But environment bodies are working to encourage minority groups into the countryside initially through guided activities under the Mosaic Project umbrella.
Ethnic minorities are 'hugely under-represented among ramblers and countryside visitors' reports an article in Sunday's Observer.
The piece by Juliette Jowit says that while pockets of the countryside are used by black and asian Britons - Ladybower in the Peak District for example is said to be popular with asian families - many ethnic communities are urban based and members have no experience of visiting rural areas.
Things may be changing though - the Countryside Agency is conducting a diversity review of ethnic groups, and disabled, elderly and young people and 'Mosaic', a joint initiative between the Countryside Agency and National Parks is aimed at encouraging ethnic minority groups to get into the outdoors.
Soberingly though, Mosaic says that only two of Britain's 500-odd National Park employees are non-white. You can read the full Observer article here.
You can find more information about the Mosaic project at its web page plus an interesting Guardian Society article.
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