BEST UK CITIES FOR ADVENTURES REVEALED – As Gethin Jones teams up with Huawei to encourage the nation to find adventure on their doorsteps

Lockdown Brits are craving the ‘big outdoors’ more now than ever, according to new research, with those in Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle keenest to explore their local wonders when restrictions allow.

Bristol topped the list when it came to the amount of surrounding countryside, cycling and walking trails available – and its attractive streets. But although the study of 2,000 adults saw Sheffield take second place overall, it was named the best for outdoor areas, with Newcastle top for running routes. Edinburgh also featured in the top 10 after scoring highly for its appealing streets while Southampton completed the top five thanks to its open green spaces.

The research, which was commissioned by Huawei to launch its new smart watch, HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro, found a third of adults have gone outside less during the pandemic. Top reasons for this include unappealing weather (31 per cent) and being anxious around going outside during lockdown (45 per cent).

However, more than a quarter of all adults admitted they would like to explore their local area more and 43 per cent feel they are yet to see all it has to offer. Yet one in 10 admitted they don’t know where to go locally, while a quarter of adults are bored of going on the same walks and routes.

The study also found four in 10 adults have gone outside less since autumn began, with 76 per cent putting this down to it being colder while 57 per cent blamed it on the darker evenings. A further 14 per cent of those spending less time outside now said they now have fewer reasons to leave the house.

Gethin Jones, who has been using the HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro to enjoy micro-adventures in his area, said: “A micro adventure is one that’s short, easy, local and cheap – yet you still get the same
good feeling out of it.

“There are some incredible spaces in areas across the UK to have a micro adventure of your own – even if it’s simply walking to a spot for the first time you’d usually drive past on a busy commute. The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro tracks over a 100 hundred workouts, giving you lots of different ways to get active and stay motivated, helping you to find your own local adventure.”

In order to encourage them to go outdoors more, 32 per cent of those in Cardiff said they would like to see more greenery, while 16 per cent of Liverpudlians want more outdoor exercise equipment.

Similarly, 29 per cent of adults in Manchester would be encouraged by more accessible parks and 32 per cent of Londoners would like more attractive streets.
But only one in eight respondents, polled via OnePoll, would find it very easy to discover an ‘adventure’ on their doorstep.

Anson Zhang, Managing Director of Huawei’s UK Consumer Business Group, added: “This year has no doubt had an impact on people’s routines and their time spent outdoors, especially with it now being increasingly dark and cold it’s difficult to find the motivation to go outside.

“Even if people are venturing out, it’s easy to get ‘local fatigue’ and be bored of the same routes.

“We want to help show people – no matter what city they live in – how easy it is to find an adventure on their doorstep, even during lockdown.”

The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro is designed to inspire an active, adventurous lifestyle with 100 workout modes, six outdoor modes and two weeks battery life. Find out more at
https://consumer.huawei.com/uk/wearables/watch-gt2-pro/