{"id":129843,"date":"2023-09-08T23:55:29","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T23:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluemull.com\/?p=129843"},"modified":"2023-09-08T23:55:29","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T23:55:29","slug":"the-best-and-worst-uk-towns-and-villages-are-named-by-which","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluemull.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-and-worst-uk-towns-and-villages-are-named-by-which\/","title":{"rendered":"The best and worst UK towns and villages are named by Which?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>The best UK towns and villages are named by Which? Wells is No.1 &#8211; while Gretna in Scotland and Bodmin in Cornwall are ranked bottom<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The ranking is based on the results of a survey that asked holidaymakers to rate inland towns and villages<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Destinations were rated across seven categories, including scenery, food and drink and tourist attractions<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>READ MORE:\u00a0World&#8217;s first piloted flight in a plane powered by liquid hydrogen takes place<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We do like to be beside the seaside &#8211; but there are plenty of stunning British towns and villages to discover away from the coast, Which? reveals.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Helping you to figure out which ones to visit, the consumer champion has named the best inland towns and villages in the UK, with Wells in Somerset &#8211; not a town, but rather a small city &#8211; taking the top spot.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s followed by the Wiltshire village of Avebury in second place, while the Dorset village of Corfe Castle and the\u00a0 Merseyside village of Port Sunlight tie for third place.<\/p>\n<p>Languishing at the bottom of the table, meanwhile, is the Scottish town of Gretna.<\/p>\n<p>The ranking was drawn up based on a Which? survey of over 9,000 holidaymakers, which asked them to rate their experiences of visiting 94 inland towns and villages in the last year. Destinations were rated across seven categories, including scenery, food and drink, peace and quiet, tourist attractions, and value for money.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/16\/75211719-12495787-We_do_like_to_be_beside_the_seaside_but_there_are_plenty_of_stun-a-2_1694188436512.jpg\" height=\"644\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p>We do like to be beside the seaside, but there are plenty of stunning British towns and villages to discover away from the coast, Which? reveals.\u00a0It has named some of the best &#8211; and worst &#8211; inland towns and villages in the UK, with Wells (above) taking the top spot\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>First place Wells, one of the UK\u2019s smallest cities, scored 83 per cent overall. Which? says: \u2018A popular filming location, Wells has featured in major film and television productions including Hot Fuzz, Dungeons and Dragons and Wolf Hall.\u2019 The watchdog notes that while there, visitors can imagine following in the footsteps of film stars including Cate Blanchett, Chris Hemsworth, and Emily Blunt.<\/p>\n<p>The medieval city scored a full five stars for attractiveness and tourist attractions, and \u2018boasts stunning architecture, including its famous cathedral\u2019, Which? says. It also scored four stars for shopping, scenery, food and drink.<\/p>\n<p>Second-place Avebury, meanwhile, earned a destination score of 82 per cent, garnering five stars for scenery and attractiveness.<\/p>\n<p>Which? says that the village is perfect for history lovers, as it\u2019s \u2018well-known for its 5,000-year-old Neolithic stone circle, which is free for visitors to explore\u2019 and is situated close to Stonehenge.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/16\/75210197-12495787-image-a-3_1694188436513.jpg\" height=\"1472\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/16\/75210197-12495787-The_ranking_was_drawn_up_based_on_a_Which_survey_of_over_9_000_h-a-4_1694188436514.jpg\" height=\"1480\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p>The ranking was drawn up based on a Which? survey of over 9,000 holidaymakers, which asked them to rate their experiences of visiting 94 inland towns and villages in the last year<\/p>\n<p>The watchdog adds: \u2018Avebury also has picturesque thatched cottages, Georgian townhouses and a 19th-century pub.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Joint third-place Corfe Castle and Port Sunlight earned a score of 80 per cent each. The former, Corfe Castle, was built by William the Conqueror during the 11th century and went on to become one of author Enid Blyton\u2019s favourite holiday destinations.<\/p>\n<p>In the survey, the village was rated a full five stars for tourist attractions and scenery, \u2018with visitors able to enjoy ambling through the castle ruins, which boast spectacular views over the Purbeck Hills to Poole Harbour\u2019, Which? notes.<\/p>\n<p>The consumer champion says that much like Corfe Castle, \u2018Port Sunlight also offers visitors a unique glimpse into the past\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/16\/75213403-12495787-The_Wiltshire_village_of_Avebury_known_for_its_5_000_year_old_Ne-a-5_1694188436515.jpg\" height=\"615\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p>The Wiltshire village of Avebury,\u00a0known for its 5,000-year-old Neolithic stone circle, lands in second place<\/p>\n<p>It reveals: \u2018The Merseyside village was built by William Hesketh Lever in 1888 to provide 900 homes to house the workers of his soap factory, and is named for his popular &#8220;Sunlight&#8221; soap.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The village scored four stars out of five for attractiveness, tourist attractions and value for money. It also scored a full five stars for peace and quiet.<\/p>\n<p>Fourth place is another tie, with five destinations scoring 79 per cent &#8211; the town of Ludlow in Shropshire; the Lincolnshire town of Stamford; Lavenham village in Suffolk; the Cumbrian village of Grasmere; and the town of Llangollen in Denbighshire.<\/p>\n<p>Aforementioned Llangollen \u2013 which is the top-rated Welsh destination &#8211; is nestled between the Berwyn, Ruabon, and Llantysilio mountains. It scored five stars for scenery and attractiveness, as well as four stars for tourist attractions and food and drink. Which? says: \u2018From canal boat cruises to horse-drawn boat trips, as well as its annual International Musical Eisteddfod festival, there\u2019s plenty for visitors to enjoy.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/13\/75211717-12495787-image-a-117_1694175541243.jpg\" height=\"641\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p>The Dorset village of Corfe Castle, which ties for third place, was built by William the Conqueror during the 11th century\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/16\/75211857-12495787-Merseyside_village_Port_Sunlight_above_was_built_in_1888_to_prov-a-6_1694188436516.jpg\" height=\"639\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p>Merseyside village Port Sunlight (above) was built in 1888 to provide homes to house the workers of a soap factory. It ties for third place\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Melrose (joint fifth) is the highest-rated Scottish destination, with a destination score of 78 per cent. Which? reveals: \u2018Backed by the peaks of the Eildon Hills, once described as those \u201cdelectable mountains\u201d by author and historian Sir Walter Scott, the town unsurprisingly scored five stars for scenery and attractiveness.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Melrose also scored four stars for its tourist attractions, which famously include Melrose Abbey, the final resting place of the heart of Robert the Bruce.<\/p>\n<p>Looking to the other end of the ranking, last-place Gretna (24th overall), which lies near the England-Scotland border, earned a score of 49 per cent.<\/p>\n<p>Joining Gretna at the bottom of the table \u2013 just one position behind in 23rd place &#8211; is Bodmin, Cornwall (50 per cent).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/16\/75211721-12495787-Languishing_at_the_bottom_of_the_table_is_the_Scottish_town_of_G-a-7_1694188436516.jpg\" height=\"643\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p>Languishing at the bottom of the table is the Scottish town of Gretna (pictured), though Which? says it still offers &#8216;plenty for holidaymakers to enjoy&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/08\/13\/75213405-12495787-image-a-118_1694175545024.jpg\" height=\"567\" width=\"962\"><\/p>\n<p>The Cornish town of Bodmin, which ranks second from the bottom, scored just two stars for tourist attractions and value for money<\/p>\n<p>However, Which? says that in spite of their lower destination scores, these two towns still have plenty for holidaymakers to enjoy.<\/p>\n<p>Though Bodmin, a town situated on the edge of Bodmin Moor, scored just two stars for tourist attractions and value for money, it did receive three stars for its scenery and peace and quiet. Which? notes: \u2018Visitors can explore its historic jail, which now hosts a museum and hotel, or visit the Bodmin Keep, which houses an army museum.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>And last-place Gretna is \u2018steeped in history\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Which? explains: \u2018For hundreds of years English couples headed north of the border to elope in Gretna, with couples under 21 historically requiring their parents\u2019 permission to marry &#8211; a law that didn\u2019t apply in Scotland.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>While the law no longer stands, the area continues to be a well-loved destination for romantics, playing host to countless nuptials every year.<\/p>\n<p>Commenting on the survey\u2019s findings, Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: \u2018From famed tourist towns to lesser-known villages, this year\u2019s survey has captured the range of unique destinations the UK has to offer.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018While the picturesque South West took the top spots, there are beautiful towns and villages in Scotland, Wales and from across England in the top ten &#8211; meaning there is a fantastic place to visit on your doorstep no matter where you live.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/travel\/article-12495787\/The-best-UK-towns-villages-named-Wells-No-1-Gretna-Scotland-Bodmin-Cornwall-ranked-bottom.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The best UK towns and villages are named by Which? Wells is No.1 &#8211; while Gretna in Scotland and Bodmin&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The best and worst UK towns and villages are named by Which? - bluemull<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bluemull.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-and-worst-uk-towns-and-villages-are-named-by-which\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The best and worst UK towns and villages are named by Which? - bluemull\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The best UK towns and villages are named by Which? 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