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Highlands in top three of 'rural' retreats for peace and quiet in the UK – but where is better?


By Louise Glen

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Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness.
Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness.

A survey of dark skies and population density has found that the Highlands are considered the best place in Scotland to escape for peace and quiet.

Coming in third place across the UK, after Powys in Wales and Northumberland in England, pollsters on behalf of holiday provider, Cottages in Northumberland, said 2021 trips would be about finding peace and quiet in the UK.

A spokeswoman for Cottages in Northumberland said: "With the demand for rural retreats rising and more people looking to escape the typical tourist hotspots for some peace and quiet, holiday provider Cottages in Northumberland reveals the top places to find peace and quiet in the UK. Perfect for 2021 breaks!

"Think about what makes an area quiet - no people, no noise, no light pollution and lots of nature and wildlife. Cottages in Northumberland looked closely at this across England, Scotland and Wales, pulling together data covering population count, National Park counts and Dark Sky sites.

"This data was then ranked to reveal the UK’s quietest areas which are all perfect locations to travel to on your next adventure, providing that much needed peace and quiet and sought after remote retreats."

Powys in Wales was named the best place for peace and quiet in the UK. With a population count of 26 people per square kilometre, Powys in Wales is a place of peace and serenity and a large portion of it covers the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Northumberland in England came in on second place. The quietest place in England, the coastal county has a low population count of 64 people per square kilometre and has more dark sky sites than anywhere else in the UK.

The Highlands of Scotland was named in third place. The Highlands boasts the lowest population count in the whole of the UK with a mere nine people per square kilometre, helping make it the best place in Scotland to escape to for peace and quiet.

Fourth was Argyll and Bute and Morayshire followed by North Yorkshire, Pembrokeshire, Cumbria, Aberdeenshire, Scotland and Devon.

To see the full breakdown of the UK’s top 10 places for peace and quiet, visit the Cottages in Northumberland blog by clicking this link.


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