BRITAIN'S HAPPIEST VIEW REVEALED, BUT FEWER THAN ONE IN TEN OF US HAVE EVER BEEN

Have you ever visited Britain’s happiest view?

The happiest view in Great Britain has been revealed and it appears to be a bit of a hidden gem. The picturesque Broadsands beach on Devon’s Exmoor coast has been voted the scene that fills Brits with the most joy, but the study, conducted by Best Western Great Britain, found that less than one in ten (8%) have ever seen it in person.

The survey asked 2,000 Brits to choose their top five views which most make them smile, before exploring how well these correlate with the locations they’ve actually visited.

Broadsands beach, with its magical wilderness of caves, tunnels and islands, came out on top as the nation’s happiest view, with over a quarter (27%) naming it in their top five. The 17th century Iffley Lock on the River Thames came second, ahead of the tumbling waterfalls of St Nectan’s Glen in Cornwall.

Results showed, however, that the majority of people are yet to visit the most joy-inducing scenes in the country, with seven out of the top ten happiest locations having been ticked off by less than 10% of respondents.

The famous Shambles in York, often labelled the UK’s most picturesque street, was by far the most visited of the happy views, with nearly a third (31%) of Brits having wandered down its medieval cobbles. This was more than double the next most attended location, with Portobello in Edinburgh (15%) and Brownsea Island in Dorset (11%) the only other top views physically seen by more than one in ten. 

The top ten views that make Brits happiest are:

 

 

View

Chosen by:

Visited by:

1

Broadsands, Exmoor

27%

8%

2

Iffley Lock, Oxford

21%

6%

3

St Nectan’s Glen, Cornwall

18%

7%

=

Botany Bay, Kent

18%

5%

5

Brownsea Island, Dorset

17%

11%

=

Portobello, Edinburgh

17%

15%

=

Stagshaw Gardens, The Lake District

17%

7%

8

The Dales Way, Ilkley

15%

9%

9

The Shambles, York

14%

31%

=

Walkden Gardens, Manchester

14%

5%

 

The research also explored Brits’ wider travel habits, revealing that the average number of UK destinations visited in the last five years is five. Londoners are the best travelled, averaging six domestic staycations over the same period, more than any other region.

Interestingly, on average, married Brits have visited double the amount of UK destinations as single people. When it comes to international travel, it’s not good news for divorcees, who were found to have only visited two international destinations in the past five years – half the national average of five.

Rob Paterson, CEO at Best Western Great Britain, said: “With over 250 brilliantly different properties Best Western hotels are on the doorstep of some of Britain’s best towns, villages and destinations.

“Our survey highlights some of the best of British places guaranteed to put a smile on people’s faces, perfect for day trippers or holiday makers planning to make the most of the summer over the next few months. There is more to explore in Britain this summer and Best Western is waiting to welcome everyone too.”

To find out if your home town made the list of Great Britain’s happiest views, or for tips and advice on exploring Broadsands from those who know it best, visit: https://www.bestwestern.co.uk/travel-stories/article/great-britains-happiest-view

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About Best Western GB

Best Western is a brilliantly different collection of independent hotels proudly giving a personal welcome to guests for over 70 years. With over 260 distinctive hotels in Great Britain alone, there is more to explore with Best Western.

Best Western GB is a retained-profit membership organisation that helps hotels maintain their independence. Committed to representing the views of its independently owned member hotels, Best Western GB tackles key industry issues on their behalf, including the effects of Government policies and legislation, industry changes and environmental impact on the heartbeat of the Great British hospitality industry.

To find out more visit Best Western GB's Media Centre: www.bestwestern.co.uk/company/best-western-media-centre

Contact Sophie Proffitt, PR and Comms Manager for more information [email protected]