Britain's Best View
Posted: 2009-06-26
With apologies to the ITV series and book, Britain's Favourite View (see my review of the book), I have my own, highly personal top ten favourite views from around the UK. Some are grand, sweeping vistas of scenic grandeur, and some are just, well, really quite lovely in a quiet sort of way.
- Wastwater, Lake District National Park - I have heard Wastwater described as being dark and brooding. Not to me; I think the view looking towards Scafell and Great Gable is a delight. If you stand on the edge of the lake as the sun goes down, and paints the peaks with golden light, you'll see what I mean.
- Loch Morlich, looking towards Cairn Gorm - in the very heart of the Cairngorms, Loch Morlich is a gem, set in a bowl of mountains.
- Looking down on Corgarff Castle (Cairngorms National Park) - desolate, stunning, awe-inspiring; all those adjectives apply to Corgarff Castle.
- Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire, looking across the River Eye to the village hall. Lower Slaughter is one of those chocolate box villages which are a speciality of the Cotswolds region. The view across the peaceful Eye to the old mill regularly appears on postcards, but for my money, walk along the other bank of the Eye as the sun goes down and lights the picturesque buildings on the other bank. Gorgeous.
- Bamburgh Castle and beach (Northumberland) - the historic castle stands atop a high cliff above the sea, while on the shore the golden sand stretches away for miles. Magic.
- The Strand, Isle of Colonsay - this tidal beach separates Colonsay from Oronsay. There can be few more magnificent scenes in Britain than the view you get while walking across the Strand as the sun rises or goes down.
- Yesnaby, Orkney - Yesnaby is located north of Stromness. Paths lead along the top of high sea cliffs to an area of sea stacks, including one with a hole through the middle.
- Elgol, Isle of Skye - the old fishing village of Elgol provides the perfect vantage point for views across the water to the peaks of the Black Cuillins.
- Glastonbury Tor from Wearyall Hill (Somerset) - the old medieval tower of St Michael's Church stands atop the conical Tor, and acts as a beacon for miles around. The best views of the mystical Tor are from the slopes of Wearyall Hill.
- Eilean Donan Castle (Lochalsh) - another scene that frequently makes it onto calendars and postcards, but there is a good reason for that; the castle stands on a small islet in the loch, and it is hard to imagine a more romantic scene, when the mist rises off the loch or when the castle is illuminated at dusk.
It was ridiculously hard to narrow my top ten down to these choices. I will have no choice but to add another post with a further Best British Views! If you enjoy travelling about the UK, you'll no doubt have your own favourite views. Let me know what makes your list of the best scenic views in Britain.
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