Three areas of Lancashire, including Burnleythey have been listed among the best areas for fitness fanatics in the country.
Southport, Burnley and Preston have been featured in a national Forbes Advisor list of the best locations for fitness enthusiasts, based on green space, number of gyms and cycling routes.
Burnley is in 11th position with the city scoring a respectable 65.72 on the index, scoring particularly well for green space and climate.
Southport Pier in 2016. Taken by Martin Maynard at the highest tide of the year. This would take only a few days before the tram was removed.
Southport is the best location for fitness lovers in England and Wales with a score of 79.94. The city scores particularly well for green space, with 25.76% of the city’s area being green space.
Preston was placed eighth in the table with a rating of 68.42, scoring fairly in all categories across the board.
Kevin Pratt of Forbes Advisor commented on the research: “If you live in an area that has the spaces and facilities that allow you to get plenty of exercise, that’s something to celebrate.
“But even if you’re not, hopefully you can find a safe and enjoyable walking, running, or biking route nearby that will help keep you fit and at the top of your game.”
The foundation in Preston’s Avenham Park
Forbes Advisor obtained a list of 112 major towns and cities in England and Wales from the ‘Office for National Statistics’.
Each town and city was evaluated based on the area of green space, air quality, climate, cycling routes and sports facilities.
Once collected and calculated information of different variables, data were completed by taking the average percentage range of green spaces, bike paths, climate, air quality and sports facilities per 100 000 population in each city.
Subsequently, the index was ordered in descending order according to the score (/100).
Newcastle was second, followed by Stoke, St Albans and Sutton Coldfield. Wigan came in 15th place while Rochdale came in 17th place.
