According to recent research by London North Eastern Railway (LNER), the historic city walls that surround York’s city centre, picturesque green woodland at Kew Gardens, and idyllic glades in Hampshire’s New Forest are some of the best spring scenes in the UK

These locations accounted for 56 per cent of the most peaceful settings in the UK, whilst Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, and London’s St James’s Park and Richmond Park were among the top ten spots for beautiful displays of spring.

When questioned on why these natural hotspots ranked highly, 42 per cent of Brits said they provided a beautiful backdrop to help clear the mind, 34 per cent helped them feel at ease, and 32 per cent said they were underrated areas of natural beauty.

Half (51 per cent) of those questioned noticed an improvement in their mood when they were outdoors, 34 per cent intended to get into nature more after the long winter, and 32 per cent were keen to discover and share ‘hidden gems’ with their loved ones this spring. Almost half (43 per cent) have fewer feelings of stress, 31 per cent feel less anxiety, whilst 27 per cent have more time to process their thoughts when they are immersed in natural surroundings.

The research was commissioned to launch the third issue of London North Eastern Railway’s free ‘Green Guides’ tourist guide series and found that spending just small bursts of time with nature can help, with it taking just 14 minutes to feel the benefit.

The Green Guides series provides details of eco-friendly places to eat, drink and stay. The latest edition focuses on Dundee, Durham, and York, whilst previous editions have recommended places in Inverness, Harrogate, Lincoln, London, Edinburgh, and Newcastle.

Over a third, (38 per cent) of those surveyed believe it’s important to preserve and protect natural scenes. To this end, all destinations covered in the guides are easily accessible by train, which is the most sustainable mode of transport and helps reduce the impact on the environment.

Among other top reasons for immersing themselves in the great outdoors, 45 per cent of Brits stated taking a break from screens, 67 per cent mentioned breathing in fresh, cool air, 45 per cent listed spending quality time with family and friends, and 44 per cent for spotting animals in their natural habitat.

Contributors to the ‘Green Guide’ series include London North Eastern Railway’s colleagues and customers, Dundee City Council, Visit Durham and Make it York, with them all revealing their local hotspots and hidden gems. The ‘Green Guide’ series can be downloaded free at www.lner.co.uk/greenguides

Top 10 ‘Spring Scene’ locations uncovered by the research are:

• Kew Gardens, London (17%)
• New Forest, Hampshire (13%)
• Ullswater, Lake District (11%)
• St. James’ Park, London (10%)
• Richmond Park, London (9%)
• The North York Moors, York (8%)
• Greenwich Park, London (7%)
• York City Walls, York (7%)
• York Minster, York (7%)
• Castle Howard and Yorkshire Arboretum, York (7%)

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: “Getting out into nature whether near to home or further afield makes us all feel better and our research has shown that your physical and mental well-being can decline if you don’t venture outside for at least 23 minutes a day, on average.

“For those looking to explore the UK this spring, our LNER Green Guides feature distinctive natural hotspots and historic and cultural attractions that are working hard in their pursuits to become more environmentally friendly. We know trains are the most sustainable form of transport, so visitors to Dundee, Durham and York can use these free, downloadable tourist guides and be safe in the knowledge that they’re also having a positive impact on the environment, as well as their own personal wellbeing, when out exploring.

For those who really want to see the environmental impact of their travel through different modes of transport – LNER’s carbon footprint calculator calculates the CO2 emissions for each trip, showing the difference that a journey made by rail could have.”