Rural romance blooms as locked down Brits crave country life

Hike in country life dating activity at Muddy Matches shows Britain’s lockdown love affair with the comforts of countryside has gathered pace, not moss.

‘The desire for rural life is a defining part of being British’. Never has such a statement been so true than right now.

Amid all the doom and gloom, one positive thing about locked down Britain (yes, there is one), is that it has sparked the nation’s rediscovery, and renewed appreciation, of green space, nature and fresh air.

The British public’s rekindled love affair with all things natural whilst stuck inside, just like in lockdown 1, continues to gather pace, not moss, according to new research.

In fact, a craving for country life in which to escape life’s uncertainties for a while, and breathe out the boredom that this pandemic has inflicted, is fast becoming less of a pipedream and more a genuinely viable reality for some.

More people, from all walks of a life, are using their time locked down to explore the possibilities, test the water and gauge what country life could actually look, smell and feel like;

• Google searches for country life and rural living hit a 10-year high in April 2020, then peaked again in early January 2021
• Land agents are reporting unseasonal record highs in enquiries in rural and remote property.
• Rehoming of dogs and poultry from rescue centres have hit record levels
• Demand for allotments and smallholdings nationally has outstripped national supply
• five-fold increase in use of the nation’s network of rights of way forecasted

Rural intention has even wound its way, down the well worn muddy footpaths, into matters of the heart.

As the original home of farmer dating in the UK, and as the nation’s most trusted country life online dating service, Muddy Matches has welcomed a hearty flock of new daters, quite often 50% muddy or less living the urban lifestyle, seeking to find comfort and reassurance in rural romance.

Mainstream dating apps say messaging exchanges have become more frequently populated with references to hiking, picnics in the park and romantic countryside walks during lockdown. But at Muddy Matches, we believe the new wave of daters have been less inspired by the ‘chocolate box’ vision of life in the country through urban eyes.

The new faces, largely, are motivated by the prospect of the more muddy side of country loving; something our existing members live and breathe daily. These are folk who, for reasons aplenty, are well prepared to up sticks and forage a new life in wellies in whatever form that comes.

There is genuine intention to muck in, so to speak. Some are fuelled by nostalgia – born and bred into the country life but whom moved away. Some have re-discovered passions and hobbies that are best served in the fields, yards and paddocks. Some will just have found the slower pace of lockdown life to be more to their liking than they initially intended.

Recent polls said as many as 60% of Brits would ‘like to live in the countryside’ but only 14% choose to actually do it.

As more folk get to grips with rural reality, that percentage will change for the better.

As for unearthing countryside love in a lockdown with Muddy Matches; the number of new sign ups has soared, the number of singletons wholeheartedly committing to make online dating work has increased.

The level of connections formed, thanks to shared interests, common aspirations and experiences and matched outlooks on life, has bloomed by over 70% in the 360 days since the first lockdown in March.

And it is all rooted on rediscovery of the calming, comforting reassurance fresh air brings in helping inspire a positive outlook in times of stress, strain and uncertainty in daily life. Lockdown has lots to answer for, but when it comes to its impact on nature, and the nation’s renewed vigour for the benefits of fresh air, there’s still plenty to warm the heart.