Durham and Salford ranked the best UK cities for fitness enthusiasts

Durham and Salford have been named the best cities in the UK for fitness enthusiasts, according to new research. 

Sports nutrition experts at Bulk.com analysed eight factors they felt contribute to a city being attractive to fitness fanatics and scored the 62 most populated UK cities out of 100 to create their Fitness Index. The factors analysed within the index included the number of gyms, healthy restaurants according to TripAdvisor, pools, CrossFit facilities, as well as hiking, jogging, road cycling, and mountain bike routes relative to the population size of each city.

The 10 best UK cities for fitness enthusiasts:

Durham and Salford tied as the best cities for fitness enthusiasts, with a Fitness Index Score of 89.68 out of 100 across the eight examined factors. Durham was found to offer the highest number of gyms at 69 per 100,000 residents, as well as the highest number of road cycling routes (897), jogging routes (635), and hiking routes (684) per capita.

It also has the second-highest number of CrossFit facilities relative to its population, with four per 100,000 residents and the third-highest number of healthy restaurants per capita, with 35 per 100,000 residents.

Salford on the other hand boasts 137 healthy restaurants and five CrossFit facilities per 100,000 residents, the highest proportion relative to its population, out of any major UK city. Salford also has the second-highest number of gyms per capita, with 56 per 100,000 residents.

Scoring 81.49 out of 100, Bath ranked as the second-best UK city for fitness enthusiasts. It was found to offer 582 hiking routes and 46 healthy restaurants per 100,000 residents, the second-highest figure of all UK cities for both of these factors. 

Bath also offers 584 road cycling routes, 98 mountain biking routes, and 476 jogging routes per 100,000 residents, the third-highest city for all three aforementioned factors.

Cambridge was found to be the third-best city for fitness enthusiasts in the UK, with a score of 76.99 out of 100. The city has eight pools per 100,000 residents, the fourth highest in the UK. Cambridge also has 413 jogging routes and three CrossFit facilities per 100,000 residents, the fifth-highest number for both factors.

Bristol is fourth on the list, scoring 71.56 out of 100 across the eight factors. The city has 292 hiking routes per 100,000 residents, the fourth-highest number of hiking routes relative to its population of any city in the UK. Bristol also has 46 gyms per 100,000 people, ranking fifth-highest for this factor.

Lincoln ranked as the fifth best city for fitness enthusiasts in the UK, with a Fitness Index Score of 69.91 out of 100. The city has 50 gyms per 100,000 residents, ranking third for this factor. It also has 485 road cycling routes and three CrossFit facilities per 100,000 residents, ranking fourth for the latter factor.

Manchester ranked sixth, with a Fitness Index Score of 68.99. It has 306 road cycling and 56 mountain bike routes per 100,000 residents, and boasts 364 jogging routes, 216 hiking routes and 25 gyms per capita.

Nottingham ranked seventh with a score of 68.13 out of 100. The city was found to offer eight pools, 292 jogging routes, 348 road cycling routes, and 55 mountain biking routes per 100,000 residents. 

With a score of 68.05 out of 100, Hereford ranks as the eighth-best city for fitness enthusiasts. The city offers the second highest number of road cycling routes relative to its population, with 712 per 100,000 residents. Hereford also has the third-highest number of both pools (8) and CrossFit facilities (3) per 100,000 residents.

Preston ranked as the ninth-best city overall for fitness enthusiasts, scoring 67.92 out of 100. The city has the highest number of pools relative to its population, with eight pools per 100,000 residents. It also has 42 gyms per 100,000 people, the sixth-highest of any city for this factor.

Exeter is the tenth-best UK city for fitness enthusiasts, scoring 67.86 out of 100. Exeter has 390 jogging routes per 100,000 residents, the sixth-highest of any UK city. The city also boasts an impressive 420 road cycling routes and 135 hiking routes relative to its population.

A spokesperson for Bulk.com commented: "This data offers a fascinating insight into the UK cities that boast the highest number of amenities suited to a healthy lifestyle. It may come as a surprise that Durham and Salford are tied for first place, especially due to both cities’ relatively small size. However, closer examination reveals that these cities offer a wealth of options for fitness enthusiasts when compared to their population size. 

“Durham, for instance, is a city that encourages movement, with a significant number of road cycling routes, jogging and hiking trails, and gyms. Meanwhile, Salford stands out for its abundance of healthy food options and abundance of gyms.

"It is important to note that many factors contribute to overall fitness, but having access to a variety of fitness facilities is undoubtedly a great starting point for anyone looking to embark on a fitness journey. Taking advantage of the resources available in your city, will enable you to take meaningful steps towards achieving your health and wellness goals." On the flip side, these are the worst cities in the UK for fitness enthusiasts:

The 10 worst UK cities for fitness enthusiasts: