Britain’s top 100 breathtaking, “off-the-beaten-track” locations have been revealed in a new survey – with Berrow Beach named as the UK’s very top spot.
Other beautiful, but apprently little-known, locations include Wistman’s Wood in Devon, Finnich Gorge in Stirlingshire, and Symonds Yat Rock in Gloucestershire.
The places feature on a new interactive digital map called ‘Get Lost with Jeep Compass‘ — the locations have been identified after a survey by the car maker and a team from Ordnance Survey.
Berrow Beach is best known for its sandy beach and dunes, the Berrow shipwreck, nearby wildlife area, and nearby cafes and bars.
UK’s TOP 10 ‘OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK’ LOCATIONS:
- Berrow Beach, Somerset
- Talybont Reservoir, Brecon, Wales
- The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland
- Roche Rock, Cornwall
- Stiperstones, Shropshire
- Wistman’s Wood, Princetown, Devon
- Talisker Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland
- Symonds Yat Rock, Ross-on-Wye
- Wimbleball Lake, Somerset
- Finnich Gorge, aka “The Devil’s Pulpit”, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Kris Cholmondeley, managing director for the car maker – which commissioned the research, says: “There is so much of the Great British outdoors people have yet to experience.”
“And, together with Ordnance Survey, we want to enable people this Christmas period and beyond to travel off the beaten track, in the Jeep spirit. These spots showcase the best of Britain’s stunning landscapes, yet those that are lesser-known to the wider public.”
The study also found 80 percent are keen to see more of Britain – with 57 percent of those especially eager to visit ‘unexpected places’.
Other reasons for wanting to travel more widely include wanting to get away from “the same old surroundings” (43 percent), and a desire to “go on an adventure” (35 percent).
It also emerged 34 percent are now more likely to holiday in Britain than they were pre-pandemic – with over half of those who feel this way (53 percent) believing overseas travel is too expensive, while 38 percent reckon travelling domestically is less time-consuming. 54 percent think there is more to discover in Britain than they had realised pre-Covid.
However, it’s the lesser-known places which seem to particularly appeal – and especially locations which won’t break the bank to visit.
The research found 52 percent try to avoid the more popular tourist hotspots Britain has to offer. And 57 percent revealed they’re looking for places which they can visit for free, or at a low cost – largely due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Nick Giles OBE, managing director of Ordnance Survey Leisure, says: “It’s heartening to know that eight out of 10 people in Britain today would love to explore more of our wonderful country. As the survey results show, so much of Britain remains unexplored for so many of us.”
“We are delighted to work with Jeep to map the 100 ‘Off-The-Beaten-Track’ locations, and hope that this will inspire people up and down the land to get outside and have new mini adventures, away from the more obvious hot spots.”
