The distance on a map does not include how unwelcome the route can feel.

A route can be short and still be one that a particular person will not take. Poor lighting, a stretch with no one around, an area where they have been made to feel unwelcome. The map measures distance and cannot measure who feels able to walk it.

If you have never had to think about this, it is worth asking someone who has. And when planning where to meet or how to get somewhere with others, ask about the route rather than assuming that a short distance is an easy one for everybody.