Stunning Britain: The UK’s best views according to you

Right now, we’re all dreaming of going off to some far-flung country. We want sun, sea and some kind of drink with an umbrella in it. That might not be happening any time soon, but it might not be too long before we can get back to exploring our own country. Our stunning Britain.

But where are the most beautiful spots in the UK? Researchers from London North Eastern Railway (LNER) asked members of the public to vote on their favourite beauty spots across the British Isles.

The iconic Loch Ness topped the list, with 27% of Brits insisting it was their favourite view in the entire United Kingdom. A close second was Lake Windermere in the Lake District (27%), joined by the London Eye (26%) and the Tower of London (24%).

Views from all over Britain made the list, from the Yorkshire Dales to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. This research shows that we are a proud nation, as nearly half (47%) insisted that we have some of the most beautiful views in the world, and a further 44% admitted they are grateful to live somewhere that has such stunning scenery.

“It’s clear to see that as a nation we’re proud to be home to some amazing views, ranging from natural beauty like Loch Ness and the Yorkshire Dales to great cities like London and York,” explained David Horne, managing director at LNER. “Although restrictions are in place for now, it is not difficult to see why so many of us will be looking to explore the beauty of Britain once it is safe to do so.”

What is it that makes us love our country’s tourist spots so much? 47% of Brits polled said we have a great mix of both landscapes and urban cityscapes. 45% think there’s so much history to see in our views, while over a third said that how close many of our cities are to the countryside means you can see a totally different view in minutes.

“When people can travel again, it is pleasing to see that the staycation should return thanks to the ease of travelling around the UK, and an enjoyable, safe journey being a key priority,” adds Horne. “We are not surprised to see destinations on the LNER route feature highly in the popular vote as we are blessed with some of the most picturesque spots in the UK. With over 900 miles of track to explore, we’re looking forward to helping people discover their favourite views again soon.”

Like us, two-thirds of the nation has British beauty spots and destinations on their own personal travel bucket lists (67%). In fact, more than half of those involved say that a UK-based trip can be just as enjoyable — or even better — than a holiday abroad.

So with all the great views on our doorstep, will we be visiting more of them in the near future? Well, 77% of Brits who are hoping to holiday this summer are planning to take a UK staycation first before planning a trip abroad. And unsurprisingly, 60% of the people polled admitted they have found UK-based travel restrictions over the past 12 months to be frustrating.

The full list of Britain’s favourite beauty spots:

Rank	Beauty Spot	Location	Popularity
1	Loch Ness	Scotland	27%
2	Lake Windermere	Lake District	27%
3	London Eye	London	26%
4	Tower of London	London	24%
5	St Ives Bay	Cornwall	24%
6	Ingleton	Yorkshire Dales	24%
7	Snowdonia	Wales	23%
8	Man O’War Beach	Dorset	20%
9	White Cliffs of Dover	Kent	19%
10	Stonehenge	Salisbury	19%
11	Ben Nevis	Scotland	18%
12	Cheddar Gorge	Somerset	18%
13	York Minster	York	17%
14	Loch Lomond	Scotland	16%
15	Pen y Fan	Wales	16%
16	Giant’s Causeway	Northern Ireland	16%
17	Durdle Door	Dorset	15%
18	Westminster Bridge	London	15%
19	Arthur’s Seat	Edinburgh	15%
20	St Michael’s Mount	Cornwall	14%
21	Peak District from Stanage Edge	Derbyshire	13%
22	Buttermere	Lake District	13%
23	Robin Hood’s Bay	Yorkshire	13%
24	Hadrian’s Wall	Northumberland	12%
25	Richmond Park	London	12%
26	Angel of the North	Gateshead	11%
27	The Three Sisters, Glencoe	Scotland	11%
28	Freshwater Bay	Isle of Wight	11%
29	Eden Valley	Cumbria	10%
30	Bamburgh Castle	Northumberland	9%