Chichester named the best place in the UK for running in new study

Chichester has been named the best place in the UK for running, according to a new study which examined trail access, scenic routes, air quality and rainfall across 65 towns and cities.

The city secured first place with an overall score of 73.19, putting it ahead of locations including Bristol, Lichfield and Canterbury.

placeholder image — Chichester has been named the best place in the UK for running, according to a new study which examined trail access, scenic routes, air quality and rainfall across 65 towns and cities.

The research, conducted by FLBR Motorsport, assessed seven different measures to identify the locations offering the strongest conditions for runners.

These included the number of trails per 10,000 residents, access to scenic woodland and waterside routes, average trail ratings and lengths, PM2.5 air pollution levels and annual rainfall.

Chichester particularly impressed for its access to running routes, recording 457.8 trails per 10,000 residents – the highest figure of any location included in the study.

Its trails also received an average rating of 4.4 out of five, helping the city secure the top position overall.

Bristol came second with a score of 62.89, with scenic waterside routes accounting for 39.55 per cent of its trails and an average trail length of 16.3km.

Lichfield ranked third with 60.84, recording 405.75 trails per 10,000 residents, while Canterbury took fourth place with a score of 56.22.

Perth completed the top five, scoring 55.53, with waterside routes making up 43.45 per cent of its trails.

At the other end of the table, Liverpool was ranked the lowest of the 65 locations, finishing in 65th place with a score of 25.45.

Preston, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester and Norwich also featured among the five lowest-ranked locations.

Josh Felber, spokesperson for FLBR Motorsport, said the findings highlighted how much the running experience can differ depending on where people live.

He said: “The results show how much the running experience can vary between places. Having a choice of routes, including scenic and well-rated trails, can help make it easier to keep runs interesting and find routes that suit different preferences.”