Back to Top

 Skip navigation

Barriers to Spending Time in Nature

Barriers to Spending Time in Nature

Bad weather (24%) and lack of reliable public transport (20%) reported as barriers to spending more time in nature

CSO statistical release, , 11am

What barriers were there to spending time outdoors?

Bad weather was reported as a barrier to spending time in nature by 24% of people, while 20% indicated that a lack of reliable public transport was a barrier. The next highest barrier reported was a lack of safe footpaths, at 12% (See Figure 6.1, Table 6.1).

Younger people were far more likely to report bad weather as a barrier to spending time in nature, with 40% of those aged 16-29 citing bad weather as a barrier, compared with 8% of those aged 60-69. Younger people were also far more likely to report a lack of reliable public transport as a barrier, at 36%, compared with 11% of those aged 60-69. People living in rural areas were more likely to cite a lack of safe footpaths as a barrier to spending more time in nature (21%) than those in urban areas (8%) (See Table 6.1).

ReasonPercentage
I do not feel there are any barriers to spending time in green and natural spaces50
The weather is too bad24
Public transport is not available or reliable20
The footpaths near me are not safe to travel on/there are no footpaths near me12
I prefer to spend my time in indoor settings7
I do not feel safe in green and natural spaces near where I live6
The green and natural spaces near me are privately owned and I cannot enter them6
I find it difficult to spend time in green and natural spaces6
The green and natural spaces near me are not clean due to litter or bad air or water quality5
There are no green and natural spaces near where I live4
It is too expensive to visit green and natural spaces3
Green and natural spaces are too crowded2
Table 6.1 Barriers to spending more time in nature, by demographic characteristics

Perceptions of local green and natural spaces

In general, people agreed that their local green and natural spaces were within walking distance (74%), of a high enough standard to want to spend time in (72%), good places for children to play (68%), and places that encourage physical health and exercise (74%) (See Figure 6.2, Table 6.2, Table 6.3, Table 6.4, Table 6.5).

When asked if local green and natural spaces were within walking distance, those aged 16-29 had the lowest proportion of people in agreement, at 66%, while around 78% of those aged 50 and over agreed. People living in the Eastern and Midland region were more likely to agree (78%) than those in the other regions. Urban dwellers in general were more likely to agree, at 80%, than people living in rural areas, at 62% (See Table 6.2).

Older people were more likely to agree that their local green and natural spaces were of a high enough standard to want to spend time in, at 83% of those 70 and over and 80% of those aged 60-69. People living in the Northern and Western region were more likely to agree (76%) than those living in other regions, while rural dwellers were more likely to agree (76%) than people living in urban areas (70%) (See Table 6.3).

When asked if local green and natural spaces were good places for children to play, those aged 70 and over were most likely to agree (74%), and while 69% of urban dwellers agreed, just 65% of those living in rural areas agreed (See Table 6.4).

People in the 16-29 age group were least likely to agree that local green and natural spaces are places that encourage physical health and exercise, at 66%, while those aged 60 and over were most likely to agree (79%) (See Table 6.5).

My local green spaces areNot sure/don't know/prefer not to sayStrongly disagreeDisagreeNeither agree nor disagreeAgreeStrongly agree
Within walking distance041563935
High enough standard to want to spend time in228154824
Good places for children to play629154622
Places that encourage physical health and activity306164826
Table 6.2 My local green and natural spaces are within walking distance, by demographic characteristics

Table 6.3 My local green and natural spaces are a high enough standard to want to spend time in, by demographic characteristics

Table 6.4 My local green and natural spaces are good places for children to play, by demographic characteristics

Table 6.5 My local green and natural spaces are places that encourage physical health and exercise, by demographic characteristics