On your 2nd paragraph, I love in London and go hiking every now and again. What about London made it hard to get to the country? 30 mins on the train and you're out there!
It's just a question of ease. Where we lived in Bristol (Hotwells) we were exactly 28 minutes walk from Queen Square in the center of the city where I worked and 29 minutes in the other direction to Ashton court estate which is a deer farm and 340ha estate owner by the City of Bristol.