While January might seem like one of the busiest months of the year, what with organising ourselves for the year ahead and starting all our new routines, there is always room for some relaxation - and what better way to get a mental reset than by heading out into the great outdoors?
That being said, we wanted to find the best spots in the UK for some al fresco wellbeing, with plenty of relaxing activities in the countryside and along the coast.
To do this, we created our very own ‘Wellbeing Index’, which lists the top 10 spots you should visit in the UK to properly unwind. We created this list by analysing several different factors to create a total score that we could use to rank each area of the UK. Let’s jump (or slowly amble) right into our top ten list!
Top 10 British wellness retreat locations
We examined five different factors to create our index: air pollution levels, number of beaches nearby, number of national parks nearby, the area’s population density, and the number of local animal species.
Rank | County | National parks | Blue flag beaches | Number of animal species | Population density | Air quality | Total score |
1 | Devon | 2 | 13 | 2452 | 124.08 | 8 | 3.78 |
2 | Pembrokeshire | 1 | 10 | 5142 | 76.42 | 6 | 3.73 |
3 | Cornwall | 0 | 9 | 2439 | 161.34 | 6.4 | 2.67 |
4 | Gwynedd | 1 | 0 | 5461 | 46.18 | 9.8 | 2.64 |
5 | Norfolk | 1 | 6 | 3586 | 170.59 | 10.8 | 2.63 |
6 | North Yorkshire | 2 | 3 | 1873 | 77.00 | 11.2 | 2.62 |
7 | Stirling | 1 | 0 | 2040 | 42.76 | 5.6 | 2.57 |
8 | Hampshire | 2 | 1 | 2661 | 382.29 | 11.7 | 2.49 |
9 | Leicestershire | 0 | 0 | 5777 | 342.11 | 7.7 | 2.37 |
10 | Dorset | 0 | 14 | 2658 | 153.07 | 12.5 | 2.37 |
1. Devon
By AliceAlphabet on Pixabay
Devon tops our list for its incredible natural beauty and bountiful wellness spots – with 13 different Blue Flag beaches to explore, you’re sure to find a quiet moment or two to yourself. There are also nearly 2,500 different animal species in the area, so be sure to bring your comfiest outdoor chair and a pair of binoculars to pass some time watching the beauty of nature.
There are also two national parks in Devon: the renowned Dartmoor National Park and Exmoor National Park are both vast moorlands with plenty of recreational facilities and acres upon acres of stunning scenery to bring you back down to earth. You can dust off your walking boots and settle in for a relaxing evening with family in our Devon cottages, perfect for a relaxing staycation.
Devon cottages
2. Pembrokeshire
Image by Beata Mitegra
Taking up a cosy little corner of coastal West Wales, Pembrokeshire is surrounded on three sides by seawater and looks across to Ireland. This area of the UK is renowned for its beautiful beaches and abundance of welcoming restaurants and pubs, so you can reconnect with nature and fill your tank with some tasty food to boot.
The towering cliffs are home to countless bird and animal species, and a staycation here offers so many calming walks and outdoor pursuits. Our Pembrokeshire cottages are great for curling up in with a good book and a cup of tea.
Pembrokeshire cottages
3. Cornwall
Image by TimHill on Pixabay
Cornwall isn’t just a favourite spot for us Brits – this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in South East England is renowned around the world for its calming beaches and soaring cliffside walks. The quaint villages that dot the coastline are packed with boutique shops and atmospheric pubs and restaurants, so you never have to feel too detached from society.
You can stay in one of our Cornwall holiday cottages that sits entirely on its own if you crave some peace and quiet – The Dell at Whitsand Bay is one of our most peaceful sites, with views of the crystal-clear waters off the coast as far as the eye can see.
Cornwall cottages
4. Gwynedd
Image by Cat Bassano on Unsplash
The castle and town walls of King Edward in Gwynedd are surely a sight to behold, and there’s so much more to explore in this beautiful county. Stretching from the Irish Sea in the west to the mountains of Snowdonia in the east, this land is steeped in rich Welsh history and culture, so if you love to immerse yourself in something new, this is the place for you.
Gwynedd makes it into our top five for many reasons, not least of which is that it has one of the lowest population densities, so you’re guaranteed some peace and quiet, whether you wander the coastal paths or scale the Snowdonia hills.
Gwynedd cottages
5. Norfolk
Image by Ian Dinmore on Unsplash
The natural charm of the Norfolk coast is enough to make anyone feel as though they’re letting their hair down – from tiny fishing villages to fun towns like Great Yarmouth, it’s all connected by sprawling beaches and rolling green fields. Norfolk makes it into our top ten list for its sandy beaches (there are six of them to enjoy!) and the lung-soothing air quality.
Many of our Norfolk holiday cottages are dog friendly, so you can bring your best friend with you to enjoy some time away from everyday life together.
Norfolk cottages
6. North Yorkshire
By Donna Elliott on UnsplashOf the four counties in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire is the largest of them all, spanning two immense national parks that are both brimming with beauty spots, calming walks and hundreds of animal species in their natural habitats – in fact, there are nearly 2,000 different species you could come across! North Yorkshire has plenty of chocolate-box villages you can visit, and with one of the lowest population densities, you can also visit for a number of days and barely see a soul.
Our North Yorkshire holiday cottages come in all different shapes and sizes to suit your needs for a weekend wellness break, but you can be guaranteed that the grace and wildness of the North Yorkshire landscape will capture your heart forever.
North Yorkshire cottages
7. Stirling
Image by shilmar on Pixabay
As with most areas of Scotland, Stirling is a region full of beautiful scenery and rich history. There are so many reasons it makes it into our top ten, not least because of its incredibly low population density – you can be guaranteed that you can find peace and quiet in this serene location!
Whatever your preferences for finding time for yourself, you can go back to basics in the rustic Log Cabin at Ardeonaig, or keep it cosy at the Stroneslaney Cottage in Callander from our collection of Stirling and Clackmannanshire holiday cottages. You can also explore national parks, bag yourself a Munro, or just cosy up with your pets and watch your favourite shows.
Stirling and Clackmannanshire cottages
8. Hampshire
Image by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Hampshire is another area of the UK that is simply packed with stunning sights and seafront delights, and you can explore it from top to bottom when you stay in one of our Hampshire holiday cottages. You can relax in the garden or out on a trek through the ancient forests that fill the area, knowing that you’re getting some of the best air quality in the entire country and breathing new life into yourself again.
Hampshire has two national parks you can explore to your heart’s content, as well as more than 2,600 animal species to keep an eye out for – and you can pay a visit to the local Blue Flag beach to relax on its sandy shores when the sun is out.
Hampshire cottages
9. Leicestershire
Image by cuemudgeon on Pixabay
Nestled next to the bustling cities of Birmingham and Nottingham, there’s so much going on in Leicestershire that you’d be forgiven for thinking this seems like an unusual place to come into our top ten – but Leicestershire has plenty of its own secrets!
This area has the largest population of animal species of all of our top ten list, so this is the ideal spot for bird watchers and those who find peace in watching animals in their natural habitats. The landscape is also perfect for slow and steady adventures, with meandering walking paths and gentle cycle paths.
Leicestershire cottages
10. Dorset
Image by Jack Ansteyon Unsplash
Dorset, situated on the south coast of England and benefitting from the balmy temperatures and sandy shores shared with nearby Devon, is the final peaceful escape in our index. This destination has the highest number of Blue Flag beaches out of all the locations on our index, all of which are sandy, sunny, and spectacularly quiet during low tourist seasons.
Known for the Jurassic Coast that lines the county, you can spend an entire day combing the beaches for fossils and shells, and still take time in the evenings in one of our peaceful Dorset holiday cottages to pursue your favourite hobbies that bring you peace of mind.
Dorset cottages
Book a self-catering cottage in the UK
If we’ve convinced you that a wellbeing staycation is exactly what is in order, then why not take a look at some of our destination guides for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty you will fall in love with, or if you still want a better idea of which direction to head in, check out our inspiration collections for luxury getaways, romantic hideaways, or calming coastal cabins to help you find yourself again. To browse our full range of holiday cottages, click the button below.
Holiday cottages
Methodology
This dataset ranks 112 different counties across the UK, based on how good they are to travel to for a wellbeing break. To do this, five different factors were used. Once the factors were collected, they were normalised, to provide each factor with a score between 0 and 1. The normalised values were then summed, to give each county a total score out of five. The counties were then ranked from highest to lowest, based on their total scores. The factors used are as follows:
- Average air quality levels - an indexed score of the air quality in each county
- Population density - the amount of people living in each county per square kilometre
- Number of animal species - the total number of animal species observed in each county
- Number of national parks - the number of national parks in each county
- Number of Blue Flag beaches - the number of Blue Flag beaches in each county
The factors were indexed as follows:
- Number of Blue Flag beaches - high values get a high score. Low values get a low score
- Number of animal species - high values get a high score. Low values get a low score
- Number of national parks - high values get a high score. Low values get a low score
- Average air quality levels - low values get a high score. High values get a low score
- Population density - low values get a high score. High values get a low score
Data gathered is correct as of 19/01/2023. The most recent data possible was used in compiling this dataset.