Hay fever: Petworth Park in list of worst parks for hay fever sufferers

Home health testing experts YorkTest conducted research into the pollen levels of the 100 largest parks across England, Scotland and Wales.

The research looked at grass pollen count data over a five-day period to establish where is most likely to cause hay fever symptoms - and where may be best for people to enjoy the outdoors with less risk of watery eyes.

Petworth Park is expected to have the ninth highest grass pollen count nationally which could prove frustrating for hay fever sufferers.

The geographic area around the park has an average of 99.2 grains of grass pollen per cubic metre - the ninth highest count in the UK.

Moors Valley Country Park in Dorset topped the list (149.4) with Stanwick Lakes in Northamptonshire (127.6), and Dodington Park in Bristol (126.6) completing the top three.

Sal Hanvey, expert nutritionist at YorkTest, said: “Hay fever affects one in four people in the UK according to the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, which equals around 16 million people. Early in the summer, grass pollen can be especially high, triggering allergies and affecting your day-to-day life as you go for walks, exercise outdoors and socialise with your friends.

“This research has been conducted to highlight the areas where people may want to take extra precautions in the next few weeks if they know that they’re often prone to pollen reactions. It’s also worth noting for anyone who is constantly struggling with pollen allergies in the early summer months - incase they’re considering relocation.

“I’d always recommend consulting your doctor before taking any new medication, and exploring whether other remedies also help to manage and alleviate your hay fever symptoms. This can include taking more frequent showers, regularly changing your clothes when the pollen count is high, and even your diet. Some foods and drinks are rich in histamines which cause puffy eyes and runny nose, such as alcohol, yoghurt and even avocados. You may wish to research more anti-histamine foods and incorporate these into the diet in peak hay fever season, as this may well lessen the severity of your symptoms in a natural way.”

For the full research, visit: yorktest.com/blog/public-parks-to-avoid-with-hayfever

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