South west London’s Kew Gardens and Richmond Park are in the top ten of the most Instagrammed nature spots in the UK, according to a new study.
Organic clothing brand Absolutely Bear analysed over 100 of the UK’s most popular nature spots and re-ranked them by popularity based on the volume of hashtags and Instagram posts in March 2021.
Kew Gardens came fourth, with Richmond Park following closely in eighth, whilst the Lake District was named as the most Instagrammed nature area in the UK.
Kew Gardens, which is known for its botanical plant collections, saw its Instagram engagement increase over lockdown and was thrilled to be ranked so highly in the study.
A Kew spokesperson said: “It’s great to see Kew Gardens ranked so highly on this survey and we love seeing our visitors share their photos of Kew.
“It’s clear from our Instagram followers how much they appreciate the restorative effects of being surrounded by nature.”
Richmond Park, which had an unprecedented number of visitors over the third lockdown, was also pleased with the results of the study.
Park manager Simon Richards said: “It’s no surprise that much-loved Richmond Park is a favourite photography spot.
“This National Nature Reserve, with its wide-open landscapes, grasslands and deer herds is a refuge from the hustle and bustle of London.
“Spending time in green spaces can do wonders for our wellbeing. Just a 20 minute walk in a park makes you feel better.”
Absolutely Bear CEO Nick Fletcher started his clothing brand in 2015 to encourage more men to spend time outdoors and commissioned the study to inspire more people to appreciate UK nature spots.
Fletcher said: “We wanted to encourage people to experience the outdoors for themselves and realise all that the great British countryside has to offer on our doorsteps.
“What better way to do this than to identify the most picturesque spots on offer in the UK to inspire staycations and outdoor adventures?
“Anything and everything we can do to educate customers on the local, national, and global environment around them is rewarding.
“This is a study that will hopefully encourage more of us to appreciate special nature spots like Richmond Park right on our doorstep!”
The Instagram study looked at all variations and uses of associated hashtags with each location and combined the volume of posts to re-rank the nature spots by Instagram popularity.
The study identified the majority of the most Instagrammed nature spots to be located in England, with three in Scotland and one in both Northern Ireland and Wales.
To learn more about the study visit here.
