Orkney has beaten dramatic Eden and the picturesque Cotswolds to be crowned the best place to live in the UK.
The northern island group was runner-up in the Bank of Scotland Quality of Life Survey for the past two years as runner up – but has hit the top spot in the 2019 list.
The archipelago, famed for its spectacular landscapes and archaeological treasures, ticked the boxes for high employment levels, low crime rate, strong exam results, smaller primary class sizes and good health and happiness scores.
Shetland, which takes second place in the Scottish table, is the only other location north of the border to break into the UK top 50 (38th, up from 70th last year). The Western Isles, Argyll and Bute, and Dumfries and Galloway make up the top five in Scotland.
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James Stockan, leader of Orkney Islands Council, said: “I’m not surprised because Orkney has so many fabulous attributes and interesting opportunities. But I think the other side of the pendulum swing to that is what this survey doesn’t look into.
“That is, things like the cost of travel, the accessibility to services and of course, the weather.”
Aberdeenshire was sixth in the Scottish table, with Highland 12, Moray 15th and Aberdeen City 16th out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. Edinburgh came in 20, Dundee at 27th and Glasgow City was last.
Ricky Diggins, network director, Bank of Scotland, said: “Orcadians will be thrilled to learn that not only is their home the best place to live in Scotland, it’s now taken the crown for the whole of the UK. With Shetland and Western Isles coming second and third in Scotland, it’s a clean sweep of the podium places for these island communities.
“Their more remote locations may not appeal to everyone, but with benefits including high employment, low crime rates, smaller class sizes and more affordable housing, people around the country will now be dreaming of a life spent on the isles.”
At a UK level, Richmondshire in North Yorkshire took second place, followed by Rutland in the East Midlands, Hambleton in North Yorkshire and Eden in Cumbria in fifth place.
Employment is highest in Orkney at a rate of 87.9%, ahead of Shetland on 85.3%. The Scottish average is 73.6%.
Orkney is one of the most affordable places to live with an average house price of £173,349, standing at 5.2 times the average annual pre-tax local income, compared to the national average of 7.3.
The latest Office for National Statistics figures indicate adults living in Orkney are amongst the most happy, satisfied and content in the UK, with low anxiety rates.
