New research revealed the best UK cities for sports lovers – from Southampton to York.
New research by Blacks has revealed the most active cities in the UK, after analysing data on the UK’s number of green spaces, outdoor trails, number of sport complexes and watersport adventures.
You can view the results in full here: https://www.blacks.co.uk/blog/the-best-uk-cities-for-outdoor-activities
The top ten most active cities in the UK:
| Rank | City | Parks | Walking Trails | Biking Trails | Ski & Snowboard Areas | Water Sports | Sports Complexes | Total Attractions and Activities | Attractions and Activities per 100,000 People |
| 1 | Southampton | 17 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 49 | 19.90 |
| 2 | Norwich | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 40 | 18.76 |
| 3 | Gloucester | 4 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 18.66 |
| 4 | Plymouth | 21 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 47 | 18.06 |
| 5 | Ipswich | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 31 | 17.33 |
| 6 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 12 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 32 | 16.63 |
| 7 | Peterborough | 7 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 16.53 |
| 8 | Cambridge | 11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 25 | 15.78 |
| 9 | Bolton | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 14.86 |
| 10 | York | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 14.31 |
Southampton is officially the UK’s most active city, with a total of 49 adventurous activities and attractions, equating to 19.90 per 100,000 people. The port city sits on the south coast of the country, offering plenty of opportunities for people to get stuck into water sports and other exciting activities.
Placing second on our list of active cities is Norwich. Home to the Broads National Park which offers a range of activities, from boating to arts and crafts, Norwich boasts sixteen walking trails and 18 parks which contribute to the total of 40 adventurous activities and attractions in the city, equating to 18.76 per 100,000 people.
Rounding out the top three most active cities in the UK is Ipswich. With 28 varying activities, including the Ski and Snowboard centre that has a 255 metre main slope, Gloucester offers 18.66 attractions per 100,000 people and is one of the highest on our list.
The best UK cities for park:
| Rank | City | Parks | Parks per 100,000 People |
| 1 | York | 15 | 9.76 |
| 2 | Norwich | 18 | 8.44 |
| 3 | Ipswich | 15 | 8.39 |
| 4 | Plymouth | 21 | 8.07 |
| 5 | Cambridge | 11 | 6.94 |
| 6 | Southampton | 17 | 6.90 |
| 7 | Oxford | 11 | 6.42 |
| 8 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 12 | 6.24 |
| 9 | Aberdeen | 11 | 5.59 |
| 10 | Belfast | 15 | 5.46 |
York is the best UK city for parks, offering 9.76 parks per 100,000 people. While Norwich has a higher number of parks than York, the city’s larger population means the 18 parks equate to 8.44 for every 100,000 people in the city.
Luton offered the least number of parks in the UK, with the city only having 1.16 parks per 100,000 people.
Further findings from the study include:
- Peterborough has the highest number of outdoor trails in the UK, with the city having 4.9 outdoor trails per 100,000 people.
- Brighton is the best city in the UK for adventure sports, with the city offering a total of 6 watersport attractions.
- Ipswich has the highest number of sports complexes in the UK, with the city offering a total of 9 complexes.
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