We’ve always known that the waterways are good for you – and now it’s official (well, sort of). A survey by the government body Natural England has found that the millions who regularly visit canals and rivers are more satisfied with their lives and less anxious.

We’ve always known that the waterways are good for you – and now it’s official (well, sort of). A survey by the government body Natural England has found that the millions who regularly visit canals and rivers are more satisfied with their lives and less anxious.

Natural England, recorded 2.93 billion visits to natural environments including parks, canals and countryside last year – the most in the last five years. When asked about their life satisfaction and anxiety levels, those people who spent more time visiting outdoor spaces showed markedly more positive ratings.

Participants were asked to mark their life satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 10. Those who visited the outdoors several times a week were on average 7% more satisfied, 6% happier and 7% less anxious than those who visited less often.

Visits to waterways in the UK in particular have, it’s claimed, seen a 30% rise in visits since 2010, with Canal & River Trust estimating that there were 360 million visits to canals and rivers in 2014 alone.

In response to the survey, the Canal & River Trust began documenting the experiences of those who visit, work and live by canals and rivers .

You can find out more here: http://humansofthewaterways.tumblr.com/

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