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Remote Highlands area revealed as most scenic spot in the UK

Assynt and Coigach gained the top spot in the survey

A remote area in the Scottish Highlands has been voted the UK’s favourite scenic destination.

The results of a survey launched by Which? last year to uncover the top landscapes to visit in the UK have now been revealed.

Coming in at first place with a score of 92% is Assynt-Coigach, two remote spots in the Highlands which have been combined as one national scenic area (NSA).

Unlike the rest of the UK, Scotland does not have area of natural beauty designations, so the country’s 40 NSAs were rated separately.

More than 6,000 Which? members were asked to rate each spot out of five in a range of categories, including scenery, walks and wildlife.

Coigach and Assynt were given top marks for scenery and peace and quiet, with both areas having mountain peaks that rise above moorland and freshwater lakes.

Its “beautiful landscape” also includes cliffs, sea stacks and sandy beaches, which one survey respondent described as “wild, spectacular and unique”.

Scottish spots rated highly

Loch Duich and the Kintail hills pictured from Inverinate. Photo by Alan Gordon/Scottish Viewpoint/Shutterstock.

The majority of the Scottish NSAs were rated a full five stars for their scenery by the survey respondents.

The Kintail summits in the north-west Highlands received an area score of 90 with the mountains being popular with walkers and wildlife alike.

One visitor wrote: “In the evenings, the wildlife came to us in our holiday cottage.”

South Lewis, Harris and North Uist and Wester Ross both scored 89% to share fourth place on the overall survey results.

Which? travel editor, Rory Boland, said: “During the pandemic, many of us discovered the joys of a British holiday and our survey findings show that areas of outstanding natural beauty and national scenic areas have plenty to offer with stiff competition between the nation’s favourites.

“The best news from the survey is just how many highly-rated destinations we have to choose from, including many little known destinations that you’ll be able to enjoy without crowds.”

The Isles of Scilly, famous for their white sandy beaches, gained the top spot in England and second overall.

Elsewhere in the UK, the Causeway Coast was the highest scoring area in Northern Ireland while the Gower Peninsula, home to the world-famous Rhossili Bay, was rated highest out of all the spots in Wales.