the named green space and carry 10 km of path between them. 13 of the 20 are under 2 ha: small gardens, play spaces and pitches.

Guildford’s biggest

Stoke Park

Park or garden
36 ha (88 acres)3.8 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.8 km of path
50 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
Centralin the middle of Guildford
1 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance

Broadstreet Common

Park or garden
23 ha (57 acres)6.7 km of path
1 h 30 minto walk all 6.7 km of path
33 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.6 mi westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance

Pewley Down Nature Reserve

Park or garden
9.6 ha (24 acres)4.9 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.9 km of path
13 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.2 mi south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance

Shalford Park

Playing field
8.5 ha (21 acres)0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
12 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.3 mi southfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance

Sutherland Memorial Park

Playing field
6.5 ha (16 acres)0.5 km of path
9 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1.5 mi north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance

Stoughton Recreation Ground

Playing field
5.1 ha (13 acres)0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
7 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.7 mi north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto the nearest entrance

Castle Grounds

Park or garden
1.3 ha (3 acres)1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
0.9 mi southfrom the centre
Viewpoint Former Private Apartments at Guildford Castle Grade I Remains of Shell Keep at Guildford Castle Grade I +5 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance

Castle Cliffe Gardens

Park or garden
1.5 ha (4 acres)0.5 km of path
2 pitchesfootball pitches would fit
1 mi southfrom the centre
The Castle Gateway and Walls Adjoining to the East and South Grade I Castle Arch Grade II* +4 listed
Directionsto the nearest entrance
All 20 named parks and green spaces
Stoke ParkPark or garden · 36 ha · 3.8 km of path
Directions
Broadstreet CommonPark or garden · 23 ha · 6.7 km of path
Directions
Pewley Down Nature ReservePark or garden · 9.6 ha · 4.9 km of path
Directions
Shalford ParkPlaying field · 8.5 ha · 0.5 km of path
Directions
Sutherland Memorial ParkPlaying field · 6.5 ha · 0.5 km of path
Directions
Stoughton Recreation GroundPlaying field · 5.1 ha · 0.6 km of path
Directions
Castle GroundsPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 1.3 km of path
Directions
Castle Cliffe GardensPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.5 km of path
Directions
Bushy Hill ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
Directions
Woodbridge MeadowsPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
Directions
Stoke Recreation GroundPlaying field · 2.5 ha
Directions
Bannister's Playing FieldPlaying field · 1.8 ha · 0.1 km of path
Directions
Allen House GroundsPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
Directions
St Luke's ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
Directions
Fir Tree Community GardenPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.3 km of path
Directions
Park BarnPark or garden · 0.9 ha
Directions
Foxenden QuarryPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
Directions
Westnye GardensPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.1 km of path
Directions
Guildford Park Playing FieldPlaying field · 0.5 ha
Directions
Surrey County Cricket CentrePlaying field · 0.2 ha
Directions
Close to home

9 in 10 Guildford 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 (86%)Further (14%)
Guildford86%
Towns its size86%
Surrey towns75%
All UK towns83%

About 11,000 people live further than that. Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees; 45 playgrounds are mapped in and around the town, about one for every 1,730 residents.

National Parks & National Landscapes

National Parks and National Landscapes around Guildford

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.

3.8 mi7.5 mi11.3 mi15 miNSurrey Hillsat the edgeSurrey Hills National Landscape: At Guildford’s edge, south-east · 422 km² · since 1958South Downs9.4 mi southSouth Downs National Park: 9.4 mi south of Guildford’s edge · 1,653 km² · since 2010High Weald15 mi south-eastHigh Weald National Landscape: 15 mi south-east of Guildford’s edge · 1,462 km² · since 1983Guildford
National ParkNational LandscapeThe 5 km the grade counts
National Landscape

Surrey Hills

At the edge south-east422 km²since 195831% of the land within 5 km
Official site
National Park

South Downs

9.4 mi south1,653 km²since 2010
Official site
National Landscape

High Weald

15 mi south-east1,462 km²since 1983
Official site

31% of the land within 5 km of Guildford is National Park or National Landscape, more than 83% of UK towns. South Downs National Park covers 1,653 km² and has been a National Park since 2010.

Footpaths & waymarked walks

11 waymarked walks pass through or near Guildford

317 km of footpaths, bridleways and rights of way are mapped in Guildford 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 town.

NationalRegionalLocal
Wey Navigation Dapdune Wharf to Cartbridge Wharf Walk, River Wey Navigations16.0 km
European walking route E2 west, UK, South East England10.3 km
The Fox Way9.1 km
North Downs Way (Eastern)6.7 km
Scholar's Trail5.9 km
Tillingbourne at work (long) (SCC)5.3 km
North Downs Way (Western)5.0 km
Wey-South Path4.6 km
Downs Link3.7 km
Tillingbourne at work (short) (SCC)3.5 km
Papercourt Lock to Triggs Lock Walk, River Wey Navigations1.8 km

The European walking route E2 west, UK, South East England, a national route, passes Guildford. Close to home, the Wey Navigation Dapdune Wharf to Cartbridge Wharf Walk, River Wey Navigations has 16 km of local walk within 2 km of the town. 2 regional routes pass through, including the Wey-South Path and Downs Link.

Waymarked walks are OpenStreetMap walking routes. Public rights of way are only as complete as the map in each area.

History along the way

2 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 Guildford’s named parks.

Park with listed buildings

Castle Grounds

1.3 ha. 7 listed structures and monuments stand inside it or at its edge, including Former Private Apartments at Guildford Castle (Grade I).

IFormer Private Apartments at Guildford CastleIRemains of Shell Keep at Guildford CastleIThe Castle KeepSMGuildford CastleIIGas Lamp in Garden of Remembrance, Approximately 8 Metres South West of Castle Square EntranceIIGuildford War MemorialIIMicrowave Masters, Terrapin Design and Harpers Antiques
Registered · Grade IIMerrow Grange2.0 ha
Registered · Grade IIThe Jellicoe Roof Garden0.3 ha
Listed buildings insideCastle Cliffe GardensThe Castle Gateway and Walls Adjoining to the East and South, Castle Arch and National Westminster Bank Area Office and 3 more

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 Guildford: 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.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daylight (h)8.39.911.713.815.616.616.114.612.510.68.87.9
High (°C)891114182123221915118
Rain (mm)785649515252505957828579

March is the driest month (49 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 23 °C). Winter days are short, about 8 hours of daylight in December, and 85 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. Frost comes on about 47 nights a year. The climate in Guildford →

Things to do

15 viewpoints, 45 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

Guildford is inland. These are the nearest named beaches, measured from the edge of the town.

Amity Beach9.6 mi from Guildford’s edge
Directions
Penguin Beach10 mi from Guildford’s edge
Directions
Hog Hole18 mi from Guildford’s edge
Directions
The Hollows19 mi from Guildford’s edge
Directions
Kelson Beach28 mi from Guildford’s edge
Directions
Good 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 15

Castlein town
Directions
St Martha's Hill0.4 mi from town
Directions
High Ball0.6 mi from town
Directions

Plus 12 viewpoints without a name on the map.

Hills and peaks 14

Pewley Hillin town
Directions
Stag Hill87 m (285 ft) · in town
Directions
Stoke Hillin town
Directions
St Catherine's Hill0.0 mi from town
Directions
Whinny Hill0.2 mi from town
Directions
Pink's Hill0.2 mi from town
Directions
Perry Hill0.3 mi from town
Directions
St Martha's Hill0.4 mi from town
Directions

Plus 6 hills and peaks without a name on the map.

Nature reserves 8

Woodbridge Meadows0.8 ha · in town
Directions
Parsonage Water Meadows8.7 ha · 0.0 mi from town
Directions
Stoke Water Meadows11 ha · 0.0 mi from town
Directions
Shalford Water Meadows41 ha · 0.1 mi from town
Directions
Riverside Nature Reserve30 ha · 0.1 mi from town
Directions
Loseley Estate Nature Reserve27 ha · 0.3 mi from town
Directions
Littlefield Common6.0 ha · 0.6 mi from town
Directions
The Orchard0.7 ha · 1.2 mi from town
Directions

Picnic sites 14

Plus 14 picnic sites without a name on the map.

Playgrounds 45

Kings Collegein town
Directions
Park Barn Drive Play Areain town
Directions
Tilehouse Open Spacein town
Directions
Westnye Playgroundin town
Directions
Woodside Road Play Areain town
Directions
Sutton Green Play Area1.0 mi from town
Directions
Natural Play Area1.1 mi from town
Directions

Plus 38 playgrounds without a name on the map.

Dog parks 2

Dog training park0.4 mi from town
Directions

Plus 1 dog park without a name on the map.

Campsites 1

Chantry Wood Campsite0.4 mi from town
Directions

Slipways 1

Plus 1 slipway 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.

ABCDOutdoors Grade
TownOutdoorsGreen space, ha per 1,000Near a parkProtected within 5 km
GuildfordA2.886%31%
Jacobs Well 1.4 miB1.477%8%
Fairlands 2.2 miA+2.8100%11%
Wood Street Village 2.4 miA+25.781%18%
Shalford 2.4 miA+14.989%47%
Chilworth 2.8 miA+10.880%59%
West Clandon 3.3 miC1.949%28%

Shalford, 2.4 miles away, grades A+, the best next door: 89% of its residents live within 400 m of a park. Wood Street Village, Shalford and Chilworth have at least twice Guildford’s green space per resident.

Questions about the outdoors in Guildford

What is the biggest park in Guildford?

Stoke Park, 36 ha (88 acres), with 3.8 km of path. Broadstreet Common (23 ha) is second. 20 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the town or within 400 m of it.

Is Guildford near a National Park?

Yes. South Downs National Park begins 9.4 mi south of the town’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 town.

What are the best walks near Guildford?

11 waymarked walking routes pass within 2 km of the town, including the Wey Navigation Dapdune Wharf to Cartbridge Wharf Walk, River Wey Navigations, European walking route E2 west, UK, South East England and The Fox Way. Stoke Park alone has 3.8 km of path.

What is the nearest beach to Guildford?

Amity Beach, 9.6 mi from the edge of the town, then Penguin Beach (10 mi). Guildford itself is inland.

How many people in Guildford live near a park?

86% 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 Guildford?

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 Guildford are historic?

Merrow Grange (Grade II) and The Jellicoe Roof Garden (Grade II) are on Historic England’s register of parks and gardens.

Is Guildford 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 65% (2.8 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 Guildford’s overall grade.

Sources

Where Guildford’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.