The Isles of Scilly, the Northumberland Coast and Scotland’s North Arran are the UK’s favourite scenic destinations, according to a survey.
Which? asked some 5,000 holidaymakers to rate their favourite scenic destinations across the UK for 2023, marking places based on eight categories including peace and quiet, opportunities for wildlife spotting, food and drink, scenery, and attractions.
Then, an overall area score was calculated based on a combination of overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.
It’s a tie for first place, as both the Northumberland Coast and the Isles of Scilly have been named the top Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scotland does not have AONBs, so respondents were questioned about its 40 National Scenic Areas (NSAs), with North Arran, the northerly part of the Isle of Arran, ranking top.
The UK’s favourite scenic destinations have been named by Which? – with the Isles of Scilly archipelago off the Cornish coast ranking in joint first place
The Northumberland Coast ties for the title of the best Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the UK. The Northumbrian village of Bamburgh (above) is just one of the many scenic locations this AONB has to offer, Which? reveals
Looking first to the AONB ranking, the Isles of Scilly – the smallest AONB in the UK, which has taken the top spot for the third time in a row – receives five stars for scenery, walks, accommodation, and peace and quiet, earning an overall score of 89 per cent.
The watchdog notes that visitors were in awe of the island’s ‘spectacular scenery’ and ‘beautiful beaches’, praising its ‘relaxed’ pace of life. It says: ‘The Scilly Isles are famed for their unspoilt landscapes, with each island boasting a distinctive character and attractions, from the flower fields of St Martin’s to the tropical gardens of Tresco.’
Meanwhile, the Northumberland Coast – which also has a score of 89 per cent – bags five stars for its scenery, walks, and attractions, and receives four stars in all remaining categories.
The Northumbrian village of Bamburgh was named the UK’s favourite seaside town in a Which? survey earlier this year, and is just one of the many scenic locations this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has to offer, the watchdog notes.
One survey respondent remarked: ‘This place has everything – rugged coastline, castles, villages and wildlife.’
Heaping more praise on the Northumberland Coast, Which? notes: ‘From the stark beauty of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, an important Christian site dating back to the sixth century, to the gentle bustle of the harbour at Seahouses, there is plenty for all ages to enjoy.’
Which? asked some 5,000 holidaymakers to rate their favourite scenic destinations across the UK, marking places based on eight categories
North Arran has been named the most beautiful scenic area in Scotland. Above is a view of the region’s highest peak, Goat Fell
There’s another tie for second place, with Wales’ Gower and Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast and the Antrim Coast and Glens earning a score of 83 per cent.
The Causeway Coast scores five stars for scenery, and four stars for its walks, visitor facilities and attractions. It boasts some of the most visited sites in Northern Ireland, including the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the ‘vertiginous’ Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Which? notes.
While the region scores just two stars for peace and quiet, visitors found there was tranquillity to be found away from the ‘busy and touristy’ attractions – namely on Rathlin Island, which the consumer group notes is ‘famous for its puffin population’.
The Antrim Coast receives five stars for its scenery, and four stars for walks, peace and quiet and attraction. According to Which? visitors were struck by the ‘stunning, rugged scenery’ and ‘great opportunities to see wildlife’.
Meanwhile, Gower, known for being the first region to be designated an AONB in 1956, scores five stars for the quality of walks, and four stars for scenery, peace and quiet and visitor facilities. The watchdog notes that visitors praised its ‘unspoiled bays’ and ‘superb’ scenery, with one respondent deeming it ‘heaven on earth’.
Scotland does not have AONBs, so respondents were questioned about its National Scenic Areas (NSAs)
The Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland ranks joint second in the AONB ranking. Pictured is the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the region
Wales’ top scoring AONB is the Gower Peninsula in South West Wales, which one respondent deemed ‘heaven on earth’. Pictured is the region’s Rhossili Bay
Overall, Northern Ireland has a total of three AONBs on the list – as well as Causeway Coast and Antrim Coast, Mourne also figures, ranking joint fifth with a score of 80 per cent.
In addition to Gower, Wales boasts five AONBs, Which? reveals – Clywdian Range & Dee Valley (joint sixth, 79 per cent), Llyn (joint sixth, 79 per cent), Wye Valley (joint eighth, 77 per cent), and Anglesey (joint ninth, 76 per cent) also feature in the ranking.
Looking to Scotland’s National Scenic Areas ranking, first-place North Arran scores 88 per cent overall, with five stars for scenery and four stars for walks, wildlife spotting peace and quiet and accommodation.
The consumer champion reveals that survey respondents said the island felt like ‘another world’. While there, visitors can explore ‘breathtaking’ landscapes that range from coastal areas to mountains, including the island’s highest peak, Goat Fell.
It’s a tie for second place in the Scotland ranking, with Shetland and Wester Ross bagging an area score of 87 per cent.
A hundred miles north of the Scottish mainland, Shetland scores a full five stars for peace and quiet, with respondents praising the ‘wild and peaceful’ countryside, Which? reveals. It scores four stars in all the remaining categories, including wildlife spotting, visitor facilities and accommodation.
One visitor said: ‘Everything was well organised… I enjoyed a luxurious cottage, wonderful scenery, walks and wildlife, and excellent local food.’
Meanwhile, Wester Ross scores five stars for peace and quiet and scenery. Which? notes that respondents were particularly taken by the area’s ‘outstanding’, ‘stunning’ and ‘incredible’ scenery.
The Antrim Coast ties as the second-best AONB in the UK, with visitors struck by the ‘stunning, rugged scenery’. Above is the section of the coastal stretch near Larne
Above is stunning St Ninians Beach on the Shetland Islands. The isles rank in joint second place in the ranking of Scotland’s National Scenic Areas
Pictured is Rua Reidh Lighthouse near Gairloch in Wester Ross, a region that ranks joint second in the ranking of Scotland’s National Scenic Areas
The consumer group says the region boasts an ‘incredible array of landscapes’ with one visitor saying that Wester Ross offers ‘scenery on a big scale’.
The region also scores four stars for walks, wildlife spotting and accommodation, dropping to three stars only for attractions, visitor facilities, and food and drink, the watchdog reveals.
Commenting on the survey, Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, says: ‘The UK is blessed with a fantastic choice of unspoilt natural landscapes, and this year’s survey shines a light on some of the most beautiful locations these isles have to offer.
‘Whether you want to explore historical sites, spot wildlife in their natural habitats or get active in nature, there’s bound to be a unique scenic area on your doorstep just waiting to be explored.’
The full survey from Which? can be found here.
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