From the Scottish islands to the Cornish coastline, the UK has got a load of absolute stunners when it comes to views. Most locals will claim the view in their region is the best one, but which British vista is actually the most beloved?
A new list by car insurance company GoShorty has ranked the most gorgeous views in Britain. Lake Windermere in the Lake District topped the list for Britain’s most beautiful view, gaining 42 percent of the vote that asked 2,000 people to identify their favourite famous UK beauty spots. The World Heritage Site of Windermere is ‘surrounded by rolling hills, quaint villages and postcard-perfect countryside’, according to the report. And this isn’t the only accolade it’s picked up – in 2024 it was also named Britain’s most beautiful lake.
In second place was Snowdonia in Wales, winning 35 percent of the vote thanks to its rugged peaks, deep valleys and breathtaking lakes. The welsh national park was followed by Loch Ness in Scotland, which is famous not just for the mythical monster living in depths (allegedly), but for its peaceful coves and awesome waterfalls. The home of Nessie clinched 29 percent of the vote.
GoShorty also asked its 2,000 respondents if they could identify the location of the beauty spots. Surprisingly, many thought these gorgeous views came from abroad, and not right on our doorstep. In the survey, a third of people thought Ben Nevis was in Iceland, 22 percent of people mistook the lavender fields of Snowshill in the Cotswolds for Provence, and 28 percent thought Luskentyre Beach in the Outer Hebrides was in New Zealand, Australia or the Caribbean.
The 10 best views in Britain according to GoShorty
- Lake Windermere, Lake District
- Snowdonia, Wales
- Loch Ness, Scotland
- St Michael’s Mount in Mount’s Bay, Cornwall
- The Yorkshire Dales
- Durdle Door, Dorset
- St Ives Bay, Cornwall
- The Jurassic Coast, Dorset
- The Three Sisters in Glencoe Valley, Scotland
- Cheddar Gorge, Somerset
The 15 best places to visit in the UK in 2025, according to Time Out.
The 19 worst beaches in England for water quality revealed.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country