Half of Britons think countryside is "boring"

[Thunor]

It's true: the tragic remnant of the world not yet concreted over is now generally considered boring by those who need constant entertainment.

More than half of Britons think the countryside is boring and many of them are unable to identify common animals and plants, according to a new survey.

A third of people who were asked said they had never even considered visiting the British countryside.

The survey found one in 10 adults could not identify a sheep, 44% could not identify an oak tree and 83% failed to recognise a bluebell.

When they were shown a picture of a stag, 12% of adults identified it incorrectly as a reindeer.

Professor of Tourism at the University of Surrey John Tribe said: "It is alarming news that over half of the nation thinks the British countryside is boring and there is nothing to do or see there. Maybe this is because in the last decade Britons have preferred to holiday abroad and as a result they have forgotten the UK is abundant with great rural holiday locations."

Sandie Dawe from VisitBritain said: "Britain's countryside is far from boring and we have some of the most famous landscapes from the picturesque Cotswolds to the spectacular views of the Lake District that draw visitors from around the world.

"With more Britons considering a holiday at home this year, it's a great time to get back to nature and get reacquainted with rural Britain. The last decade has seen a rise in competition and it is important to remind Brits on what they are missing out on and what a great free attraction the countryside is."

Three thousand adults took part in the survey which was conducted in March by OnePoll on behalf of Travelodge.

[Libertas]

Of course it's boring unless you are ill or have a migraine or something and need to recover.

[Aviane]

Countryside is okay for those who love the easy lifestyle.

[zack]

Fuck my generation. I could never live in a big city,way too much noise and conflict.

[Stars Down To Earth]

The countryside is indeed dull and boring, compared to the cedar forests that once covered half the island. Those were completely destroyed in order to build ships for the British Empire. It's actually hilarious, how we razed and deforested our own island for a lost cause, then destroyed the environment with the "Industrial Revolution", and finally invited the ones we ruled to swarm over here into our country and wreak havoc. Weird.

It's pretty hard to find any forest in Britain (especially in England) still in its natural state. It's too small and there's too many people. That said, there's still some unspoilt areas in Wales and the Scottish Highlands.

It's true: the tragic remnant of the world not yet concreted over is now generally considered boring by those who need constant entertainment.

Basically, the remains of the natural environment in Britain is generally seen as a commodity to be used and consumed like everything else. Most of the natural countryside is really managed and subject to intensive farming, so it never reaches again a state of wild "naturalness", because that's not very productive in terms of raw material. A mate visiting from Sweden was puzzled when he saw the woodland in England, planted in neat little rows. It was depressing, even worse than an industrial wasteland.

I read some time ago that there's a small private woodland somewhere in England, that's kept free of human activity and allowed to grow as it may. Conservationists and some scientists keep its location a secret from the general public.

I'd like to walk there sometime. As someone who grew up in a very urban area, the peace and natural beauty of the countryside always appealed to me. I've been an environmentalist for as long as I remember.

[Heart of Oak]

I like living in the shires, London was cool when I was younger, as was Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and many other places my life has taken me too.
However now I'm older, I like the relitive peace of rural areas.
Cleaner air, less noise ect. And I am in walking distance of the city.
Somerset is one of the nicer places on Gods earth.

Who wants pollution of any kind, not me that's for sure...

[ikki]

something is wrong with the other half not thinking its boring. Maybe they enjoy the sheep too much to notice?

[Graham]

The green countryside of Britain. Tranquillity, quietness and nice scenery. Less clutter, less chavs. Can't beat it.

[Gaztelu]

That's ironic, since I love the British countryside.

[Baron Samedi]

Yeah, I would love to live near such amazing vistas...