Whether you live in London or not, the capital often has connotations of being a concrete jungle where the rat race is in full swing. However, the results of a new study by outdoor gear specialist Blacks might be about to turn that stereotype on its head. The organisation studied 35 regions of the UK to find out which locations around the country are the best for improving your wellbeing, and London did surprisingly well.
Blacks investigated regions across the UK that are home to at least five different mindfulness retreats to establish which locations are the most beneficial across a number of different categories. Greater London came second in the rankings for the overall best wellness locations in the country, scoring 9.02 out of 10 and beaten only by Greater Manchester by just 0.01 of a point. Blacks cited the city's number of health retreats, gyms, yoga studios, and walking trails as reasons for its high ranking – why not check out our guides to spas and walking routes to find out more?
The city was also ranked the highest in the country for health retreats, with more available than anywhere else in the UK. It was also ranked joint fourth place alongside Oxfordshire, Surrey, and East Sussex for tree coverage, with 19% of Greater London being covered by trees. Have a look at our guides to parks and woodland in the city if you fancy getting out amongst the trees yourself.
Added to that, the city also came out on top in the rankings for the most gyms and most yoga studios within five miles of each region's most populous city, boasting 562 and 145 respectively. Take a look at our guides to gyms and yoga studios to find the right destination for your next workout or class.
Blacks used a detailed methodology to determine the rankings and, whilst London wasn't a winner in every category, some people might be surprised at how many opportunities for enhanced wellness there are right on our doorstep. Visit the Blacks website for the full results of the study.
