We do like to be beside the seaside – but there are plenty of stunning British towns and villages to discover away from the coast, Which? reveals.
Helping you to figure out which ones to visit, the consumer champion has named the best inland towns and villages in the UK, with Wells in Somerset – not a town, but rather a small city – taking the top spot.
It’s followed by the Wiltshire village of Avebury in second place, while the Dorset village of Corfe Castle and the Merseyside village of Port Sunlight tie for third place.
Languishing at the bottom of the table, meanwhile, is the Scottish town of Gretna.
The ranking was drawn up based on a Which? survey of over 9,000 holidaymakers, which asked them to rate their experiences of visiting 94 inland towns and villages in the past year. Destinations were rated across seven categories, including scenery, food and drink, peace and quiet, tourist attractions, and value for money.
We do like to be beside the seaside, but there are plenty of stunning British towns and villages to discover away from the coast, Which? reveals. It has named some of the best – and worst – inland towns and villages in the UK, with Wells (above) taking the top spot
First place Wells, one of the UK’s smallest cities, scored 83 per cent overall. Which? says: ‘A popular filming location, Wells has featured in major film and television productions including Hot Fuzz, Dungeons and Dragons and Wolf Hall.’ The watchdog notes that while there, visitors can imagine following in the footsteps of film stars including Cate Blanchett, Chris Hemsworth, and Emily Blunt.
The medieval city scored a full five stars for attractiveness and tourist attractions, and ‘boasts stunning architecture, including its famous cathedral’, Which? says. It also scored four stars for shopping, scenery, food and drink.
Second-place Avebury, meanwhile, earned a destination score of 82 per cent, garnering five stars for scenery and attractiveness.
Which? says that the village is perfect for history lovers, as it’s ‘well-known for its 5,000-year-old Neolithic stone circle, which is free for visitors to explore’ and is situated close to Stonehenge.
The ranking was drawn up based on a Which? survey of over 9,000 holidaymakers, which asked them to rate their experiences of visiting 94 inland towns and villages in the past year
The watchdog adds: ‘Avebury also has picturesque thatched cottages, Georgian townhouses and a 19th-century pub.’
Joint third-place Corfe Castle and Port Sunlight earned a score of 80 per cent each. The former, Corfe Castle, was built by William the Conqueror during the 11th century and went on to become one of author Enid Blyton’s favourite holiday destinations.
In the survey, the village was rated a full five stars for tourist attractions and scenery, ‘with visitors able to enjoy ambling through the castle ruins, which boast spectacular views over the Purbeck Hills to Poole Harbour’, Which? notes.
The consumer champion says that much like Corfe Castle, ‘Port Sunlight also offers visitors a unique glimpse into the past’.
The Wiltshire village of Avebury, known for its 5,000-year-old Neolithic stone circle, lands in second place
It reveals: ‘The Merseyside village was built by William Hesketh Lever in 1888 to provide 900 homes to house the workers of his soap factory, and is named for his popular “Sunlight” soap.’
The village scored four stars out of five for attractiveness, tourist attractions and value for money. It also scored a full five stars for peace and quiet.
Fourth place is another tie, with five destinations scoring 79 per cent – the town of Ludlow in Shropshire; the Lincolnshire town of Stamford; Lavenham village in Suffolk; the Cumbrian village of Grasmere; and the town of Llangollen in Denbighshire.
Aforementioned Llangollen – which is the top-rated Welsh destination – is nestled between the Berwyn, Ruabon, and Llantysilio mountains. It scored five stars for scenery and attractiveness, as well as four stars for tourist attractions and food and drink. Which? says: ‘From canal boat cruises to horse-drawn boat trips, as well as its annual International Musical Eisteddfod festival, there’s plenty for visitors to enjoy.’
The Dorset village of Corfe Castle, which ties for third place, was built by William the Conqueror during the 11th century
Merseyside village Port Sunlight (above) was built in 1888 to provide homes to house the workers of a soap factory. It ties for third place
Meanwhile, Melrose (joint fifth) is the highest-rated Scottish destination, with a destination score of 78 per cent. Which? reveals: ‘Backed by the peaks of the Eildon Hills, once described as those “delectable mountains” by author and historian Sir Walter Scott, the town unsurprisingly scored five stars for scenery and attractiveness.’
Melrose also scored four stars for its tourist attractions, which famously include Melrose Abbey, the final resting place of the heart of Robert the Bruce.
Looking to the other end of the ranking, last-place Gretna (24th overall), which lies near the England-Scotland border, earned a score of 49 per cent.
Joining Gretna at the bottom of the table – just one position behind in 23rd place – is Bodmin, Cornwall (50 per cent).
Languishing at the bottom of the table is the Scottish town of Gretna (pictured), though Which? says it still offers ‘plenty for holidaymakers to enjoy’
The Cornish town of Bodmin, which ranks second from the bottom, scored just two stars for tourist attractions and value for money
However, Which? says that in spite of their lower destination scores, these two towns still have plenty for holidaymakers to enjoy.
Though Bodmin, a town situated on the edge of Bodmin Moor, scored just two stars for tourist attractions and value for money, it did receive three stars for its scenery and peace and quiet. Which? notes: ‘Visitors can explore its historic jail, which now hosts a museum and hotel, or visit the Bodmin Keep, which houses an army museum.’
And last-place Gretna is ‘steeped in history’.
Which? explains: ‘For hundreds of years English couples headed north of the border to elope in Gretna, with couples under 21 historically requiring their parents’ permission to marry – a law that didn’t apply in Scotland.’
While the law no longer stands, the area continues to be a well-loved destination for romantics, playing host to countless nuptials every year.
Commenting on the survey’s findings, Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: ‘From famed tourist towns to lesser-known villages, this year’s survey has captured the range of unique destinations the UK has to offer.
‘While the picturesque South West took the top spots, there are beautiful towns and villages in Scotland, Wales and from across England in the top ten – meaning there is a fantastic place to visit on your doorstep no matter where you live.’
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