Stockport named among most fitness friendly UK towns and cities

Stockport has been named among the top 15 most fitness friendly towns and cities in the UK, according to an analysis by Live Football Tickets.

Analysis by the online marketplace considered factors including the number of cycle paths, walking trails and fitness facilities available per 10,000 people, as well as rainfall, average temperatures and air quality.

Stockport ranked 11th in Live Football Ticket’s analysis, thanks to the availability of fitness facilities and walking routes in the borough, let down slightly by the weather! Top ranked city, Bath is on average more than 1 degree warmer while 3rd placed Cambridge gets 300 mm less rainfall than Stockport. Colchester was the second placed city in the league table, boasting 9.03 cycle paths per 10,000 residents, a figure beaten only by Rochdale, the only other Greater Manchester town to make the top 15.

The analysis comes as Brits are now moving 18 minutes more per week compared to 2022, averaging 83 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. The NHS’s Couch to 5K running app has also seen record numbers participating in 2024. Data revealed by the app has 790,000 downloaded the NHS fitness app this year, with 9.3 million runs started.

The experts at Live Football Tickets commented on why staying active is crucial during winter:

“With shorter days and less sunlight, the colder months can leave us feeling sluggish and a little out of energy. However, staying inactive for too long can be bad for our mind and body.  Exercise is key to combating this, as it boosts mood-enhancing endorphins and reduces stress hormones. Studies have also found that exercising in the cold helps boost the immune system, with pre-exercise shivering found to raise norepinephrine levels, which enhances our immune response. 

“While motivation can be hard to find during winter, there are many ways to keep moving. If it’s too cold outside, try indoor activities like yoga or home workouts. Small changes, such as taking the stairs or setting reminders to stand and stretch, can also make a big difference. When the weather permits, outdoor activities like walking, running, or cycling can help keep our energy levels high and reduce winter-related stress.”

Live Football Tickets conducted their analysis in November 2024. Walking and cycling route data was taken from AllTrails and the National Cycle Network respectively, with fitness facilities counted using Companies House data. Climate data was taken from Met Office figures, while air quality measurements were gathered from Defra. Population figures for each town and city were sourced from World Population Review. A weighted average to each of the six metrics to calculate a final fitness score out of ten for each town to calculate rankings.