This report provides a comprehensive examination of how people in England engage with blue spaces, including rivers, lakes, canals, beaches, coastline and the sea. Using three years of data from the Adults’ People and Nature Survey (A‑PaNS), it assesses how frequently people visit blue spaces, how engagement varies across population groups, and how blue‑space visits compare with visits to other natural environments.
The report also analyses the characteristics of recent blue‑space trips, including activities, travel patterns, perceptions, spending during the visit and the role of blue spaces as main or secondary destinations. A segmentation analysis identifies distinct types of blue‑space visits based on motivations, activities and whether visits were considered to be exceptional (not routine).
Qualitative focus groups provide additional insight into how people define blue spaces, what they value in them, the barriers they encounter in making use of them, and what might encourage greater engagement.
For more information on The People and Nature Survey for England (PANS001) project