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Blacks Outdoor shows how much nature is within 90 minutes of UK cities
Key Takeaways
Blacks Outdoor worked with Ordnance Survey to measure access to campsites, wild-swimming spots and walking routes from the UK’s 50 most populated cities and towns.
Manchester ranked first overall with a score of 9.75 out of 10, followed by Sheffield, Swindon, Watford and York.
The campaign combines the data with an interactive map and a free public hike around Bamford Edge, reached from Sheffield by public transport.
The research was informed by a survey of 1,500 people exploring the barriers that prevent them from spending more time outdoors.
Escaping into nature can often feel like something that needs to be planned weeks in advance, with a car packed full of walking boots, camping equipment and waterproof layers before a long journey into the countryside has even begun. However, Blacks Outdoor has built its latest campaign around the idea that adventure does not always require travelling across the country, with walking trails, open-water swimming spots and places to spend a night beneath the stars potentially sitting much closer to home than people realise.
Created in partnership with Ordnance Survey, “90 Minutes to Nature” explores exactly how much of the outdoors can be reached within an hour and a half of the UK’s 50 most populated towns and cities. By analysing thousands of walking routes, campsites and wild-swimming locations accessible by car and public transport, the campaign turns a simple travel-time radius into a practical guide for anyone who wants to swap busy streets and everyday routines for woodland paths, open water or a night under canvas.
Manchester leads as the UK’s most nature-connected towns and cities
To create the ranking, Blacks and Ordnance Survey compared six measures covering the number of campsites, wild-swimming locations and OS Maps walking routes that could be reached from each town or city within 90 minutes by car and public transport. The results were then combined into an overall score, providing a broader picture of outdoor access rather than judging locations on one activity alone.
Manchester takes first place with a score of 9.75 out of 10. Within a 90-minute drive, people can reach 195 campsites, 99 wild-swimming spots and more than 363,000 walking routes, creating possibilities that range from an afternoon wander around Clayton Vale to a weekend exploring Kinder Scout, Bleaklow, or the wider Dark Peak.
Sheffield follows closely in second place, supported by its position on the edge of the Peak District and its access to 233 campsites within a 90-minute drive. The city also offers more immediate opportunities, including the 15-mile Sheffield Round Walk, while rail connections through the Hope Valley place areas such as Stanage Edge and the surrounding hills within easy reach.
Swindon and Watford share third place, although each earns its position in a different way with Swindon providing access to more than 267,000 walking routes, 223 campsites and 110 wild-swimming spots by car whilst Watford offered plenty of wild swimming opportunities, with 151 locations reachable within 90 minutes by car and 27 accessible using public transport.
York completes the top five and stands out for camping, offering access to 254 campsites by car alongside routes leading towards Sutton Bank, the Cleveland Way and the North York Moors.
A free Bamford Edge hike brings the accessibility data to life
The scale of the research gives Blacks plenty of material for a national ranking, but the interactive map is what makes the campaign personally useful. Visitors can search for their nearest town or city and discover how many walking routes, campsites and wild-swimming spots fall within its 90-minute radius, separating options available by car from those that can be reached using public transport.
Blacks also brought the campaign into the real world through a free guided hike around Bamford Edge. Participants travelled by train from Sheffield and reached the beginning of the walk in less than 30 minutes, demonstrating the central idea rather than leaving it as a collection of numbers on a webpage.
That physical activation gives “90 Minutes to Nature” an important sense of proof. The data suggests that outdoor experiences are closer than expected, the map helps people find them and the guided hike shows what acting on that information can look like. Together, those elements turn a piece of branded research into an invitation to choose a destination, pack a bag and go.
Why The PR Insider loves it
We love how easily the 90-minute idea transforms an enormous amount of geographical data into something people can immediately understand. Distances can feel abstract, particularly when someone is unfamiliar with an area, but most people can picture what an hour and a half of travel means. That simple frame makes thousands of routes and locations feel less like an overwhelming directory and more like achievable plans for a free afternoon or weekend.
The interactive element is especially effective as it turns national research into local discovery. The rankings generate headlines from nationals and regionals, but the guided Bamford Edge hike then takes that usefulness one step further by proving that the promise can translate into a real experience.
Most importantly, the campaign connects naturally with what Blacks sells without becoming a catalogue of outdoor clothing and equipment. Encouraging people to walk, camp and swim creates a clear route back to the brand, but the immediate value comes from helping them find somewhere to use those products. It positions Blacks as a facilitator of adventure while making the outdoors feel closer, more varied and considerably easier to reach.
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